Rare manatee sightings in the Braden River

East County's Terri Ordonez was questioning her sanity as she looked over the Braden River that flows past her Quonset Road home.

Her German shepherd, Shelby, was looking into the water and barking.

Ordonez saw swirls of bubbles.

"I saw two manatees, maybe three," Ordonez said. "I thought I was losing my mind."

Manatees have been absent from the Braden River since the mid-1930s when the river was dammed to form Ward Lake, which eventually became Evers Reservoir. The dam effectively blocked the manatees' access from the fresh water portion of the Braden River to the brackish water and then the Manatee River and gulf.

However, the storm surge from Hurricane Helene sent salt water back up the Braden River and over the dam, into the Evers Reservoir. Those who live along the Braden River called Jiggs Landing concessions owner Denise Kleiner and told her the water in the Braden River was running in the opposite direction.

Besides seeing manatees, local fishermen said they had caught snook, primarily a salt water or brackish water fish, in the reservoir.

On Sept. 27, the City of Bradenton issued an alert that brackish water had been over the Evers Reservoir dam by the Helene surge but that "the water still meets all primary drinking water standards."

Restaurants and taverns in the city were using canned beverages for mixers because their taps beverages had a salt taste.

The storm surge has made for some unusual sights for residents along the Braden River like Ordonez.

"When I saw the bubbles, I knew it was something unusual," Ordonez said. "I was so excited, 'Am I really seeing manatees?' They were fairly good sized. We have alligators, bobcats, otters, and you name it, but no manatees. Everyone says it is not possible."

It was a little entertainment provided by Helene, which had flooded many of the homes on Quonset Road. Ordonez said she only had minor damage.

Photo by Jay Heater

She said seeing manatees was a shock because many people have told her that manatees can't live in the fresh water and couldn't possibly get past the dam.

"The storm brought them in," Kleiner said. "They usually go the opposite direction from where the storm is coming. We had 6 to 7 feet of tidal surge and at midnight on Thursday night, the river was moving backward."

Kleiner said besides the snook, a fisherman told her he saw tarpon "rolling" near the dam.

Kleiner, who captains tour boats out of Jiggs Landing around the reservoir and the river, said it has been a thrill to know manatees have been back east of the dam. 

"It's more than a thrill," she said. "I always have loved manatees. You don't always see them."

The thrill should be gone soon.

Jonny Veach of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said rescue operations for the manatees were set to begin as early as Monday, although incoming weather could postpone that effort.

"Every situation is unique," Veach said. "But they can't live long term in fresh water. It's about cold water stress. That's a real concern. The lakes and canals can get colder (than the gulf and bay). That's the main concern when they get stuck."

Veach said FWC has eight manatee rescues pending, not counting the two or three manatees in the Braden River.

"It's something we are prioritizing," he said of the rescues.

He said it won't be easy tracking down the manatees with all the fingers of the Braden River.

"It's probably going to be a tough rescue," he said. "We will be using drones."

Reports from fishermen on Sunday said the manatees were hanging out by the dam, which would make locating them easier.

Besides water temperature, Veach said boat strikes are a concern in the river. Kleiner was working to put out signs to alert boaters to be careful of the manatees.

When the manatees are located, they will be put into a sling and lifted onto the boat with a wench. Once on shore, they will be checked by a biologist and will have a blood sample taken. About 30 people will carry the manatees on to a special transport truck, which can handle two manatees at a time.

Veach said the manatees are likely to be released just on the other side of the dam.