Braden River

Infobox_River
river_name = Braden River


caption =
origin =
mouth = Manatee River
basin_countries = United States
length = convert|21|mi|km
elevation =
discharge =
watershed = convert|83|sqmi|km2

The Braden River is a 21 mile-long waterway that drains an convert|83|sqmi|km2|sing=on area watershed in west-central Florida and is the largest tributary of the Manatee River. The hydrology of the Braden River was altered in 1936 when the city of Bradenton created Ward Lake, a reservoir with an convert|838|ft|m|sing=on broad-crested weir six miles (10 km) 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 5.7 million gallons of water per day.

The Braden River can be hydrologically divided into three distinct sections that include an convert|8.6|mi|km|sing=on reach of naturally incised, free-flowing channel; a convert|6.4|mi|km|sing=on reach of impounded river created by the Ward Lake reservoir and weir; and a convert|6|mi|km|sing=on reach of tidal estuary.