The cannabis industry laid waste to the Illinois River Basin in 2021 in ways previously unseen. The Illinois Valley Soil & Water Conservation District initially discussed ways to address the community’s concerns about the negative impacts. The signs of wanton destruction were evident in May 2021 as the community began an uproar about the negative impacts affecting the environmental health of the watershed and their own well-being. Throughout May residents called the office with complaints about riparian clearing, water theft, and other impacts to sensitive habitats they witnessed. In July, the district hired the Community Organizer to address the community’s concerns. View the Cannabis Impact Report here. The fact that the community’s concerns surfaced so early in the growing season speaks to the large scale of the problem.
The report provides an introduction to the topic, a brief history of “how we got here,” an explanation of research methods (mapping and calculations of consumptive water use), a By the Numbers page in the style of Harper’s Index, a discussion of the community’s sentiment on the cannabis industry and their proposed solutions, a photo essay accompanied by quotes from the community, a discussion of the advocacy work building a bridge between residents and state officials, and a conclusion with next steps and further research needed. The appendices and links contain extensive data, tables, and pertinent detailed discussions.
While the report seeks to explain the circumstances as noted, the greater hope is that this report will inspire further research and that readers will envision the next steps they can take.
“The gathering of the data and analysis provided in this report reflects a monumental effort, and is certainly the most impressive work I have seen from a citizen effort in addressing the complexity of crop water consumption. I personally am indebted to Mr. Hall for this candid and comprehensive effort which revealed the extent and impact of this theft of water and environmental degradation caused by fly-by-night illegal cannabis grows in the Illinois Valley. I can only hope that the attention now focused on this situation will reduce these problems in the upcoming season.”
John Selker
OSU Univeristy Distinguished Professor
AGU Fellow
President-Elect, AGU Hydrology