Intense or prolonged rainfall, and runoff and overflow from drains, rivers, creeks and dams can create the potential for damage to crops through flooding, ponding and soil saturation. Impacts on existing crops can be direct and immediate where plants and soil are submerged for periods of time or washed away by fast-moving water. Other biosecurity and agronomic challenges may take longer to reveal themselves.

When water moves onto and around your farm it can carry biological, chemical and physical hazards that can contaminate production areas, water sources and processing facilities. While some of these may be a food safety risk, they can also present a biosecurity risk to your farm resulting in pest, disease and weed infestations.

This fact sheet looks at risks and ways to mitigate them.