Walnut Creek Urban Waters Partnership

The Walnut Creek Watershed is located in central North Carolina and spans the communities of southern Raleigh and portions of nearby suburbs. The watershed is approximately 46 square miles. The headwaters are located in the Town of Cary. As Walnut Creek flows eastward into South Raleigh, wetlands begin to develop in the stream’s riparian buffer. However, Interstate-40 and other developments confine and even encroach the Walnut Creek floodplain in South Raleigh. Consequently, low-lying downstream communities in Southeast Raleigh often experience severe floods.

Development has resulted in poor water quality along the entire mainstem of Walnut Creek, with the entire Walnut Creek mainstem is listed on the North Carolina 2020 Draft 303(D) List of Impaired Surface Waters for PBCs in fish tissue and benthos aquatic life. Rocky Branch, a tributary to Walnut Creek that runs through North Carolina State University’s campus, is also listed as impaired for PCBs in fish tissue.

In 2018 the NC Division of Water Resources worked with local community stakeholders to create the the Walnut Creek Watershed Action Plan. The Walnut Creek Watershed Action Plan aims to identify Focus Areas, develop plans, and track watershed improvement projects (conservation, restoration, education, research etc.) and involve community members and stakeholders in the development and implementation of watershed improvement projects.

The Walnut Creek Watershed Action Team is a group of diverse stakeholders, including federal and state agencies, local governments, academic institutions, faith-based organizations, non-profit organizations, and private firms, that work together to contribute to the Walnut Creek Watershed Action Plan. Partner organizations in the Watershed Action Team can join with community members to form teams to develop and implement watershed improvement projects and measure progress. Underserved communities are encouraged to develop Focus Area Plans to better define specific environmental challenges, community values, and preferred actions.