Episode 138: Cannabis and Water with Jim Lauria

Cannabis growers as a group are more interested in quality and sustainability than most water managers. Indoor growers have a ton of knowledge about water and nutrients and use the knowledge to their advantage. They are managing indoor cultivation scientifically. They perform at a very high level and have a thirst for more knowledge.

Cannabis grown indoors yields an average value of $112 per square foot (0.1 square meter), according to a report on indoor farming by Agrilyst, well ahead of greens ($64 per square foot) and strawberries ($22). Agrilyst calculated indoor cannabis production to be 9,000 times more productive on a dollar basis than commercial corn production. The Denver University Law Review calculated a return of 22 cents to $6.67 per gallon (3.8 liters) of water from cannabis grown in Colorado, compared to 2 to 3 cents per gallon ROI from potatoes, another of the state’s major crops.

This sets up an interesting discussion about the best use of our most precious natural resource, water. As water gets more scarce, should the water go to those who use it most economically or to those who grow food? Jim Lauria will walk us through the opportunities to take advantage of and the pitfalls to avoid. Please join us to learn from one of water’s most dynamic speakers.