Written by Gurjit Ghai, REALTOR®
Rexara Realty Inc.·Published: September 23, 2026·Water Rights
In a drought year, BC's water licence priority system, first-in-time first-in-right, determines who keeps drawing water and who gets curtailed, and this is where a licence's priority date becomes the most important number on the document. An older-priority licence gets its full allocation before a newer-priority licence draws a drop, so in a short water year, a junior licence can be shut off entirely.
Curtailment notices are issued by the provincial water manager, and in severe drought, even some senior licences can face restrictions to protect critical environmental flows. The practical effect is that two vineyards or berry farms side by side, one with a 1960s licence and one with a 2015 licence, can have very different productive capacity in a dry August.
This is why I always check the priority date, not just the allocation volume, on any irrigation-dependent parcel, especially in the Okanagan. Read our Water Rights guide for the framework, and treat the priority date as a due-diligence item before you rely on the water.
Important: This answer is general professional guidance for educational purposes and is not legal, tax, financial or regulatory advice. ALR rules, water licensing, zoning and farm-classification requirements can change and depend on your specific property. Always verify with the relevant BC authorities and qualified professionals before making decisions.
Gurjit Ghai, REALTOR®
Personal Real Estate Corporation
Brokerage: Rexara Realty Inc.
Gurjit Ghai is a BC real estate professional specializing in agricultural land, ALR properties, and farm operations across British Columbia. He helps buyers and sellers navigate water rights, soil capability, farm classification, and the unique due diligence that farmland transactions require.