"The huge volumes of water used to grow marijuana, as well
as the noxious fertilizers and pesticides gushing into streams,
are pushing local watersheds to their breaking point.
as the noxious fertilizers and pesticides gushing into streams,
are pushing local watersheds to their breaking point.
+
“Marijuana cultivation has the potential to completely dewater and dry up
streams in the areas where [cannabis farmers are] growing pretty
extensively,” Scott Bauer, a biologist with the California Department
of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), tells Quartz...."
streams in the areas where [cannabis farmers are] growing pretty
extensively,” Scott Bauer, a biologist with the California Department
of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), tells Quartz...."
"The paradoxical status of marijuana in the US—it is legal to grow and sell
in some states, but remains illegal under federal law—makes it hard to
regulate. In theory, Californian state or local regulators should be able to
set environmental standards for cannabis cultivation, the way they might
with grapes or timber. But the federal government won’t let them. As a
result, growers enjoy unregulated use of water, and the resulting easy profits
have helped attract operations that are increasingly industrial in scale—and
run by growers who are unrepentant about sucking the Emerald Triangle dry."
in some states, but remains illegal under federal law—makes it hard to
regulate. In theory, Californian state or local regulators should be able to
set environmental standards for cannabis cultivation, the way they might
with grapes or timber. But the federal government won’t let them. As a
result, growers enjoy unregulated use of water, and the resulting easy profits
have helped attract operations that are increasingly industrial in scale—and
run by growers who are unrepentant about sucking the Emerald Triangle dry."
For the rest of the article see:
http://qz.com/172828/the-us-federal-government-is-helping-illegal-pot-producers-destroy-californias-water-supply/
