Seven Warrants Served in Trinity County for Cannabis Grows
Illegal water diversion. [Photo from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife]
During the week of August 26, wildlife officers at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) served seven search warrants in Trinity County and conducted one trespass grow investigation in Shasta County. Support for the missions were provided by the National Guard, the State Water Resources Control Board, the Trinity County Sheriff’s Department and other local agencies.
A records search confirmed that none of the targeted properties had a state license or county permit to grow commercial cannabis, none possessed a Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreement and none were adhering to required CAL FIRE protocols.
The operations focused on protecting sensitive wildlife habitat that contribute to the survival of winter-run Chinook salmon, coho salmon, steelhead, cutthroat and rainbow trout, the foothill yellow-legged frog, the western pond turtle, deer and other species that are native to California’s rich biodiversity.
“Our cannabis enforcement program in Redding continues to focus on critical habitat found in Trinity County where many important, threatened or endangered species call home,” said David Bess, Deputy Director and Chief of the CDFW Law Enforcement Division. “Each of the targeted grows had numerous environmental violations ranging from water diversions to habitat destruction and in some cases extreme pollution near waterways.”
In Trinity County, 27 suspects were contacted, 16 Fish and Game Code violations were documented, 33,783 illegal cannabis plants were eradicated and over 3,000 pounds of illegally produced cannabis product was confiscated. In Shasta County, wildlife officers arrested two suspects in a trespass cannabis grow near Ono where 1,163 cannabis plants were eradicated, and six environmental violations were documented. Felony charges are pending with both counties’ District Attorney’s Offices.
CDFW encourages the public to report illegal cannabis cultivation and environmental crimes such as water pollution, water diversions and poaching to the CalTIP hotline by calling (888) 334-2258 or texting information to “TIP411” (847411).
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That’s it? Why so vague? Is that little catchment the worse of what they saw?
Yeah, somehow someone’s little homemade pond doesn’t strike me as damaging the environment.
Maybe they are trying to say “look this is how petty we are now. No ducks!!”
4,826 plants per warrant average….
…and 1 photo.
My small medical plants in my garden. A big score of total 520 cut by Geenwave and very politely left fot us. When asked why us oh we figured 2nd planting.
Every thing they did was because looking for money. Pounds of Weed. Guns meth lab and a crew of trimers
Crew said we pot farmers are kulling our workers.
Nothing to write about they plyed in my yard like teenagers girls and the boys. While we we still handcuffed
They cut your small med garden? Wow that sucks! Sorry to hear! That’s BS!
You’ll have charges in 6 months. Fuckers got me last yr. old picture of way worse grow. I had 0 environmental issues.. 700 ft from creek..
That reminds me, I better fold up
my tarps before the rains this winter….. they could accidentally collect water. I thought turtles and frogs like ponds?
Well we shouldn’t be slathering for photos. I find their approach more palatable than the humboldt approach, which is all drama.
~now that’s funny, WC. “the humboldt approach which is all drama.” Embarrassing , but funny.
It’s true. We got the Dancing Deputies and a 1-time-out for an op ed – “Growdozer” w/a ‘Sheriff’ decal on it, and yesterday “the other group” said; “Law is walking..” WTF? This is a Twilight Zone Public Announcement.
Its the end of summer and those animals probably need every drop water they can get. Even a small pond can have big impacts on the environment if water is being taken from a spawning habitat. Protecting our wildlife needs to be a priority. Just sayin.
Not this year. Creeks are still flowing from an excellent winter and we just got almost an inch of rain. That catchment looks like, maybe, 5000 gallons which is about 3 gallons per minute over 24 hours… a little less than what comes from a garden hose.
Not true if multiple people are creating dams and diverting water. Even during optimal circumstances, a small creek can easily be compromised and drained.
All sorts of “what if” scenarios can be imagined; that’s not the information presented in this press release.
Human creek change deniers…
If that is true then no farms should be permitted in the drainage.
This is misguided…
Yeah, “little homemade pond” multiplied by 1000,s of greedy earth raping growers has little, if no effect on fish, mammals, invertebrates, insects, fungi, birds, etc.
The oceans are made of raindrops, my friend…
The little pond IS the headwater of a creek/spring and does not go where it is supposed to.
Gee, I wonder what the kind caring soul put in that pond? It sure as hell wasn’t ground up “organic” rainbow unicorn shit.
It’s all the growers fault they have destroyed the earth. Hey do you drink wine by chance? Where was your cotton tea shirt made from? You sound like such a hypocrite hahahaha. Just another loser with nothing better to do but point fingers at others. Your to chicken shit to say it in public.
We all use water. Do you clutch your pearls every time you see Ruth lake? Same damn thing. I consider myself an environmentalist, but this does not concern me in the least.
But if there was no marijauna on the propert bit mabe just someone wanted a pond it would be no problem..
Rover why you be spreading Disinformation.The river gauge signs in so hum indicate crisis mode
You would think since we had such a wet winter the water would be flowing higher…
This isn’t southern Humboldt.
And I don’t know what “crisis mode” means on a flow gauge, nor do I know to what river you are referring. The Trinity and its tributaries are flowing nicely.
Check your river here:
https://www.dreamflows.com/flows.php?zone=canv&page=real&form=norm&mark=All#Site009
Trinity’s tributaries aren’t flowing great. [edit]
They all look pretty good for late September flows. There is still surface water in a lot of creeks that are usually dry by this time of year.
Since beer is legal I thought that I would start brewing about 1000 gallons of beer in my basement and sell it to the public from a stand in the front yard, $2.00 a pint.
Guess what? Turns out that there are %$#*ing rules and regulations that must be followed.
I am limited to 200 gallons.
I can’t sell any amount to anyone under any circumstances.
The irony is soooo ironic.
We should be legal selling homebrew… donations are legal.
People sell at farmers markets , I think idk if they have to use commissary kitchen
ILLEGAL!
Actually there is a bill that legalized small home buiznesses in your home kitchen. Legal or not, man the tamales rock. I always get tamales from street venders, I have never had a problem. California needs to allow micro businesses to flourish. Micro home breweries should be no exception. Where else am I gonna get a dandelion beer? .. nowhere’s ville!
https://www.forbes.com/sites/instituteforjustice/2014/01/29/california-legalized-selling-food-made-at-home-and-created-over-a-thousand-local-businesses/
I have no doubt that some people involved in suppressing cannabis cultivation–wildlife biologists, for example–believe in the ecological necessity of their mission.
But it’s also plain that many weed-haters are transactional “environmentalists” around this particular issue.
I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them go home after busting grow scenes and post climate-change denial stuff on social media.
Climate change is fake!!!!!!!!!
Climate Change denial is fake AF!
Point proven MM!
Well then, get rid of all the Fing Walmart pools everyone has in their yards, like everywhere.. used for a season then tossed.. plastic sucks. True. It’s not like weed growers are the only plastic junkies on the planet.. But suddenly you have any plastic products and weed.. and it’s a huge fine.. and unfounded consequences…
Probably not the most eco savvy way for water collection true.. but just the mind numbing over regs, and violent raids over petty micro managed issues are donting!
I think it’s pretty safe to say the growing weed isn’t that bad for the environment not that marginally worse than a homestead. Yeah accumulatively yes but so do your farts. Sure there are extreme circumstances. I consider myself deeply connected to the environment. I feel the pain of all creation on this beautiful rock.l footing and space.these agencies and scientist are obviously using the environment card. Make no mistake these people do not give a rats ass about the environment especially you fish and game and your phony fake scientist. Your job and little crusade your on is so undeniably fake. It’s all about your job that won’t do shit to save the environment. Look around we are in the seventh mass extinction. Who profited off this??? Not the unpermitted grows or the ones in the process. You guys make me sick.
Spot on!
You all sound like climate change deniers.these illegal grows are damageing to water sheds steall water that should flow downriver.It is an accumulative problem , ya one grow one pond not a big deal we are talking thousands .wake up and relize the inpacks we all live downstream.
Honestly, I realize there are impacts.. any “industry” there will be impacts. I just also think some of the impacts are seriously overblown. And serious greenwash hype.. And it’s not just “illicit” growers having an impact, it’s prevelent across the board. Really tho, like me, I have like 3 acres (includes my home and out buildings) out of over 40.. The rest is a large part old growth.. otherwise, properties like mine just get clear cut and logged.. all of it.. so, that also has an impact.. I have multiple springs that will never be touched, and my garden and homestead is on the small scale of things… I do have an impact, just by being on the planet people have impacts.. And I don’t consider myself a climate change “denier” so.. there is that..
I’ve got western pond turtles, love those guys. I had to stop the truck because one was charging across the road to get uphill to get to some moisture up there.
Turns out they are pretty common, I don’t spend that much time in the actual creek and this little guy was not going let an obstacle like a wide road slow it down.
Vineyards can use as much water as they want….the amount of grapes grown compared to marijuana is unquestionably more….I know there’s not many large vineyards in Humboldt but in Mendocino the amount water being used for grapes apposed to weed….not only that but the divert the eel into the Russian for Sonoma county to grow what???? Oh y eww ah…Grapes! And all the roundup or whatever weedkiller they spray in between the grapes….come on people. if you are truly that concerned about the environment…then go after the vinyard owners with all the same agencies….
Cannabis is legal.
Say a prayer for those poor defenseless plants, also to the patients they won’t be helping.