Watercourse Classification Confirmation Assessment
Watercourse Classification Confirmation Assessments (WCCA) are most often conducted as a preliminary step when considering development. If there is a watercourse near or within your property (mapped or unmapped), setbacks may be required pending an assessment and appropriate classification of the watercourse by a QEP. A WCCA provides valuable setback information for development purposes.
The WCCA, conducted by PLG’s QEPs consists of:
- Online database screenings
- Field assessments to evaluate mapped and unmapped aquatic features
- Determination of appropriate setbacks (if any)
- Preparation of a report that inclues a summary of on-site observations and recommendations for potential/proposed development
The WCCA can be used to aid in the preparation of municipal development permit applications such as the City of Surrey’s Sensitive Ecosystem Development Permit (DP3) and the City of Abbotsford’s Natural Environment Development Permit (NEDP). An SEDP or NEDP application will apply where any portion of a property falls within 50 meters from top of band of a watercourse (to be determined in the field by a QEP). An SEDP or NEDP approval is required prior to proposed development activities within a property, including subdivision of land, construction, addition or alteration of a building or structure, grading, construction of roads and trails, alteration of land or land clearing, and installation of non-structural surfaces.
Talk to us
Talk to our environmental professionals. Please contact Kyla,a QEP with experience in watercourse assessments, Riparian Areas Protection Regulation (RAPR) assessments, bird nest surveys, fish and wildlife salvages, environmental monitoring, and the preparation of Ecosystem Development Plans (EDP), Construction Environmental Management Plans (CEMP), and Invasive Species Management Plans (ISMP).