Cleaning waterways will cost Manatee County another $18.8 million

Although Manatee County spent $10.5 million last year cleaning canals and waterways to reduce the risk of flooding, the stormwater department reported that approximately $18.8 million more is required to finish the job. 

Those dollar amounts represent initial cleanings, not maintenance. Maintenance is expected to cost about $2 million annually. 

Tom Gerstenberger, the stormwater engineering division manager, presented the plan to commissioners during the June 10 budget session, but the $18.8 million was not a budget request.

Gerstenberger’s presentation was meant to provide commissioners with an understanding of the scope and potential funding needed to expand the program beyond the initial cleanup efforts, which included the Braden River from Interstate 75 to Lorraine Road. 

When the Braden River swelled beyond its banks due to excessive rainfall from Hurricane Debby in August 2024, homes in neighborhoods, such as Summerfield Bluffs, flooded. 

The goal of an initial cleanup is to remove debris, vegetation or any other obstructions that could restrict the natural flow of water within a channel.

Completed work Courtesy image The systems listed below were part of a $7.5 million cleanup effort conducted in spring 2025. The county hired Rick Richards, Inc., a wetland and upland restoration services contractor, to complete the work. An additional $3 million was allocated throughout the year to clean smaller canals, as well.
Drainage System	Linear Feet	Cost
Braden River	30,657	$1,887,537
Gamble Creek	32,655	$1,633,734
Williams Creek	13,104	$530,250
Wade Canal	16,693	$47,200
Sugarhouse Creek (portion)	1,635	$84,250
Slaughter Canal (portion)	11,304	$668,230
Frye Canal	14,650	$1,314,466
Cedar Creek	13,942	$1,355,627
The Concession (portion)	12,164	$18,936

When the Braden River was cleaned in May 2025, the county reported removing “literally tons of debris.” Summerfield Bluffs resident Jill Sauchinitz was shocked by the width of the river because the view had always been obstructed by brush. 

Although the county’s stormwater department maintains 545 canals, stretching over 200 miles, natural systems like the Braden River were not included in its maintenance schedule prior to Hurricane Debby.

Even since the county has stepped in, the stormwater department doesn't have the manpower or equipment to take on such an enormous undertaking. 

Myakka City's Rick Richards, Inc., a wetland and upland restoration services contractor was hired to do the work. 

Once an initial cleaning is completed, the county's stormwater staff can maintain the system thereafter. Every time a system is cleaned, it's issued an asset number that allows the county to track when and what maintenance was completed. 

There are still 11 drainage systems that need an initial cleaning, of which seven are located in East County. 

Work that needs to be completed Courtesy image The total cost estimate to clean the remaining systems is $18,853,048.
Drainage System	Linear Feet	Cost Estimate
Mill Creek	56,604	$2,428,312
Braden River Tributaries	30,296	$1,299,698
Old Tampa Road/River Wilderness	20,611	$884,212
Twin Rivers	34,059	$1,461,131
Pomello Park/Bourneside Boulevard	143,246	$6,145,253
Sugarhouse Creek (portion)	9,209	$395,066
Rattlesnake Slough	21,956	$941,912
Gates Creek	16,819	$721,535
Government Hammock	31,317	$1,343,499
Lakewood Ranch tributaries	19,054	$817,417
Panther Ridge/The Concession	56,294	$2,415,013

Over $1.8 million was spent cleaning the Braden River, but that didn't include any of its tributaries, which will cost another estimated $1.3 million. 

Scott Chapman, the field maintenance superintendent for the stormwater department, went through receipts for every canal cleaning since the 2024 hurricane season. 

The average cost to clean one linear foot of a canal is $42.90; the range is between $1.35 and $281.19. Downed trees cause the cost to rise. 

Chapman said waterways are prioritized based on where maintenance will have the greatest community benefit, including natural systems like the Braden River that the county doesn't routinely maintain but has a high concentration of nearby residences. 

Access is often one of the county's biggest challenges when maintaining a natural system because they require easements or permission to enter from private property owners. Getting specialized equipment to the site can be difficult, too. 

Numerous factors have to be balanced when trying to access waterways that are not a county asset, including equipment staging and storage, legal access, safety and liability.

Funding

Funding is another major factor that needs to be considered, especially given the proposed property tax referendum that will be on November's ballot. 

If the referendum passes, the $150,000 homestead exemption proposed for 2027 will reduce the county’s property tax revenue by over $81 million per year and the $250,000 homestead exemption proposed for 2028 will reduce the county’s property tax revenues by over $149 million per year.

That revenue is put into the county's general fund, which paid for $1 million of canal cleanings last year. The other $9.5 million was paid for out of the Solid Waste Fund, which is an enterprise fund that pays for itself through service charges.

Commissioners opted not to charge a stormwater fee last year. 

Photo by Lesley Dwyer

Instead, Commission Chair Tal Siddique said commissioners opted to use infrastructure sales tax, general fund revenue and any available tax increment financing funds to fund future stormwater needs. 

However, if the referendum passes, a stormwater fee might be reconsidered. 

Siddique listed the three departments that are most dependent on the general fund: Property Management, which oversees stormwater maintenance, Public Works, which oversees stormwater engineering, and Sports and Leisure. 

"Stormwater, by lacking a specific fund or taxing unit, would be affected by reductions in revenues," Siddique said.

He emphasized that any type of fee assessment would be workshopped with residents before being implemented.

The extent of the impact if the referendum is passed remains to be seen, but Siddique was confident that the board will feel canal cleaning is a core service the county should provide. 

Commissioner George Kruse echoed that sentiment. 

"We have money," Kruse said. "It's just a matter of what gets prioritized and what gets cut."

Those decisions will come down to a vote by commissioners, as would the implementation of a stormwater fee. While the public would be asked to weigh in, the ultimate decision would be made by commissioners. 

While there are different funding options, Siddique doesn't see an alternative to getting the canals cleaned because homes could flood again. 

"That's not an alternative," he said. "But I think when people in Manatee County understand where their taxes are going, and they know that the funds are for specific uses, they're fine paying the tax. Look at the environmental lands and children's services millage."