drinking water

Durham reservoirs fall below 40% after Isaias brings little watershed rain

A powerful storm affected communities across North Carolina, but Durham’s drinking-water reservoirs got little relief. Readily accessible supply has fallen to 92 days, and officials say Stage 3 restrictions remain possible.

Hurricane Isaias brought severe weather to North Carolina, but didn’t deliver the kind of rain Durham needs to replenish its drinking-water supply.

Durham’s reservoirs were at 39.7% of capacity as of Oct. 12, according to a new City of Durham Water Management update. That was down from 43% on Oct. 1.

The city estimated that 92 days of readily accessible reservoir water remained as of Oct. 11, down from 96 days at the beginning of the month.

Stage 2 water restrictions remain in effect, but Water Management officials warned that Stage 3 remains possible if current conditions continue.

Isaias missed the watersheds that matter

The storm’s impacts were felt across North Carolina and the South, but the city said it produced little rain in the watersheds that feed Lake Michie and Little River Reservoir.

Rain must fall in those northern Durham County watersheds to provide meaningful relief. Heavy rain elsewhere in Durham can soak lawns, fill creeks, and produce flooding without significantly replenishing the city’s drinking-water reservoirs.

The city recorded 0.93 inches of October rain at Lake Michie through Oct. 11. Little River Reservoir received only 0.06 inches.

The 10-day forecast offered little chance of additional precipitation, according to the city.

By the numbers

39.7%: Combined reservoir storage as of Oct. 12, down from 43% on Oct. 1.
92 days: Readily accessible reservoir water remaining, down from 96 days.
156 days: Total estimated supply when less accessible water and Teer Quarry are included, down from 160 days.
26.20 million gallons per day: The 30-day average demand placed on Durham’s reservoirs.
32.05 million gallons: Durham’s total water demand on Oct. 11.
32.56 million gallons per day: Average daily demand during the first 11 days of October.

The total supply estimate includes 92 days of readily accessible reservoir water, 45 days of less accessible water below the intake structures, and 19 days in Teer Quarry.

Those figures are planning estimates, not a literal countdown to Durham running out of water. They can change with demand, rainfall, streamflow, purchased water, and the amount of stored water the city can reach and treat.

Lake levels continue to fall

The city’s latest posted lake elevations, measured Oct. 8, show both reservoirs continuing to decline.

Lake Michie stood at 330.96 feet above mean sea level, 10.04 feet below its full elevation. That was 0.61 feet lower than on Oct. 1.

Little River Reservoir stood at 338.80 feet, 16.20 feet below full and 0.86 feet lower than on Oct. 1.

Water Management continues to purchase Durham’s Jordan Lake allocation from the Town of Cary and draw water from Teer Quarry in addition to treating water from Lake Michie and Little River Reservoir.

Stage 3 remains possible

Durham remains in severe drought and under the Stage 2 Water Shortage Response that took effect June 15.

Conditions aren’t as dire as they were in June, when Durham County reached exceptional drought, the highest classification. But the reservoir decline shows that the city has lost some of the improvement it made during the wetter part of the summer.

Water Management said Stage 3 remains possible based on daily demand and the weather forecast. The city is working with large water users and commercial facilities to reduce consumption.

October demand has also started above last year’s pace. The city averaged 32.56 million gallons per day during the first 11 days of the month, compared with an October 2025 average of 30.75 million gallons per day.

Under Stage 2, customers using more than 100,000 gallons per day are asked to reduce consumption by 30% and document their efforts.

Restrictions and enforcement

Stage 2 restrictions apply to City of Durham water customers, but not residents using private wells.

Under Stage 2:

Spray irrigation with city water is prohibited, including automatic systems and hose-end sprinklers.
Hand watering, drip irrigation, soaker hoses, and tree or shrub watering bags are allowed.
Residents can’t use city water to wash vehicles at home. Commercial and institutional car washes may operate if they comply with city requirements.
City water can’t be used to clean driveways, sidewalks, decks, parking lots, or building exteriors except for health and safety reasons or before painting.
Pools can receive only enough water to replace evaporation or spillage and keep chemical systems operating.
Restaurants should serve drinking water only when customers ask for it.

Water Management has received 424 reports or complaints since the restrictions began June 15. The city has issued 13 violations.

Suspected violations can be reported through the city’s online form or by calling Durham One Call at 919-560-1200.

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