Durham Reservoirs Hold 78 Days of Water

Rainfall this week did little to ease Stage 2 restrictions as drought persists across North Carolina.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Current Conditions

Live Poll

Have you changed your daily water use because of the drought?

Durham's reservoirs hold 78 days of easily accessible water, a figure that assumes no additional inflow. Recent rainfall, including Friday's totals near Lake Michie and at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, did little to improve conditions for the city.

Why it matters

Durham residents have been under Stage 2 water restrictions since June, and the city's reservoirs have less margin than neighboring Falls and Jordan Lakes, which have larger watersheds. Rain elsewhere in the state benefits those lakes more than Durham's supply.

Durham's reservoirs hold 78 days of accessible water, and the city has issued 19 formal warnings under Stage 2 restrictions. Rainfall was 0.15 inches near Lake Michie and over 1 inch at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, but the 78-day estimate assumes no additional inflow and excludes operational measures to access more water.

The players

City of Durham

The municipal government that operates the city's reservoirs and administers its water restriction stages.

City of Raleigh

The capital city of North Carolina, which has asked its residents to conserve water during the drought.

The details

Raleigh has asked residents to conserve water amid extreme drought in parts of Wake County, and Durham remains under Stage 2 restrictions with 19 formal violation warnings issued. A longer-term plan could bring water pumped and treated from Jordan Lake to Durham, though that plan will not help this year.

June: Durham residents were placed under Stage 2 water restrictions.
Friday: Rainfall was measured near Lake Michie and at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
Eight weeks out: Stage 3 restrictions would be triggered if there is a 10% chance reservoirs fall below 25%.

Seasonal Patterns

Durham's current shortage sits against the backdrop of the Jordan Lake water supply plan, which offers a longer-term source but will not help this year. Recent rainfall that favored Falls and Jordan Lakes over Durham's reservoirs illustrates how unevenly drought conditions are distributed across the state.

Durham residents under Stage 2 restrictions should follow current water-use limits, as violations have already drawn 19 formal warnings. Residents should watch for any escalation to Stage 3, which would follow if reservoirs face a 10% chance of falling below 25% in the next eight weeks.

The takeaway

Durham's water supply is more constrained than neighboring lakes, so conservation under Stage 2 matters more for the city than rainfall elsewhere in the state suggests. Residents should expect restrictions to persist until supply conditions change.