Pubdate: Wed, 19 Aug 2015 Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA) Copyright: 2015 Hearst Communications Inc. Contact: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/submissions/#1 Website: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388 Author: Jo Ann Herr Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v15/n447/a02.html TOO MANY POT PLANTS In regards to "Up in smoke" (Letters, Aug. 10): Watersheds can cover huge areas and just because they are remote does not diminish their importance. The Eel River watershed is 200 miles long and covers over 3,600 square miles, the third-largest in California. Most of the creeks in this area are spring-fed. Estimates are, there are 1 million pot plants in just Mendocino County. Average water use for each plant is 6 gallons a day. That's 6 million gallons every day not going into the creeks and why so many creeks have dried up in Mendocino County. This water is crucial to the survival of fish, crawdads, turtles and tadpoles. It is horrible watching a creek dry up and find fish belly up, especially when it is caused by greedy pot growers with no concern for the environment. Agriculture has been forced to cut its water use. So should the illegal growers. Pot needs to be legal, regulated and taxed. Jo Ann Herr, Oakland - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom