Posted on 07/07/2014 9:40:48 PM PDT by Steelfish
Water-Guzzling Pot Plants Draining Drought-Wracked California BY HARRIET TAYLOR
California cannabis growers may be making millions, but their thirsty plants are sucking up a priceless resource: water. Now scientists say that if no action is taken in the drought-wracked state, the consequences for fisheries and wildlife will be dire.
"If this activity continues on the trajectory it's on, we're looking at potentially streams going dry, streams that harbor endangered fish species like salmon, steelhead," said Scott Bauer of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Studying aerial photographs of four watersheds within northern California's so-called Emerald Triangle, Bauer found that the area under marijuana cultivation doubled between 2009 and 2012. It continues to grow, with increasing environmental consequences.
Bauer presented data to CNBC indicating that growers are drawing more than 156,000 gallons of water from a single tributary of the Eel River, in Mendocino County, every day.
The average marijuana plant needs about 6 gallons of water a day, depending on its size and whether it's grown inside or outside, according to a local report that cited research. Pot growers object to that number, saying that the actual water use of a pot plant is much less.
Although the marijuana business has helped revive the local economy, residents may now be feeling the effects of living alongside growers. And, as growers—some legal, some not—face a severe drought, local law enforcement officers expect the fight over natural resources to intensify.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
Hmmm. Catch a buzz? Or save the snail darter? That “or” s**t is harsh, man.
So pot-head hippies are dangerous for the enviroment? Who knew?
Not a big pot supporter. But I believe this as much as I believe in global warming.
It takes a scientist to explain the them plants need water?
Pot plants needs 6 gal.of water each a day? BS-——
I doubt if they need that much in a week.
Waiting for the Bureau of Land Management SWAT team raid a pot farm to save the water for a snail darter .... waiting.... waiting....
Ya ever notice people suddenly believe NBC, CBS KAKA when it fits their own personal agendas?
Denver Relief is considered a medium-size grower, and it is based in a 13,000-square-foot (1,200 sq m) warehouse, where 2,000 pot plants require 62,000 watts of power and 2,000 gallons (7,570 liters) of filtered water each day.
http://business.time.com/2013/01/08/187000-pounds-of-marijuana-annually-legal-pot-business-to-bloom-in-washington/
156,000 gallons per day doesn’t seem all that much for a river that has an average discharge of over 9,000 cubic feet per second.
Everything Liberals touch, dies
Sure. I can’t wait to watch you prove that.
Just more leftist BS.
In some communities, “water police” go from door to door to enforce water restrictions. Homeowners are forbidden to water their lawns except under the most rigid constraints. Sacramento offers an “app” so people can turn in neighbors to the water authorities.
And yet, knowing full well we are facing a devastating drought and that our dwindling water supply will be desperately needed by our people this summer, over the past several weeks the Bureau of Reclamation has released more than 70,000 acre feet of water from dams on the American and Stanislaus rivers to meet environmental demands that place fish above people.
That is enough water to meet the ANNUAL needs of a city of half a million people - all sacrificed in order to flush salmon smolts to the ocean (where they tend to swim anyway) and to keep the river at just the right temperature for the comfort of the fish.
If a homeowner is caught with a one gallon puddle on his lawn on the wrong day, he can be severely fined. But the government thinks nothing of flushing 23 billion gallons of desperately needed water this past month for the comfort and convenience of the fish.
http://www.tommcclintock.com/blog/putting-fish-before-people
I’m really confused. They’re allowed to grow the marijuana freely in California now, or are these on Federal land?
Got up this morning, as always, cup of black in hand. Perfusing the FR headlines.
This country has gone to hell in a hand basket.....no doubt....
So are water guzzling illegal invaders.
I guess we found a topic where FReepers can get in bed with the tree huggers.
I agree on both counts. This has all the markings of a 100% liberal BS fantasy.
“When they have to start importing water to grow the pot, the poor won’t be able to afford it.
This looks like a job for Bathhouse Barry and his magic pen! We’ve just got to make sure that the diseased, criminal illegal aliens they’re shipping in can get their daily toke. It’s a human right!
So what should we do about the 1,100 golf courses in Cali that each require 300,000 gallons of water per day?
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