Stormwater System and Projects

Stormwater System

The stormwater system is made up of natural and man-made infrastructure. It carries stormwater through the city to local stream and rivers. This helps reduce hazardous flooding, preserve water resources, and protect people in Raleigh.

What We Do

Our goal is to improve and maintain the system so that it works correctly. We collect data on the condition of the infrastructure throughout the year. The stormwater system in Raleigh consists of:

600+ miles of City-owned stormwater pipes
1,000+ miles of stormwater pipes owned by NCDOT and other private property owners
190+ miles of City-owned streams, creeks, ditches, and other open channels
980+ miles of streams, creek, ditches, and other open channels owned by private property owners.

What Makes Up the Stormwater System?

Click through the images below to see what makes up the stormwater system in Raleigh.

The downstream view of the dam at North Shore Lake — **Dams**

We oversee **36 low and high-hazard dams** that are on City, public, or private property. Do you have a dam on your property? **Learn how to maintain it.**

If you are visiting a recreational area that has a dam, please **DO NOT** go near the dam or spillway structures.

**Did you know:** All lakes in Raleigh are man-made and have a dam. The dams can be used to store water for mills, agriculture, water supply, hydroelectric energy, flood control, recreation, and aesthetics.

A new stormwater pipe that carries rainwater from Juniper Street — Pipes and Culverts

We improve and construct corrugated metal and concrete pipes, and concrete box culverts that carry stormwater through the system. This infrastructure reduces flooding to homes and streets, and protects **watersheds in Raleigh.**

**Learn more about stormwater projects.**

A metal storm drain on a street in Raleigh. — Storm Drains

We inspect and maintain more than **26,000 storm drains** in the city. Stormwater maintenance crews handle these repairs. They also make sure that storm drains are cleared before a rainstorm.

**Report a clogged storm drain**.

Petworth Court Stream — Waterways

Streams, lakes, and rivers are essential natural assets that benefit the environment and community. We repair and/or restore streams throughout Raleigh to improve their water quality and reduce impacts from flooding.

**Learn more about lakes in Raleigh**.

Fire Station 12 Wetland — Stormwater Devices

These devices control and clean stormwater that flows onto a property when it rains. We maintain 75 City-owned devices and inspect more than 2,000 on private property.

**Learn more about stormwater devices**.

Ongoing Survey Work

We're getting data and details on the condition of the stormwater system across Raleigh. This includes collecting information on the type and location of the infrastructure and where water flows when it rains.

Benefits

Better understand the pipes and drains that carry water to streets and streams when it rains.
Meet state regulations that require us to take an inventory of the system.

Where We're Working

Zoom in on the map below to see where we're collecting data. Select the three lines on the map (upper right corner) to see what the icons mean.

Projects

Project Requirements

To classify a stormwater project in Raleigh, we follow these criteria:

Location (City street or private property)
Public safety
Mandated by state or federal law
Flooding
Water quality benefits
Streambank erosion

Learn more about how we prioritize projects.

Project Types

Our stormwater projects make streets safer for residents. They also reduce future costs from flooding damages caused by heavy rainfall.

Types	Description
Lakes	Prevents flooding damage to roads and buildings downstream; improves water quality. Projects are on public and private property.
Stormwater System	Prevents flooding damages caused by stormwater runoff coming from public streets. We also maintain and repair the system.
Streams	Reduced impacts from sediment and other water pollution. These projects are typically on City properties. Work on private property is through the Drainage Assistance Program.
Bridges	Work is completed on bridges over creeks when the structure is unsafe to travel on or affecting the stream.

Project Approval and Funding

We identify projects each year that are approved by Raleigh City Council. We plan 10 years ahead. Projects in the first year are funded. Future projects are funded during the next year's planning process.

Resources

Find Your Watershed

Raleigh Rainwater Rewards

Drainage Assistance Program

Submit a Stormwater Device Inspection Report

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Stormwater System and Projects

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