Questions linger over Lake Manatee Dam release

East County residents question why more water wasn't released from Lake Manatee ahead of Tropical Storm Debby.

After streets and homes in East County flooded along the Manatee River and along the Braden River in Lakewood Ranch, residents have been questioning the events that led up to 15 billion gallons of water being released from the Lake Manatee Dam during Hurricane Debby, the bulk of which was released on Aug. 5.

Part of those questions stem from an article written by Michael Barfield and published by the "Florida Trident" on Aug. 15.

The article alleges the county knew the dam threatened public safety; and if water hadn’t been released, the reservoir could have suffered a “catastrophic collapse." The article said the dam is "aging and problem-plagued."

Manatee County added a page to its website, “Hurricane Debby Rainfall and River Information,” that was also published on Aug. 15. It states that the release was necessary to “protect the structural integrity of the dam and our drinking water supply.”