Watershed Management Program
What is a Watershed and Why Are They Important?
Every body of water (e.g., rivers, lakes, ponds, streams and estuaries) has a watershed. No matter where you live, work or play, you are within a watershed. Learn more.
What is Watershed Management?
Watershed management is a term used to describe the process of implementing land-use practices and water management practices to protect and improve the quality of the water and other natural resources within a watershed by managing the use of those land and water resources in a comprehensive manner. Learn more.
You and Your Watershed
From your backyard to what occurs in your neighborhood affects the water quality downstream. Learn more.
Why is Watershed Management and Planning Important?
Watershed management planning is a process that results in a plan or a blueprint of how to best protect and improve the water quality and other natural resources in a watershed. Learn more.
Get Involved in Your Watershed
Adopt Your Watershed program challenges you to serve your community by taking part in activities to protect and restore your local watershed. Learn more.
Watershed Protection Programs
Stormwater Program
Stormwater runoff is generated when precipitation from rain and snowmelt events flows over land or impervious surfaces and does not percolate into the ground. As the runoff flows over the land or impervious surfaces (paved streets, parking lots and building rooftops), it accumulates debris, chemicals, sediment or other pollutants that could adversely affect water quality in a watershed if the runoff is discharged untreated.
Erosion & Sedimentation Control
Wake County operates an erosion prevention program that aims to prevent sediment from leaving construction sites and contaminating streams, lakes, and river within Wake County's watersheds.
Onsite Wastewater & System Maintenance
Onsite wastewater treatment and disposal systems, or septic tank systems, are a widely used means of decentralized, wastewater treatment and disposal in Wake County. There are approximately 55,000 septic tank systems in use in the County, and an additional 1,800 septic tank systems are permitted each year; therefore, properly functioning and well-maintained septic tank systems is an integral component in protection of water quality within the watersheds in which these systems exist.
Groundwater & Drinking Water Wells
Approximately 141,000 Wake County residents rely on groundwater for drinking and other everyday uses. Two-thirds of that total (93,000) obtain water from domestic wells. The remaining 48,000 are served by one of the 275 Community Water Suppliers. Baseflow, the component of streamflow that comes from discharging groundwater, typically accounts for between 34 and 55 percent of total streamflow in Wake County, with an average of 45 percent. In naturally flowing streams baseflow accounts for nearly all of streamflow during drought.
Special Watershed Projects - Reports