Cannabis Is a Thirsty Crop
Water Use by Farm Proposed Along Scenic Highway 1 Will Be Harmful
We want to inform the community of some distressing plans afoot along Scenic Highway 1,
close to the turnoff for the much-loved Jalama Beach.
Highway 1 from 101 at Las Cruces to State Route 246 in Lompoc is one of our county’s few
treasured State Scenic Highways. Along its length, the surrounding farmland and beautiful
viewsheds of this rural byway have, until now, been well-protected by long-term ranching
families.
In September 2021, Santa Barbara County Planning and Development approved a land use
permit for Big Bend Ranch for growing 9.19 acres of cannabis, a very thirsty crop, and the use of
up to 22 acre-feet of well water that would be drawn from shallow wells near a creek during the
growing season. This amount is equivalent to about 7 million gallons (or the amount of water
required to supply 65 average American households per year).
