The Braden River is a 21mi waterway that drains an 83sqmi area watershed in west-central Florida and is the largest tributary of the Manatee River.HydrologyThe hydrology of the Braden River was altered in 1936 when the city of Bradenton created Ward Lake, a reservoir with an 838ft broad-crested weir upstream from the mouth. In 1985 the reservoir, which is the sole source of drinking water for the city of Bradenton, was expanded and supplies an annual average of 5.7e6USgal of water per day.The Braden River can be hydrologically divided into three distinct sections that include an 8.6mi reach of naturally incised, free-flowing channel; a 6.4mi reach of impounded river created by the Ward Lake reservoir and weir; and a 6mi reach of tidal estuary.
