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Stream flows go to marijuana growers
Harriett Heinrich-Warren
I'm writing to call
your attention to the damming of
various tributaries throughout the
Northwest by marijuana growers,
which - particularly in this year of
drought - is extremely detrimental
to our forests and farmlands, the
wildlife therein and entire
populations of endangered salmon and
steelhead.
In recent years, coinciding with
local legalization and passive
regulation of this industry, many
feeder streams of salmon, trout and
steelhead-bearing rivers are being
dammed or rerouted to supply water
to marijuana crops, legal and
illegal, without concern for either
the fish or other wildlife dependent
upon them, considerably depleting
their numbers.
Even in high water years, we've
noticed that the fish are not
returning to former spawning grounds
as retreating populations fortunate
enough to survive learn not to
access these undependable waterways.
Many of these tributaries are not
strictly affected by drought,
exhibiting normal water-flows until
mid-summer followed by a sudden
cessation of water and post-harvest
surges inconsistent with
corresponding precipitation and
temperature fluctuations.
Not only is the sport and commercial
fishing industry being adversely
affected by this increasingly
sanctioned and heavily exploited
activity, but entire habitats as
well. Our local newspapers are
reporting increasing incidents with
bears and mountain lions as large
predators follow game into the
low-lands - and human-populated
areas - all in search of water.
When one compares water flow during
drought years in protected areas
such as national and state parks
where waterways are regularly
patrolled, to those where they are
not, there is an obvious difference
linked to unregulated marijuana
farming.
I am writing to you because of your
continued and much appreciated
attention to the depletion of salmon
stock and the effects of drought in
our region, in hopes that you might
investigate this phenomenon and
publish your findings. Perhaps then
pertinent regulatory agencies (whom
I have written to without seeming
result) and stream-dependent
communities may rethink their
inclination to overlook this growing
problem.
Thank you so much for your
consideration.
Harriett Heinrich-Warren,
Hayfork, Calif.
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