Legalization of marijuana has the Nevada Irrigation District anticipating a surge in growing and, along with that, water quality and supply concerns. Water Operations Manager Chip Close says an impromptu study recently revealed that water demand for parcels with outdoor grows were 70-percent higher than neighboring properties without cultivation. He says that could make it difficult to meet the current state conservation goal of 55 gallons per-capita/per-day. So the county is exploring changes in regulations and zoning ordinances…
State regulations are expected to allow the growing of six plants for an indoor grow, while parcels of more than five acres are allowed up to 25 plants. The issue was a discussion topic for NID’s Water and Hydroelectric Operations Committee yesterday, which consists of two board members. Close says comments from growers have been constructive…
NID says outdoor cannabis grows need a lot of sunlight and terraced lands, which has led to extensive clearing and earthwork. And this has the potential to lead to erosion and runoff, increasing stream turbidity. Also, both indoor and outdoor grows utilize fertilizers and pesticides, that can create a hazardous runoff.
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