PUBLIC LAND GONE TO POT

LAKE COUNTY - Clear Lake and Lake County are known worldwide for its
excellent bass fishing. But the county also owns the dubious title as
the "Marijuana Capitol of California."

For the past three years more marijuana plants have been eradicated in
the county than anywhere in the state. In fact, so far this year the
state, county and federal authorities have confiscated more than
500,000 plants in Lake County.

That's more than the entire state of Kentucky eradicated last year.
Most of the plants were eradicated on public lands such as the
Mendocino National Forest and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands.
According to authorities, the illegal growing of marijuana is
destroying wildlife and the environment, plus making the public lands
unsafe for hikers, hunters and others who enjoy the outdoors.

The illegal marijuana problem in the county was brought home to a
large crowd that attended Thursday evening's special meeting of the
Lake County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee. Representatives from
the Lake County Sheriff's Department, BLM and the Department of Fish
and Game (DFG) presented a detailed program on just how serious the
problem of marijuana gardens on public land has become.

The water required to irrigate the plants runs into the millions of
gallons. It takes three to five gallons of water each day per plant.
In Lake County that adds up to approximately 150,000 gallons per day
for the average sized garden and there are hundreds of gardens in the
county.

The amount of water used on all the plants in the county for one year
would fill Lake Mendocino.

The water is obtained by damming up small creeks and springs and
diverting the water to the gardens. Toxic fertilizers are added to the
streams, which kills wildlife, insects and other creatures that depend
on the water. Streams that once flowed year around are now dry during
the summer months because the water has been diverted.

Wildlife such as birds, deer, bear, rabbits and other creatures are
indiscriminately slaughtered by the growers because they interfere
with the growing operations. Illegal gardens are littered with trash
left by growers. Black plastic pipe is used for irrigation and then
left in the forest. It is estimated that if all the black plastic pipe
used in the gardens in the county were stretched out end-to-end it
would run all the way from the Oregon border to Mexico.

The primary areas in the county where the marijuana gardens are found
are the Mendocino National Forest with the Snow Mountain Wilderness
Area, Bear Creek and Lower Nye having dozens of gardens. On the BLM
lands the Cow Mountain Recreation Area has an abundance of gardens.
Other BLM areas are Indian Valley Reservoir, Sheldon Creek (located on
the Hopland Toll Road) and the area around Highland Springs.

Pollution of creeks and other waterways are a major problem. One of
the most polluted streams is the headwaters of Scotts Creek on Cow
Mountain. Water samples taken show the water is contaminated with
poisons from fertilizer and pesticides and is unsafe to drink. Scotts
Creek drains into Clear Lake via Rodman Slough.

A major obstacle facing authorities is how to restore the land after a
garden is raided and the plants removed. Typically there are mounds of
trash left in the growers camps and in the gardens. To restore the
land in the gardens that BLM has raided in the Ukiah area last year is
estimated to cost more than $500,000.

Along with the damage done to the environment and wildlife, the
illegal growing of marijuana has resulted in denying the use of public
lands to hikers, hunters, fishermen, campers and other recreational
users.

Many of the growers are armed and will go to great lengths to protect
their crops. According to authorities, the armed guards will often
stop a person who has wandered into their garden and demand to see
their driving license or other identification. They will then threaten
them if they report the location of the garden to the
authorities.

Member of the Lake County Fish and Wildlife Advisory, Dennis Reynolds
said the problem is two-fold. There's the environmental damage coupled
with the loss of recreational opportunities.

Reynolds presented a high-impact presentation on Thursday night that
exemplified the vast damage to land, animals and quality of life in
Lake County.

"The goal is to get rid of the infrastructure," Reynolds said. It will
take volunteers, state, Federal and county funding and grants, he said.

The next meeting addressing this issue will take place on Jan. 21 at
6:30 p.m. at the Lake County Board of Supervisors Chambers, located at
255 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport. The forum will be open to the public.

Those with evidence of, or suspecting, active illegal marijuana grows
are urged to contact the Lake County Sheriff's Office at 263-2690.