• Whenever possible, operate machinery on land above the high water mark, on ice, or from a floating barge in a manner that minimizes disturbance to the banks and bed of the waterbody.

• Limit machinery fording of the watercourse to a one-time event (i.e., over and back), and only if no alternative crossing method is available. If repeated crossings of the watercourse are required, construct a temporary crossing structure.

• Use temporary crossing structures or other practices to cross streams or waterbodies with steep and highly erodible (e.g., dominated by organic materials and silts) banks and beds. For fording equipment without a temporary crossing structure, use stream bank and bed protection methods (e.g., swamp mats, pads) if minor rutting is likely to occur during fording.

• Wash, refuel and service machinery and store fuel and other materials for the machinery in such a way as to prevent any deleterious substances from entering the water.

Date modified: 2013-11-25