Producers considering making changes in and about a stream must obtain approval from BC Environment's Water Management Branch. The quality of the irrigation water can influence crop vigour. Water of adequate quality should be used for tree fruit or grape production. Standards for irrigation water quality have been established for various crops and can be found in the Canadian Water Quality Guidelines and the BC Sprinkler Irrigation Manual . The Code contains requirements for the siting of agricultural waste storage piles and facilities.
Planting rows along the contour is preferable to planting up and down a slope.
Efficiency of machinery operations is another factor to be considered. There should be enough room between plantings and the property boundaries to allow for machinery operation. Storage facilities for fuel, fertilizer, or pesticides should be at least 15 metres from any watercourse and 30 metres from any source of water used for domestic purposes. If possible, storage facilities should be located at a lower elevation than well sites. Woodwaste storage may not be located within 30 metres of any source of water used for domestic purposes.