Since the passage of the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, marijuana cultivation has exploded in California and shows no signs of slowing. In Humboldt County alone, there are more than 4,000 marijuana cultivation sites. Northwestern California is not facing this green rush alone, as pot farms are now sprouting up throughout rural areas of California wherever land is cheap, a water source is nearby and neighbors are few and far between.

Some may welcome this industry and the wealth it brings to the affected communities. But we have to start thinking about marijuana cultivation in the context of environmental sustainability and, specifically, the drought. The reality is that marijuana cultivation has significant negative effects on our watersheds and the fish and wildlife that depend on them.