The City of Delta is located at the mouth of the Fraser River. The Fraser River delta’s climate has mild warm winters, warm summers and a narrow range of temperatures. The region has one of the longest frost free periods in Canada, and the temperature rarely drops below zero degrees Celsius. Delta has higher light levels than other agricultural areas in the Lower Mainland. This makes it especially suitable for greenhouse production. Average annual precipitation in the region is around 927 millimeters. Most of this precipitation falls as rain between October and March. Delta’s agricultural land is very productive, with much of the soil formed by sediment deposits from the Fraser River. Most of the region’s agricultural soils can be improved to Class 2 and 3. Improvements often include drainage and water table control as soils tend to hold water and are prone to ponding in the winter. However, not enough precipitation can be a problem in summer, and some soils are prone to salinity. Delta’s agricultural land base experiences significant pressure from development due to its proximity to Vancouver, Delta Port and the United States border. In 2010, about 9,400 hectares were included in the Agricultural Land Reserve, 52% of the municipal land base.