The proposed land development project in Surrey, was within the Serpentine River watershed, in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). The proposed offsetting for agricultural loss involved the enhancement of agricultural capability within the watershed, specifically irrigation water that would be distributed for agricultural purposes from the Fraser River to the Serpentine River watershed.
EDI was retained to undertake a feasibility study to determine the likelihood of a Water Sustainability Act water license being considered, the terms of reference that would be expected for such an application, and to gauge the level of mitigation likely to be required for a successful application. Water withdrawn from the Fraser River to be utilized within the Serpentine River watershed is considered an inter-basin water transfer and responsibility is placed on the licensee to ensure potential impacts are mitigated appropriately.