Manatee County to mark 50 years of Lake Manatee Dam on Oct. 23rd

MANATEE COUNTY – Manatee County will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking for County’s drinking water supply, Lake Manatee, during a public celebration Friday, Oct. 23 at 11 a.m. Those planning to attend the public event are asked to RSVP by calling (941) 798-6745 by Oct. 16.

Members of the community, County Commissioners and County staff, past and present are invited for lunch, tours and the unveiling of a historical marker honoring the 1965 Board of County Commissioners who moved forward with a plan to build the water supply that today is the primary drinking water source for more than 250,000 people.

This event is open to the public but due to Homeland security issues and required background checks, all attendees MUST R.S.V.P. by Oct. 16 by calling (941) 798-6745. The dam is located at 17915 Waterline Road.

“Lake Manatee is a valuable asset for Manatee County,” said Manatee Utilities Director Mike Gore. “We are extremely fortunate to have a primary source of water that will meet our needs for years to come.”

Manatee County broke ground for what would become Lake Manatee through the construction of an earthen dam in October, 1965. By December of 1966 the Manatee River was diverted to the reservoir, and on January 9, 1967, the ceremony was held that started the pumps to begin supplying fresh water to the Borden Chemical Plant located at the newly established Port Manatee.

Today Lake Manatee covers nearly 1,800 acres and holds 7.5 billion gallons of water. In addition to providing a source of potable water, Lake Manatee also provides recreational opportunities to the residents of Manatee County.

For more information on Manatee County Government, visit online at www.mymanatee.org or call (941) 748-4501. You can also follow us on Facebook and on Twitter, @ManateeGov.