Ward Lake (Florida) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ward Lake |
|
|---|---|
| Bill Evers Reservoir | |
 Ward Lake
Location in Florida
Ward Lake
Location in the United States
|
|
| Coordinates | 27°25′54.48″N 82°29′8.16″W / 27.4318000°N 82.4856000°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Braden River |
| Primary outflows | Braden River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 255 acres (103 ha) |
| Settlements | Bradenton |
Ward Lake, also called Bill Evers Reservoir, is a large body of water in Manatee County, Florida. It covers about 255 acres, which is like 190 football fields! This lake is super important because it provides most of the drinking water for the city of Bradenton. It is also a key part of the Manatee River watershed, which is the area of land where all the water drains into a river or lake.
About Ward Lake
Ward Lake gets its water from the Braden River, and its water also flows back into the Braden River. This means the river acts as both the "inflow" (water coming in) and "outflow" (water going out) for the lake.
The lake was first built in the late 1930s. Later, in 1985, it was made even bigger to hold more water. Over the years, Ward Lake has faced some challenges with its water quality. Sometimes, there have been too many nutrients in the water, which can cause problems for the lake's health. There have also been higher levels of dissolved copper, another issue that water managers work to fix.
