Weed’s for Smokin,’ Water’s for Fightin’ Over: An examination of the water demands of marijuana and impacts of federal legalization

Irvine, Tessa

Weed’s for Smokin,’ Water’s for Fightin’ Over: An examination of the water demands of marijuana and impacts of federal legalization

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10456/57648

Author(s)

Irvine, Tessa

Date Issued

April 29, 2024

Abstract

Legalization of marijuana is an ongoing conversation at all levels of government as states continue to legalize medical and recreational marijuana and the federal government has begun approach reform, however there is little research of data concerning the needs of marijuana as a commercial crop, particularly the water demand. This project conducted an analysis of existing data on the water needs of marijuana and applied it to a hypothetical market in the state of Idaho, developed by comparing the markets of other western states that have long allowed for both medical and recreational marijuana. The hypothetical market was divided by counties based upon agricultural output and further analysis of water use focuses on two counties in the southeastern portion of the state in order to compare marijuana’s water to existing diversions from the Snake River, which operates under the prior appropriation water doctrine. While marijuana has a high water demand, this hypothetical market requires relatively little in comparison to what is being cultivated now, however, the Snake River is overallocated and continuing current patterns could result in severe ecosystem damage, especially as it pertains to the salmon that have historically spawned in the Snake River. Legalization of marijuana provides an opportunity to reshape water policy to create systems that better support both agriculture and wildlife.

Major

Environmental Science and Sustainability

First Reader(s)

Swann-Quinn, Jesse