The Wake One Water Plan helps address the key drivers of change in water resources in Wake County—population growth, land use changes and increasing extreme weather events. More than 1.2 million people call Wake County home. As of 2024, Wake County is growing by about 66 people per day — one of the highest population growth rates in the nation. In the next 50 years, Wake County’s population is expected to more than double, to over 2 million residents. This growth will bring increasing demands on our water resources. In addition, while the effects of projected climate conditions on water resources will vary by location and sector, models suggest that we can expect reduced infiltration, increased stormwater runoff volume, increased frequency of flooding and high-flow events, increased pollution, and increased demand for water.
Learn more about these trends below, then find out how Wake County is working with partners to address projected impacts through actions in the One Water Plan and Implementation Strategy.
Wake Water Trend #1: Reduced Infiltration
Land use changes, in particular increases in impervious surfaces, reduce infiltration because hard and compacted land surfaces do not absorb water at the same rate as natural, vegetated surfaces. Current and future weather trends predicted by Wake County’s 50-year One Water Plan include longer dry periods and more intense, shortduration rainfall. After a long period without rainfall, soils become very hard and dry. During intense rainstorms, the ground does not have sufficient time to absorb the stormwater before it runs off. Together, these land use and climate-related impacts lead to less infiltration occurring under future climate conditions.
Wake Water Trend #2: Increased Stormwater Runoff
Increasing frequency of extreme weather events is expected to create more stormwater runoff and contribute to flooding. Land use changes, especially the new impervious surfaces added to accommodate population growth contribute to this trend. These hard and compacted surfaces reduce infiltration because they cannot absorb water at the same rate as natural vegetated surfaces.
Wake Water Trend #3: Increased Flooding
Modeled projections indicate increased flooding from extreme weather events, which could put communities at risk for flooding, infrastructure damage (e.g., water supply reservoir dams) and loss of life. In addition, land use changes that create more impervious surfaces are projected to contribute to more flooding events in Wake County.
Wake Water Trend #4: Increased Pollution
Conversion of natural land to impervious surfaces such as roofs, roads and parking lots increases the amount of stormwater runoff. As stormwater runs over impervious surfaces, it carries pollutants like nitrogen, phosphorous, and sediment to local waterbodies. In addition, when a large volume of precipitation occurs in a short period, it does not have time to soak into the ground before becoming runoff, further reducing the infiltration and groundwater recharge.
Wake Water Trend #5: Increased Water Demand
Increases in population will increase water demand. As Wake County’s population of 1.2 million residents continues to grow, demands on both surface water (Jordan Lake and Falls Lake) and groundwater sources will increase. Approximately 85% of Wake County’s population receive water through a municipal water supply system and 15% of the population in Wake County rely on groundwater for their drinking water needs. Assuming present-day growth projections are reasonably correct, all the municipal systems serving Wake County residents will require some form of water supply or water treatment expansion during the 50-year planning horizon to assure residents of an abundant and reliable drinking water supply. In addition, increased competition for groundwater resources increases the risk of well interference and decreased well yields for private well users.