Myakka River | |
Name Etymology: | Myakka (big water) |
Map: | Myakkarivermap.png |
Map Size: | 200px |
Subdivision Type1: | Country |
Subdivision Name1: | United States |
Subdivision Type2: | State |
Subdivision Name2: | Florida |
Subdivision Type3: | Counties |
Subdivision Name3: | Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte |
Subdivision Type4: | District |
Subdivision Name4: | Southwest Florida Water Management District |
Length: | 72miles |
Mouth: | Gulf of Mexico |
Mouth Location: | Charlotte Harbor |
Mouth Coordinates: | 26.9145°N -82.1643°W |
River System: | Myakka River Watershed |
Basin Size: | 314.7mi2[1] |
Basin Landmarks: | Myakka River State Park, T. Mabry Carlton Reserve, Snook Haven, Deer Prairie Creek Preserve, Jelks Preserve, Myakka State Forest, Myakka Park |
Basin Population: | 72,317[2] |
Waterbodies: | Lake Myakka |
The Myakka River is a river in southwestern Florida. It arises near the Hardee-Manatee county line and flows southwest and then southeast through Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties to Charlotte Harbor, an arm of the Gulf of Mexico. The river is 72miles long and has a drainage basin of 602 square miles (1559.2 km2),[3] of which 314.7mi2 lies in Sarasota county.[4] The last 20miles of the river is tidal and brackish.
The Myakka River remains relatively undeveloped. A 12miles stretch of the river is preserved in Myakka River State Park. A 34miles portion of the river in Sarasota County (including all of the park) was designated as a state Wild and Scenic River in 1985 by the Florida Legislature. Portions of the ancient water basin, however, have been altered by canals.[5] In 2022, the river flooding during Hurricane Ian resulted in the temporary closing of 14 miles of Interstate 75 near Port Charlotte.[6]