Manatee County commissioners have approved more than $100 million in stormwater and hurricane recovery projects, with roughly $66 million directed to six public works projects in flood-prone, low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. Center Lake and Shady Brook are on that list, two areas that took on water repeatedly during the 2024 hurricane season. The largest single allocations are $24.9 million for automated outfall structures along Pearce Drain and $19.1 million for Bowlees Creek.
Those automated gates are the technical heart of the plan. Instead of waiting for a storm to arrive, crews can lower water levels ahead of time, creating extra storage capacity in the system. Fifteen automated outfall structures are already installed countywide, so this expands a system that’s been tested on the ground. Funding comes from the county’s $252.7 million federal Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery allocation tied to Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton.
The timeline is the part residents will want to watch. Construction cannot begin until federal reviews and required agreements are completed, which means the protection is approved and funded but still months from breaking ground. County staff say progress can be tracked through the Lasting Manatee online map, and the infrastructure dollars are separate from the Home Recovery Program. Which Manatee County road or neighborhood floods first when a storm rolls through? Let us know in the comments.
