Pubdate: Sat, 28 Mar 2015 Source: Ukiah Daily Journal, The (CA) Copyright: 2015 The Ukiah Daily Journal Contact: http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/feedback Website: http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/581 $2 MILLION SECURED IN FIGHT TO STOP ILLEGAL MARIJUANA WATER DIVERSIONS As part of Gov. Jerry Brown's recent $1 billion drought package, Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, has secured $2 million in state water and drought relief bonds in an attempt to halt illegal water diversions from trespass marijuana grows in Northern California, McGuire's office announced Wednesday. The bond dollars, which were approved by the Senate Wednesday afternoon, are to be immediately utilized through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which will create an additional 11 positions, McGuire's office said in a news release. Additionally, the new hires will join a marijuana taskforce created by Brown's office last year and will be focused on ending the thousands of illegal cultivation-related diversions in Northern California watersheds. There will also be expanded funding for the protection of streams and rivers for in-stream flows, fish and habitat as well as water efficiency programs to benefit local customers, the release stated, adding 2014 was the first year since written records have been kept that both the Eel and the Mattole Rivers ran dry due to the historic state drought and a multitude of illegal diversions. "Northern California has been particularly hard hit due to the state's historic drought and the thousands of illegal marijuana grows that have taken hold in our forests," McGuire said. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom