Flood mitigation

Flooding poses a serious risk to public health and safety. Professional guidelines should be followed when completing flood mitigation projects.

Flood risk assessment guideline

Professional practice guidelines for flood assessments identify the circumstances when risk assessments are appropriate and emphasize the need to consider climate change and land use changes.

• Professional practice guidelines: Legislated Flood Assessments in a Changing Climate in B.C. (PDF, 3.27MB)
• Guidance for selection of qualified professionals and preparation of flood hazard assessment reports (PDF, 144KB)

Flood mapping and guidelines

Floodplain maps identify areas that experience periodic flooding from nearby rivers, lakes, streams and the sea and provide information on the spatial distribution of flood construction levels.

• Floodplain mapping

The guides below are to assist professionals in developing high quality LiDAR and flood maps in a consistent manner, incorporating best practices.

• Flood mapping in B.C.: 2017 (PDF, 6.03MB)
• Specifications for LiDAR for B.C.: 2023 (PDF, 883.4KB)

Land use management

Experience has shown that land use management and flood proofing areas susceptible to flooding are the most practical and cost-effective ways to reduce the effect of flooding on lives and property.

A factsheet prepared by the ministry provides general guidelines of land use management and setback requirements for flood hazard areas in the absence of site-specific information.

• Flood construction levels and setbacks for farm building situations: 2008 (PDF, 481KB)

The Local Government Act requires local governments to consider Flood hazard area land use management guidelines (PDF, 1.92MB)

Dike management and safety

As defined in the Dike Maintenance Act, a dike is an embankment, wall, fill piling, pump, gate, floodbox, pipe, sluice, culvert, canal, ditch, drain, or any other structure that is constructed, assembled, or installed to prevent the flooding of land. In British Columbia, dikes are works that address major flood hazards.

• Dike management
• Integrated flood hazard management

Flood risk management in the Lower Mainland

An information portal is available on flood risk management in the Lower Mainland. It contains links to reports on flood strategies, regional flood vulnerabilities, and a review of flood protection infrastructure, policies, and practices.

• Floodwise

Environmental protection

The Fraser Basin Council prepared Environmental Protection in Flood Hazard Management: A Guide for Practitioners (PDF, 2.17MB), that analyses flood management practices and policies related to environmental impacts caused by flooding.