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Durham, Durham County

Durham: Lake Michie Park and Marina stay closed as county remains in severe drought

City reservoirs were 37% full as of Sunday. Stage 2 water rules have been in effect since June 15. Parks staff shut the marina on June 5 until the lake is high enough to use safely.

ConfirmedThe main facts are confirmed by official or first-hand sources.

By Triangle Local Newsroom · Published

The downtown Durham skyline under an overcast sky

File photo: Discover Durham (CC BY 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

What we know

Confirmed

  • The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council, using the U.S. Drought Monitor valid at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, lists Durham County in D2, severe drought.Confirmed by North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council; U.S. Drought Monitor of North Carolina, Oct. 13, 2026
  • The same advisory also lists Wake, Orange, Chatham, Franklin, Granville, Johnston and Harnett counties in D2.Confirmed by North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council, as of Oct. 13, 2026
  • The City of Durham remains in a Stage 2 Water Shortage Response, in effect since June 15, 2026, for all city water customers.Confirmed by City of Durham, Durham Saves Water
  • Under Stage 2, spray irrigation with city water is prohibited, including hose-end sprinklers. Drip irrigation, hand watering, and tree or shrub watering bags are still allowed. City water may not be used to wash vehicles except at a commercial or institutional car wash, or to clean sidewalks, driveways, decks or building exteriors except for a health or safety issue or before painting.Confirmed by City of Durham, Durham Saves Water
  • The city's water-supply snapshot, updated Oct. 18, 2026, listed reservoir storage at 37% full and estimated 90 days of supply. The Department of Water Management's current-data page for that date listed 90 days of easily accessible water, 48 days of less-accessible water below the intakes, 19 days in Teer Quarry emergency storage, and 157 days in all.Confirmed by City of Durham, Durham Saves Water snapshot and Current Data page, Oct. 18, 2026
  • Durham Parks and Recreation closed Lake Michie Park and Marina to all activities beginning Friday, June 5, 2026, because of low water. The department said the site will stay closed until the water rises to a safe level.Confirmed by Durham Parks and Recreation, City Lakes page
  • ABC11, reporting Monday evening from the lake, said the park and marina remained closed to public recreation and boat launches.Confirmed by ABC11, Oct. 19, 2026

Still unknown

  • When Lake Michie Park and Marina will reopen. Parks staff have not posted a target date
  • When the city will leave Stage 2. The water page says the response stays in effect while supply is short
  • What the next weekly U.S. Drought Monitor, due Thursday, will show for Durham County

What this means for you

Instructions from City of Durham Department of Water Management; Durham Parks and Recreation

This site is not the City of Durham. For Stage 2 rules, reservoir figures and how to report a watering violation, use durhamnc.gov/1061/Durham-Saves-Water or call Durham One Call at 919-560-1200. For lake hours and closure updates, use the Durham Parks and Recreation City Lakes page. This site is not an emergency service. If someone is in danger, call 911.

What happened

In Durham, recreation at Lake Michie is still shut, and the county is still listed in severe drought.

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council, working from the U.S. Drought Monitor valid at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, places Durham County in D2, the severe category. Wake, Orange, Chatham, Franklin, Granville, Johnston, and Harnett counties are on that same list.

Durham Parks and Recreation closed Lake Michie Park and Marina to every activity on Friday, June 5, because the water was too low. The department says the site stays closed until the lake rises to a safe level. ABC11, at the reservoir Monday evening, found recreation and boat launches still off limits.

City water customers have been under Stage 2 rules since June 15. Spray irrigation with city water is banned, including sprinklers on the end of a hose. Hand watering, drip lines, and bags for trees and shrubs are still allowed. The city also bars using its water to wash cars at home and to hose down hard surfaces, except for health or safety work or before painting.

As of Sunday, Oct. 18, the water department's public snapshot put the reservoirs at 37% full, with 90 days of easily reached supply. That page also counted 48 days of harder-to-reach storage below the intakes and 19 days in Teer Quarry, for 157 days in all. Those figures are the city's, and they can change.

What we don't know yet

Parks staff have not said when the marina will reopen. The city has not posted a date for leaving Stage 2. The next weekly drought map is due Thursday.

What happens next

We will update this story if the Drought Monitor changes Durham's listing, if the city eases or tightens Stage 2, or if Parks reopen Lake Michie.

This site is not the water department or an emergency service. If someone is in danger, call 911.

Why it matters

Durham water customers are still under mandatory Stage 2 limits, and the city's own park at Lake Michie is shut because the reservoir is too low. People who boat, fish or pay a Durham water bill need those official rules, not a shoreline snapshot from one visit.

Updates

  1. Oct 19, 2026, 6:15 PM

    Durham County remains in severe drought on the Oct. 13 advisory. City reservoirs were 37% full as of Sunday. Lake Michie Park and Marina have been closed since June 5. Stage 2 water rules remain in effect.

Sources

  1. North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council county list, as of Oct. 13, 2026, 8 a.m. ET (Durham County D2, severe drought; Wake, Orange, Chatham, Franklin, Granville, Johnston and Harnett also D2)

    Official sourcePublished by North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council · Checked Oct 19, 2026, 6:10 PM

  2. U.S. Drought Monitor, North Carolina map released Oct. 15, 2026, valid 8 a.m. EDT Oct. 13, 2026

    Official sourcePublished by National Drought Mitigation Center / U.S. Drought Monitor · Checked Oct 19, 2026, 6:10 PM

  3. Durham Saves Water (Stage 2 in effect since June 15, 2026; spray irrigation banned; snapshot updated Oct. 18, 2026, reservoirs 37% full, 90 days of supply)

    Official sourcePublished by City of Durham · Checked Oct 19, 2026, 6:10 PM

  4. Current Data, Durham Department of Water Management, as of Oct. 18, 2026 (90 days easily accessible supply; 48 days below intakes; 19 days Teer Quarry; 157 days total; Lake Michie October rainfall 1.60 inches through that date)

    Official sourcePublished by City of Durham Department of Water Management · Checked Oct 19, 2026, 6:10 PM

  5. City Lakes, Durham Parks and Recreation (Lake Michie Park and Marina closed to all activities beginning June 5, 2026, due to low water, until water rises to a safe level)

    Official sourcePublished by Durham Parks and Recreation · Checked Oct 19, 2026, 6:10 PM

  6. As Durham County remains in severe drought, Lake Michie Park and Marina remain closed (ABC11, Oct. 19, 2026: shoreline exposed; park and marina still closed to public recreation and boat launches)

    Published by ABC11 (WTVD) · Checked Oct 19, 2026, 6:10 PM

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