Neuse river stream

Walnut Creek in Raleigh. 

Watersheds in Raleigh

We all live in the watershed!


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What They Are Where They Are Protecting Watersheds Our Work

What They Are

A watershed is an area of land where rainwater collects, flows, or drains to a larger body of water. This can be a lake, stream, river, or ocean. 

This is how the rainwater moves after it falls from the sky:

  1. Flows into smaller streams or tributaries, like Crabtree Creek and Walnut Creek;
  2. Goes through the stormwater system; 
  3. These streams and pipes go through the city; and,
  4. Water empties into the Neuse River!

Where They Are

There are 36 different watersheds in Raleigh. Each watershed is connected to a stream and the land around it where the water flows. This covers the entire city, including your backyard!

Learn how to find your watershed!

Protecting Watersheds

The stormwater that flows through Raleigh covers about 1,700 miles of stormwater pipes and 1,200 miles of streams. During heavy rainstorms, water picks up pollution from impervious surfaces (i.e. roads and buildings). This can affect the ecology and health of a stream. 

Do Your Part!

We all live in a watershed and play an important role in protecting it. You can do this by not littering and volunteering to clean up waterways in Raleigh. 

Our Work

We are working on a watershed master plan that will help identify water quality and stormwater infrastructure needs throughout the city. The plan will be used to make informed and strategic decisions about stormwater projects planned over the next several decades.

Learn more about it