Tuesday, State Water Board to Decide Water Policy for Cannabis

Marijuana leaf blue sky

[Stock photo by Kym Kemp]

California continues to move forward with the legalization of cannabis cultivation. Regulation of water use and of water quality are key aspects of this process. This Tuesday the 17th of October, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) agenda deals predominately with cannabis cultivation issues.

California’s SWRCB will hold a hearing to consider “adopting the proposed Cannabis Cultivation Policy: Priniciples and Guidelines for Cannabis Cultivation” during item 6 on the agenda.

The Cannabis Cultivation Policy encapsulates the Waste Discharge Requirements, but Waste Discharge will be considered in a separate agenda item the same day. Item 7 on the SWRCB agenda is “Consideration of proposed General Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges of Waste Associated with Cannabis Cultivation Activities

CANNABIS CULTIVATION POLICY HIGHLIGHTS
POLICY REGIONS

The proposed SWRCB Cannabis Cultivation Policy separates California into 14 Cannabis Cultivation Policy regions based on geography and other factors. Rules are being established in each district to meet the water needs of that region. These districts are described and mapped in Appendix A of the Staff Report on the Cannabis Cultivation Policy.

The North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Basin is parsed out into three of the regions. Region 4, the North Coast District, includes the watersheds of the Eel, and Mad Rivers and Orick’s Redwood Creek. Region 7 includes the rivers that run to the sea beginning with the Mattole River watershed south to the San Francisco Bay. Region 1, called the Klamath Region, encompasses the Klamath, Trinity and Smith River watersheds. Based on these bio-regional divisions, cannabis growers in Mendocino, Trinity and Humboldt Counties will have varying rules of operation under this policy.

WATER RIGHTS

Property owners who consider cultivating more than six cannabis plants on any parcel for either recreational or medical reasons are expected to comply with California laws regarding water rights.

Under the proposed Cannabis Cultivation Policy, farmers would be obligated to agree to storage and forbearance periods. Riparian water rights do not permit seasonal storage of water.

SMALL IRRIGATION USE REGISTRATION

The proposed policy does, however, establish a legal framework to make the needed appropriative water right available. It is called the Small Irrigation Use Registration (SIUR).

However, the policy proposes that properties on fully appropriated Wild and Scenic Rivers be ineligible for the appropriative right which might impact properties in the watersheds of the Eel River.  With few exceptions, the Eel River, including the South Fork, is designated Recreational, as opposed to a Wild designation, under the California Wild and Scenic Rivers legislation.

The policy language for exclusions from the Small Irrigation Use Registration program is vague regarding what might cause the designation to impede a property owners’ ability to acquire the SIUR:

“Cultivators should be aware that the Cannabis SIUR and SIURS, like other appropriative water rights:

 

1) will not be issued for fully appropriated streams in the restricted diversion season, as it has been determined that water is unavailable for appropriation;

 

2)may not be available in certain watersheds/streams, including on rivers and streams that are or may become designated as Fully Appropriated Streams or Wild and Scenic under The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (Public Law90-542;16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.); and

 

3)are not available where the water source is in a CDFW Instream Flow Study area with a final flow recommendation from CDFW submitted to the State Water Board under Public Resource Code section 10002.”

While the South Fork of the Eel River is an Instream Flow Study area under the Ca Department of Fish and Wildlife, it does not yet appear to have a “final flow recommendation” established.

For property owners who obtain Small Irrigation Use Registrations, there will be regulations on when water may be collected for storage. The first flush flow event must be maintained. Further, minimum flow requirements in the winter season will be maintained at much higher flow than summer according to the proposed policy. The Cannabis Cultivation Policy reads “The Tessmann Method develops instream flow requirements by using percentages of historical mean annual and mean monthly natural streamflow.”

This hearing will be item 6 on the agenda.

WASTE DISCHARGE

The NCRWQCB adopted its Cannabis Cultivation Waste Discharge Regulatory Program in 2015. This Tuesday the 17th, in item 7 on the State Water Resources Control Board’s agenda, the board will consider and rule on a statewide policy for regulating potential water quality impairments caused by cannabis cultivation. The description of Item 7 suggests farmers in the NCRWQCB who have enrolled in the Regional Board’s program will be able to transition into compliance under the statewide Order.

“Because the North Coast and Central Valley Regional Water Boards had existing region-specific orders, the General Order includes a method to transition those enrollees to the statewide General Order.”

Issues covered in the waste discharge policy include winterization of farms, nitrogen application to plants, fuel use and storage, erosion management, sediment containment, materials storage and septic/sewage issues.

A Personal Use Exemption for the Waste Discharge Requirements may be granted to outdoor cultivators disturbing less than 1,000 square feet and cultivating on land with less than 20% slope. A Conditional Exemption may be granted for outdoor cultivators disturbing less than 2,000 square feet on less than 20% slope, or for indoor cultivators with access to sewage treatment services.

The entire SWRCB meeting can be heard or viewed from home. The meeting is held in Sacramento in the Coastal Hearing Room on the second floor of the CalEPA Building at 1001 I Street. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9:30a.m Tuesday the 17th of October.


 

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Dirtywhiteboy
Guest
6 years ago

Wow

JustMyOpinion
Guest
JustMyOpinion
6 years ago

Crazy anyone needs a permit to store rain water regardless of how many gallons. Only in California.

Kelley
Guest
Kelley
6 years ago
Reply to  JustMyOpinion

Remember there are multiple jurisdictions of permitting. You may already understand this, but to be clear, the permit required to store rainwater is at the County level. If nothing has changed, in Humboldt County tanks under 5,000 gallons do not require permitting. California water laws allow rooftop rainwater catchment. (The approximate formula for yield is 0.6 gallons x square feet of rooftop x inches of rain.)
And there’s this online calculater where you just punch in your roof area and inches of rain you generally receive, and it gives you the gallons you can expect. https://www.watercache.com/resources/rainwater-collection-calculator

Kelley
Guest
Kelley
6 years ago
Reply to  Kelley

Also to be clear, the County permit is for the storage infrastructure, not for the water collection or the right to collect it.

Veterans Friend
Guest
Veterans Friend
6 years ago
Reply to  JustMyOpinion

In MANY states, collection of rainwater is completely banned

Sassy
Guest
Sassy
6 years ago
Reply to  JustMyOpinion

No not only in California. Oregon & Washington had laws about rain water before California.

Lost Croat Outburst
Guest
Lost Croat Outburst
6 years ago
Reply to  JustMyOpinion

Another victim of the right-wing kool-aid. Check out Colorado and other States.

Llc.
Guest
Llc.
6 years ago
Reply to  JustMyOpinion

capture rain / legal ?

Rain water capture act text below.
*note I am not seeing agricultural listed as a legal use for rainwater capture .There is a rain barrel system requirement as well ,do not hook in rain catchment to potable supply or your pressure system.

(b) “Rain barrel system” is a type of rainwater capture system that does not use electricity or a water pump and is not connected to or reliant on a potable water system.

(4) A rainwater capture system, as defined in Section 10573 of the
Water Code, used exclusively for landscape irrigation or as a
water supply for a fountain, pond, or similar decorative water
feature in a landscaping project

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201120120AB1750

Humboldt county water storage overview

http://www.humboldtgov.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/6565
states laws
http://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/rainwater-harvesting.aspx

Steve
Guest
Steve
6 years ago
Reply to  JustMyOpinion

Nah not so much, check out Colorado’s laws they really suck.

Ullr Rover
Guest
Ullr Rover
6 years ago

“Riparian water rights do not permit seasonal storage of water.” So, water flowing on your property can NOT be stored for dry season use… I think the limit on riparian water storage is 1 month. Can anyone rationalize this for me?

Water Bob
Guest
Water Bob
6 years ago
Reply to  Ullr Rover

It’s 4000 gallons a day and no more than one month of storage. So if you’re technically using less than 4000 gallons a day and the tank is constantly recovering, you’re not storing water.
This can be proven with a simple water meter.

Ullr Rover
Guest
Ullr Rover
6 years ago
Reply to  Water Bob

So, what’s the rationale? Why can’t I take a second 4k tank, fill it in January and hold onto it until September? It seems like good water management but a no-no under riparian water rights.

Bryan
Guest
Bryan
6 years ago
Reply to  Ullr Rover

Correct. That’s an appropriative right. Riparian water rights can’t be used to collect water in times of plenty (winter) for use in times of scarcity (summer). For that you need an appropriative water right, and in this case the Small Irrigation Use Registration is a streamlined process for getting one.

Better to just collect water off your roof tops, which doesn’t require a water right in California, or any other state. Colorado was the last state to have laws requiring water rights for water collected off roof tops, but they eliminated that years ago. Recognize that runoff collected coming off a roof is legally different than runoff collected coming down a creek or other channel.

Buzzardsnest
Guest
Buzzardsnest
6 years ago
Reply to  Bryan

So if they tickle your balls while shaking your hand is that not considered a hand job? (Yawn). We are all fucked. Next they are gonna Regulate how much oxygen u use on a daily basis and tax u for farting. Fuck california.

Aaron
Guest
Aaron
6 years ago
Reply to  Ullr Rover

Because the idea is you pull from the river for use with much of the irrigation water fishing it’s way back into the river through the ground. If you take from it and hold it you are essentially daming a part of the river permanently. Riparian water rights are used in areas with enough rainfall that rivers are year round or if not year round then most of the year which is why they allow some holding of reserve water for the month to get through a dry patch.

Aaron
Guest
Aaron
6 years ago
Reply to  Ullr Rover

Because the idea is you pull from the river for use with much of the irrigation water fishing it’s way back into the river through the ground. If you take from it and hold it you are essentially daming a part of the river permanently. Riparian water rights are used in areas with enough rainfall that rivers are year round or if not year round then most of the year which is why they allow some holding of reserve water for the month to get through a dry patch.

Ullr Rover
Guest
Ullr Rover
6 years ago
Reply to  Aaron

Nothing from the state water board or from various legal dictionaries say anything about seasonal or year-round flows for riparian rights.

Under state regs it is legal to store riparian water for a month so your attempt to comparing it to “daming” part of the river is without merit. Technically you can’t keep riparian water in toilet for more than a month.

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
6 years ago

I sure would appreciate Ed Denson’s opinion on “…which are or may become…” in #2. Looks like standard BS to me.

Ullr Rover
Guest
Ullr Rover
6 years ago
Reply to  Anon Forrest

No kidding. “…may become…” sounds like an umbrella for covering every possible bureaucratic bungling into the future.

Ullr Rover
Guest
Ullr Rover
6 years ago

‘Whiskey’s for drinkin’. Water’s for fightin'” -Motto of the old west… or, at least, it should be.

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago

Who are these non-elected dictators?
They’ve let it slip out in the past, at the Laytonville meeting, how they will eventually go after any garden that holds more than 6 plants in total. Strawberries, apples, corn, … it doesn’t matter. They may not be a priority at the moment, but they are scheduled for it.
Be aware.

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
6 years ago
Reply to  shak

The Grape Gobblers will never stand for that.

Joe Mota
Guest
Joe Mota
6 years ago
Reply to  shak

the water board is a group of people ( I believe they are appointed by the governor), whose duty is to protect “the beneficial uses of water” for the citizens in their district. This includes ensuring enough water remains in the creeks in late summer to allow fish to survive, which is done via the permitting process. It is not a communist dictatorship. Without some means of restricting water use by greedy folks the streams would all run dry and their would be an annual rush among the greedy to suck out what water there is before their equally greedy neighbor.

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago
Reply to  Joe Mota

This resembles the Calif contracts with private prisons who sues the state for each empty bed. The beds must be filled with non violent criminals in order to reduce the stress on the system. In order to save millions of dollars in fines, mayors and cops are told to fill the quota. Praise the “experts”.
This resembles the bills that accuse the HIV on gays. It’s not a gay disease, it affects everyone and anyone, but now those who know they have HIV and don’t bother to inform their partners or counter protesters will be excused from self responsibility. Praise the “experts”.
Hikers have discovered bubbling springs behind closed public land gates, even in drought stricken southern calif. Whenever water goes underground, it bubbles forth somewhere else.
Land owners with ponds have faced extraordinary fines and court costs, prison sentences and loss of property. Asset forfeiture grabs, grabbing the lands where the water flows are normal. Praise the “experts”.
Governments have no constitutional power of authority over private property. The “experts” argue this point until it’s so twisted the masses (who are supposed to keep their governments in check) don’t know which side is up.
There is a non american, non constitutional, agenda throughout our education and media system. They are the “experts”.
Forgive me for not falling in love with the Praise the “experts” song.
We can’t survive without clean, bountiful, water. To say we don’t care about our water, just because we oppose corruption, is preposterous.

Ullr Rover
Guest
Ullr Rover
6 years ago
Reply to  shak

Death by a thousand paper cuts, administered one by one, by an encroaching bureacracy.

Larry R. Shiveley
Guest
Larry R. Shiveley
6 years ago

Here we go! The STATE water boards ultimate goal is total water control, make no mistake about it. Agenda 21/2030 is slowly being implemented everywhere which curtails a lot of what we use to consider our property rights, asking permission to store water for summer time use is crazy!. One of the definitions of asking for permission is the word “BEGGING”. Once the “Water Board” gets its foot in the door it will slowly become an oppressor with every more rules and regulations and prohibitions. It happens every time with government doesn’t it. I mean if I have over five thousands sq feet of vegy garden will the water board eventually want to control my use of said vegy garden; This is how government works folks. Be vigilante with what you pass off on the citizens of Humboldt County FRIENDS LARS

Joe Mota
Guest
Joe Mota
6 years ago

Beware…. Jeff Sessions has read your comment…. at this very moment storm troopers in black helicopters are heading to your place to confiscate your water tanks.

Lars
Guest
Lars
6 years ago
Reply to  Joe Mota

Howdy Joe; I’d love to ask a black hawk pilot what some of their newest tecknology is. Other than that I’d like to talk to AG Jeff Sessions, NO I”D DEMAND that he issue an order to classify Cannabis a schedule 2 or 3 , I personally think it’s a 2 1/2. Anyway it would free up scientific research on the medical side, it would benefit agriculture, it produces building materials, it produces paper that is better than trees, it would free 750,000 people from criminal arrest a year. It would allow me to go into town (hwy 36) without a 50% chance of being creamed. It would start cleaning up our water ways of poisons etc. PLEASE AG Jeff Sessions contact me. LARS

Lars
Guest
Lars
6 years ago
Reply to  Lars

Hello Guest ; I just sent AG Jeff Sessions an almost 2000 word statement on why he should drop down Cannabis from a schedule 1 to a schedule 2 and the many reasons why he should do it. First time I’ve done something like this. It feels GOOD. If I do get a response I will post. LARS

Joe Mota
Guest
Joe Mota
6 years ago

Spoken like a true disciple of Steve Bannon.

Cold hard facts
Guest
Cold hard facts
6 years ago

So indoor operations can pump whatever waste they want into the sewer but people on hughes acreage of land have all kinds of restrictions? Basically if you aren’t paying a municipality for your water then they want to control what you eat for breakfast

HumBiologist
Guest
HumBiologist
6 years ago

Both CDFW and Regional Water Quality would love to push cannabis cultivation out of the wilderness and into municipalities. So the answer to your question is yes.

Victor G. Flashman
Guest
Victor G. Flashman
6 years ago
Reply to  HumBiologist

AND, the trucking of water, load after load, from anywhere to anywhere and especially out Briceland road from before dawn to after dark, needs to be outlawed, or heavily taxed. Grow your goddamned weed somewhere where there’s sufficient water, not up on a dry mountaintop in Humboldt County! The trucking of water, soil, supplies, building materials and water tanks is the most disgusting and expensive aspect of the entire cannabis “industry”, and is extant proof that this “business” is located entirely in the wrong geographical area!

It’s high time to get your asses down the road to actual farmland, somewhere else, and take your drug culture and your entitled attitudes elsewhere…

Honeydew Bridge C.H.U.M.P.
Guest

Yes, that’s right.

Flowing water not freaks.

Steve
Guest
Steve
6 years ago

And honeydew chump what have you done for the Mattole river? Just as I thought ZERO, BETTER MAKE ZILCH.

Stugotz
Guest
Stugotz
6 years ago
Reply to  HumBiologist

We NEED to push the squares, chumps, lawyers, regulators, administrators, and water nazis out of the valleys… For nature…too many regulators lawyers, and tax collectors in town…too congested, pollution pools up from all the chemicals on prime ag land… etc…. all that red tape is hurting the spotted pacific starling. These back office cronies will be automatedout of their jobs soon … cant you hear the robots coming in ythe distance? Microsoft is buying the gov. Out.

Its time to get compliant and move out of the valleys… we want you out of the valleys or well fine you. We’ve dcecided moving you out of your urban/suburban homes is good for the salmon and is needed for the environment…

The jdea that some old boy crony gets a backroom deal to steal is outrageous..we dont need no stinking badges..the cali medical market is a commi style scam and now its worse… pounds for 500 eights still 60 @ store….. crap

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago

And while they’re at it maybe they can get the water back from the vineyards.

Jack Straw
Guest
Jack Straw
6 years ago

Symptoms of a disease….Overpopulation, Climate Change involving desertification…all symptoms of too many people using too many resources….and we aren’t addressing overpopulation or greedy consumption so we keep regulating the side effects. Realize that when you register your use of your own water on your own land you are letting the state control your water. In a coming emergency they WILL pass emergency legislation to take any of “your” water they deem ” necessary”. Again- thank your local mega- growers for these draconian rules! Enjoy signing away your water rights for a few years of negligible profit until the mega- corps bury you. Legalization…Yay!!!

Lars
Guest
Lars
6 years ago
Reply to  Jack Straw

Yes Jack, when you register your water rights with the
STATE you give them CONTROL of your own water. The STATE doesn’t want to own your property the STATE just needs to control it. Another question is when you give the STATE your water rights does that then go into the so called “Deed of Trust” for the next heir, relative or change of ownership, which would mean the next property owner would have to BEG the STATE for water on that property FOREVER. Does that sound like property rights. LARS

Joe Mota
Guest
Joe Mota
6 years ago
Reply to  Lars

Water is a public resource, like air. You cannot pump poison into the air. You cannot suck all the water out of a stream. The wild west vanished over 100 years ago. Deal with it.

Lars
Guest
Lars
6 years ago
Reply to  Joe Mota

Howdy Joe ; So how come my three neighbors ABOVE me has dried up my once year round stream by June 21st with the Board of Supervisors approval.

Joe Mota
Guest
Joe Mota
6 years ago
Reply to  Lars

G’day Lars; Your stream dried up because your neighbors are drawing water when they shouldn’t be. If the water board’s current draft regulations were adequately enforced, your stream would be flowing year round again. Your neighbors would be pissed because they had to buy a bunch water tanks to support their commercial cannabis business during the dry season…. not sure about your statement re: supervisor’s approval, since the regulations haven’t been adopted yet.
That said, I don’t think that county supervisors have the authority to override the state water board regarding stream diversion.

Lars
Guest
Lars
6 years ago
Reply to  Joe Mota

Howdy Joe” The neighbor to my north’s land is drier than a baptist picnic, he takes all the water that’s left before it gets to me. Plus owner has drilled 2 wells to supply his 3 greenhouses. And no the county cannot override the Clean Water Act, which the Calif Resources Water Board gets its authority, BUT maybe the Supes could issue Ceist and Disest orders (SP) until growers could come into compliance. That way there is no raids, no penalty or fine unless you don’t comply LARS

Stugotz
Guest
Stugotz
6 years ago
Reply to  Joe Mota

My water is not your resource [edit]… if yi u dont like it, make an offer…as for downstreamers… shit rolls downhill… should have thought about gravity before buying your land…

Freedom isnt free [edit]

Lars
Guest
Lars
6 years ago
Reply to  Stugotz

Howdy. My water is gravity fed. Water is collected and then gravity brings it to my house and gardens from about 150ft up. It’s a very nice system when its operational, and it’s free. The spring which turns into a creek starts about 1 mile up and all that property in between has thousands of greenhouse plants that need more water, a lot more water than outdoor plants need. Forty one years ago I bought the best property on this side of the valley, property had lots of trees and water. I guess my fault is that I didn’t see such disregard for this beautiful county and the way the Supervisors let it happen. I’m disappointed in all of them. LARS P.S. OH and buy the way I am not an anti-weed Libtard, BUT nice try in trying to put me into a catagory

Stugotz
Guest
Stugotz
6 years ago
Reply to  Lars

Im not against you lars, its just that self contained springs that dont drakn into a river is private water, as is well water. Surface water is such a hot button… seems draconian, but you cant cut redwiods to grow dooe. Indoor is bad for climate, which is tge real fish killer here, not stugotz cutting dead standing madrone.

I just dont like rigged, unelected monopolists in the weed game. Id rather see dreadies than corporate suits here, but i digress.

Kym, point taken, i can see everyone buys into the ” its bad for nature”… tanoak aint indigenous either……

5000-10000/acre for farmland.

1000 for tanoak plantation…. whats better for the local economy and environment? Logging?

Last post, not feeling the love in norcal, just jelly ass anti-pot. Hippies

Kym Kemp
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Stugotz

Stugotz, If you are sucking all the water out of a creek before it gets to your neighbor who lived there before you, let alone before it has a chance to care for the wildlife that it should be providing a home and a place to drink, then there are a lot of names I can think of to call you but I think I’d just skip that if I were your neighbor and call law enforcement.

Stugotz
Guest
Stugotz
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

OIm a Freedom lover… i dont su ck waTER .. I CUT FIREWOOD… its just devide aNd conquEr.

Honestly the eel is different…redwoods aint tanoak

Dang…snitching aint cool yo… i never sucked water but i bhave lived where i live and dont grow.

.this the anti pot cop blog now?

Kym Kemp
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Stugotz

I love cannabis culture. I despise destroying the environment and trashing your neighbors. It is quite possible to have cannabis culture here in Humboldt without destroying the environment and trashing your neighbors’ lives. However, it is absolutely impossible to destroy the environment and make other people suffer and have the cannabis culture I love.

This is the pro-cannabis anti-trash the environment and treat your neighbors right Kym. My website is neutral. But in the comment section you get my opinion. And, in my opinion, sucking dry the rivers and leaving your neighbors and the fish thirsty is vastly worse than asking for help to stop that kind of behavior.

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

If I can talk to the “anti-trash the environment and treat your neighbors right Kym”?

Does it make a difference which human activities “trash the environment”?

It’s the fact Southern Humboldt does not have the water resources to support the “cannabis culture”, without affecting and degrading the aquatic resources, wildlife habitat, drinking water supply, sewer/wastewater treatment capability and farming/food supply. How do you protect a state and federally listed Wild & Scenic River from the “cannabis culture” without dewatering the South Fork Eel and the creeks/streams that flow into it?

So pick one, which community do you want to eliminate; the Coho, Steelhead, Chinook community, farming community or human community? Because there’s not enough water for everybody or everyone…

Kym Kemp
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Ed Voice

Ed, it is possible to store water and raise cannabis without affecting the environment. I know many growers who do not withdraw water during the critical months. Please don’t try to reframe this as one of those either/or. It isn’t.

Ed Voice
Guest
Ed Voice
6 years ago
Reply to  Stugotz

Ok I won’t, I will lie to myself. But it’s not the majority of growers, only a very small group that are storing water legally, the right way. How come all of the growers cannot do it that way along the South Fork Eel in Mendo and SoHum? We should not be seeing these degrading effects to the river in our lifetime, one generation, but yet here we are…

Steve
Guest
Steve
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Hey Kym have you seen the Mattole river lately? It is truly Pathetic that no one gives a rats ass suck it dry.

local observer
Guest
local observer
6 years ago
Reply to  Steve
local observer
Guest
local observer
6 years ago
Reply to  Steve

http://library.humboldt.edu/humco/holdings/collection_images/shuster/large/2001011613.jpg
there are a few in-stream violation at the former Lawrence Mill. and you wonder why the salmon didn’t do well. this is in SoHum and a tributary to the Van Duzen.

Kym Kemp
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Steve

Salmon Creek and the Eel are also barely surviving and that during one of the wettest years in recorded history. Those responsible should be ashamed to look at their children.

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

👍👍

Stugotz
Guest
Stugotz
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

I respect your point of view Kym.. thanks for the blog… i wish a few bad actors didnt ruin it for everyone, but my guess is that the higher up you go, the more corruption you will find… making rules for the plebes that the elite are exempt from is basically feudalism…. so dont blame ur neighbor, blame prohibition or red tape or the fact that its the cia next door growing or halliburton, and they will get a license… they might be a symptom of a much sicker justice system nationwide… not just to lock folks up over a plant Jesus/Yahway/Jah created for us…

Lars
Guest
Lars
6 years ago

You CONTROL water you CONTROL human activity. Plain and simple. LARS

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
6 years ago
Reply to  Lars

Yep.

Mike
Guest
Mike
6 years ago

It’s been kinda a rocky relationship with the government in the last while, I purpose a trial separation, just for a year or two. We each go our separate ways, the people do whatever they want and the government goes and gets real jobs. I think it would be good for both sides.

Ullr Rover
Guest
Ullr Rover
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

👍👍

Joe Mota
Guest
Joe Mota
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

If you want to try living your life without government, move to Somalia.

Steve
Guest
Steve
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Good then people like me can fill in for LEO, and put all the pot growers out of Business .

Stugotz
Guest
Stugotz
6 years ago

They give “waterboarding” a whole new meaning…lol.. if you thought u had any rights…..think again, slave.

nocodeofconduct
Guest
nocodeofconduct
6 years ago

You can not destroy water! Just dirty it up a bit.

Ben Round
Guest
Ben Round
6 years ago

As evidence of the ‘creeping control’ of the Water Board, they began this process by telling us, about 18 months ago, that some water was ‘non-jurisdictional’ (beyond the control of the state; see the Porter Cologne Act). Now they are saying ‘it is ALL jurisdictional’. I say BS! (They are violating the well established Porter Cologne Act, and exceeding their authority [according to some water rights attorneys]).
BEFORE YOU SIGN WAY YOUR WATER RIGHTS, UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CRITERIA IS FOR WATER THAT IS GENERALLY REGARDED AS ‘NON-JURISDICTIONAL’. And, get the opinion of a lawyer. The hundreds to few thousand dollars you might spend on a water rights attorney, to get their support may provide you / your land with a lifetime of water…… and what’s that worth???!!!

Lars
Guest
Lars
6 years ago

The first paragraph really says it all. Where it says this is for cannabis cultivation….PERIOD… Then a new sentence which says water USE and quality are the key aspects of this process. Then it says the STATE WATER RESOURSES (plural) CONTROL BOARD”agenda (Agenda 21/2030″ which will deal predominately with cannabis issues. Well predominately isn’t ALL, EVERYTHING, WHOLE So they are thinking of CONTROLLING other aspects of anything that requires water, like gardens, baths, cooking, animals etc AND if you read their acryonim backwards it kinda says “A Board will control all water resources in the state, which means Wells, streams, ponds, rain, EVERYTHING! This is not what my “Deed of Trust” says. LARS

Perspective
Guest
Perspective
6 years ago

Such bullshit. No tomatoe farmer has to deal with this shit.

holt
Guest
holt
6 years ago
Reply to  Perspective

Then grow tomatoes.

Perspective
Guest
Perspective
6 years ago
Reply to  holt

Brilliant!

joesomebody
Guest
joesomebody
6 years ago

I don’t understand what this means? What if you live on the main fork of the eel river? how do you determine if your area is wild or scenic or recreations?

Kelley
Guest
Kelley
6 years ago
Reply to  joesomebody

Go to this website. The map is pretty rough, but you should probably be able to get some idea. Light blue is recreational. Dark blue is wild.
https://www.rivers.gov/rivers/eel.php
But I still don’t know what perimeters the two designations give to riparian water right holders.

anonymous
Guest
anonymous
6 years ago

There is such a thing as carrying capacity. Water doesn’t grow on trees even if humans think money does.
In the worst year of the most recent drought I asked a state water board official during a press conference if the state would ever impose a moratorium on new water connections.
“Never,” she replied, “we would never do anything to hurt the economy.”
So don’t worry. It’s all about money and never about reality.

Victor G. Flashman
Guest
Victor G. Flashman
6 years ago
Reply to  anonymous

Well, it truly is about money, but never about sober thought or sensible behavior…

Sheri J Schultz
Guest
Sheri J Schultz
6 years ago

What are the rules for Agricultural and Livestock Ranching? If there are none, then cannabis cultivation should not be targeted alone

Kelley
Guest
Kelley
6 years ago

Remember there are two levels of water board…state wide and regional. The state has only one other ag industry singled out… irrigated lands management or something to that effect….but at the regional level many industries have specified programs. Here’s a link to the regional page. Look under programs. One questions the efficiency of going
industry by industry, but that appears to be the track. https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/northcoast/

Lars
Guest
Lars
6 years ago

I’d kinda like to do another thread: Who are these people on the Water Resources Board? They are appointed! But do these appointments result from contributions, other political favors, relatives, ideology, concerned citizens, I checked google for number of BOARDS in Calif, Well between Boards, commissions, agencies, the Water Resources Board was 340 out of 343. These un- elected officials make rules and statues that are below LAWS!!! Lets appoint an un-elected body to do our JOB for us says OUR elected officials.! Well I did not elect these people so why do I have to obey their rules (not mine), ask these people for permission (begging), a ” free person never needs to beg”; possibly giving up rights, probably paying a fee for doing what I already have the right to do by the LAWS of California. For the govt to deal with any private person they need your consent or a contract, otherwise their jurisdiction is very limited. Contracts from the govt are called Adhesion contracts which favors govt 99.99 %, with no input from you. Contracts are suppose to be mutual or something is gained and approved by both parties. I want to vote on if any of my property rights are being challenged by a constitutional vote of 2/3 approval. LARS

Joe Mota
Guest
Joe Mota
6 years ago
Reply to  Lars

The water boards’ authority derives from the Clean Water Act. The objective of regulation of stream diversions is to ensure that there is enough water in streams to keep the aquatic critters alive. Without regulation, we’d all suffer your fate of having your 3 upstream neighbors sucking out all the water. It’s a choice: a) we endure regulations or b) the greedy assholes take all the water and everything downstream dies. There’s also a c), which involves groups of neighbors with guns, but I don’t think we want to go there.

Ullr Rover
Guest
Ullr Rover
6 years ago
Reply to  Joe Mota

Your A,B,C reality is myopic. People learned cooperation long before a cudgel hung over their heads.

Lars
Guest
Lars
6 years ago
Reply to  Joe Mota

Howdy Joe; I am all for good, effective, govt that takes responsibility for their rule making powers. I believe that if regulations and statues must be made they should be to enhance my freedoms, liberties and HAPPINESS as Article 1 of the state Constitution says. Once the WATER BOARD gets some kind of water restriction on Cannabis uses it will then very slowly start encroaching on other water uses as say a huge garden of 10,000 ft ( Remember it says WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD.) The States ultimate goal is Water Control, do not fool yourselves. Whenever a regulation or statue is made it always has a section that says it can be revised at some future date. Change of Administration, change of policy; what about the next engineered Calif drought. What about when Cannabis is no longer such a valuable crop and the growers from all around the country GO HOME, BUT the regulations are still in place of some kind for water restrictions and control, that just might be turned on other water uses and users. I will end this with it is just my opinion BUT the Supervisors should take a lot of responsibility for the destruction of our beautiful rivers, more crazy drivers, more home robberies, forest degragation, killing animals with poison which is probably getting into water courses. This all started happening about 4-5 years ago, so it is our current Supes who should not be re-elected. They have created this problem and now they will come up with the solution. The Hegelian effect. BUT WHY I am asking? Why did the supervisors allow this to happen. Remember they fund the Sheriff’s dept- – -. Friends LARS

Hum broseph
Guest
6 years ago

I just love all this new bureaucracy created around the industry.

Stugotz
Guest
Stugotz
6 years ago

I blame communist corporatist fascists for this draconian water torture… communists hate competition.

Hitler was a socialist you know — he did a lot for the environment by depopulating large geographic areas — water nazis in norcal are doing same ln tpz…

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Stugotz

Communist corporatist is an oxymoron. There is no conspiracy, other than the states desire to regulate and control everything. Your analogy is offensive.

Grumpy
Guest
Grumpy
6 years ago

USFS Leo’s stopped someone on 299 inTrinity county last night that had $208,000. Cash on them.. bummer for them

Ullr Rover
Guest
Ullr Rover
6 years ago
Reply to  Grumpy

It’s not illegal to carry cash… in any amount.

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Ullr Rover

🤔🤔🤔

Ullr Rover
Guest
Ullr Rover
6 years ago
Reply to  Truthy

I can’t comprehend your emoticon.

Asset forfeiture laws (scams) allow LEO’s to seize money if the have a “reasonable suspicion” that the money has been acquired illegaly; that could be $20 or $20 million. At that point it is not the possessor of the money that is criminal it is the money itself. It’s why the LEO’s can circumvent due process.

The case dockets on asset forfeiture read, for example, The State of California v. $19,876.34, not California v. Joe Smith.