Freshet and flood preparation for agriculture operations

Freshets (flooding caused by heavy rain or snow melt) and other types of flooding events can pose a serious threat to agricultural operations located in flood plains and low-lying areas. Learn more about how to be prepared for flooding if you work in the provincial agricultural industry.

On this page:

• Prepare your operation for flooding
• Well disinfection
• Flood forecasting

Prepare your operation for flooding

Improve your operation’s resilience to flooding

• BC Climate Change Adaptation Program’s farm flood readiness toolkit helps producers prepare for and recover from flooding
• Check to see if your industry or association has developed an emergency guide
• Review the Animal Health Emergency Management Project’s emergency response procedures for non-disease emergencies, to help prepare and respond to emergencies
• Review emergency preparedness tips for your industry:
  • Livestock sector emergency preparedness tips for flooding (PDF, 133KB)
  • Horticulture sector emergency preparedness tips for flooding (PDF, 108KB)

Develop an evacuation plan for on site farmworkers

Learn what is expected of employers during evacuation orders and alerts

Understand the health and safety risks from extreme weather

Access resources to reduce farm worker exposure to health hazards from floods:

• Help reduce workers risk of exposure to cold stress (WorkSafeBC)
• Ways to stay safe when working in the elements (AgSafe video)

Well disinfection

Water wells and groundwater can be contaminated during flooding events due to the inflow of flood waters into the well or aquifer. Learn more about well protection, well disinfection and water quality.

While there are ways to rehabilitate a well affected by surface flood water, well owners should take steps before and after flooding to minimize any potential impacts. 

Flood forecasting

The links below take you to provincial and national agencies with information, advisories, forecasts and/or warnings on streamflow and/or conditions that may lead to an increased flood risk in your area.