Manatee River

Manatee River
Map of Manatee River in Florida
Location of the river mouth in Florida
Location of the river mouth in Florida
Location of the mouth in Florida
Location
CountryUnited States
StateFlorida
CountiesManatee
DistrictSouthwest Florida Water Management District
Physical characteristics
MouthGulf of Mexico
 • location
Tampa Bay
 • coordinates
27°31′51″N 82°39′12″W / 27.5308703°N 82.6534319°W / 27.5308703; -82.6534319
Length36 miles (58 km)
Basin size360 square miles (930 km2)
Basin features
River systemManatee River Watershed
Landmarks
WaterbodiesLake Manatee
Bridges
Manatee River with DeSoto Bridge in the background

The Manatee River is a 36-mile-long (58 km)[1] river in Manatee County, Florida.[2] The river forms in the northeastern corner of Manatee County and flows into the Gulf of Mexico at the southern edge of Tampa Bay.

Wildlife in and around the river includes alligators, herons, manatees, dolphins, and fish such as bass, bluegill, catfish, and gar. Bull sharks are occasionally found in the brackish water near its low-lying outlet. The river includes the Upper Manatee River Canoe Trail for paddlers.

  1. ^ U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed April 18, 2011
  2. ^ Peterson, Lindsay (1990). "Manatee River". In Marth, Del; Marty, Marth (eds.). The Rivers of Florida. Sarasota, Florida: Pineapple Press, Inc. ISBN 0-910923-70-1.