Marijuana Farming a Buzz Kill for California's Salmon

April 21, 2014

In a year of extreme drought, one of the drains on California's water supply has been generating a particular buzz: illegal marijuana farming. A number of news outlets have highlighted the unchecked degradation and consumption of natural resources - most notably, water - resulting from these shadowy grow operations, and the consequent impact on salmon in nearby watersheds. With the legalization of marijuana in Washington and Colorado, pot farms are booming, particularly in northern California's "Emerald Triangle" region of Mendocino, Humboldt, and Trinity counties, which produces more cannabis than anywhere else in the nation. This region also includes the Eel and Klamath rivers, which have historically supported bountiful salmon populations. In a dry year where every water drop counts, more than a few drops are going unaccounted for in an area where an unregulated industry overlaps important fish habitat.

A pot plant's demand for water is nothing short of staggering. A single marijuana plant can suck up six gallons of water a day at the peak of the growing season, according to California state officials. A study by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife uncovered an estimated 30,000 plants growing in each of four watersheds in Humboldt and Mendocino counties, representing the use of 180,000 gallons of water per day in these few waterways. In 2012, 838,358 plants were found growing illegally in California's national forests alone, reflecting millions of gallons of water siphoned from the state's water resources. Last summer, 24 tributaries of the Eel River (which were all being used to water cannabis farms) ran completely dry, according to state biologists. Unchecked illegal water diversions could bring about similar disastrous conditions for fish this year, exacerbated by continued drought. Of course, pot farms are just one player in the struggle over water use, as growers are quick to point out - but they are also an unregulated player. Growers often divert water directly from streams without applying for the required permits, and therefore are not held accountable for taking more than their share.