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The County's response to flooding in Lakewood Ranch by Bill Logan is irresponsible, incompetent and misleading. The WFLA report 8/8/24 quotes Logan stating that "...the water simply does not flow in that direction." The accelerated dam discharges occurred during an incoming king high tide that was exacerbated by the tropical storm surge. Lake Manatee was experiencing heavy rainfall and runoff as were the areas down-stream of the Lake Manatee dam. If properly programmed, the dam discharge and storm drainage models would show that all tributaries down-stream of the dam could not drain and would cause severe drainage backups.

So, the Braden River flow was “obstructed” and backing up. The same was probably true for all of the other creeks and branches like Mill Creek and Sand Branch. I know first hand that Sand Branch backed-up causing much property damage along its banks. Similar rain events to tropical storm Debby occurred in 2001, 2003, 2004, 20005, 2017, & 2022. Sand Branch creek did not exhibit any significant damaging back-ups during these prior events.

It's going to get worse and not better due to the uncontrolled development and wetland encroachment in Manatee and Sarasota Counties. When Lakewood Ranch was being developed, the course of the Braden River was altered and “straightened” to accommodate more buildings and roads. This wetland and natural stream manipulation negatively affects drainage. Clear-cutting the natural vegetation and native trees further reduces nature’s ability to absorb stormwater and minimize erosion and flooding. Four large developments in east Manatee County are presently encroaching on and backfilling wetlands and altering creeks that flow thru them. The drainage structures designed for these developments to accommodate the “100 year floods” are substandard and are not being properly inspected, tested or maintained. The result is more flooding of roads, houses and businesses. Furthermore, the large developments adjacent to Lake Manatee will allow stormwaters to fill the lake (our reservoir) with silt, debris, and toxins. This will reduce the lake’s capacity and shorten its usable life.