Action Alert: Stop Pesticide Pollution in Smith River Estuary

The California State Water Board has opened a comment period for the draft General Waste Discharge Requirements for Commercial Lily Bulb Operations in the Smith River Plain and the draft Environmental Impact Report. These permits will regulate the ongoing pollution from commercial lily bulb operations in the Smith River Estuary.

Ongoing pesticide pollution of the Smith River Estuary puts at risk the air and water quality for the community of Smith River, the health of residents (including an elementary school that is adjacent to the fields), and the very existence of endangered and threatened species that exist in the estuary such as Chinook and Coho Salmon, Tidewater Goby and Euleachon smelt.

The Smith River and its estuary represent one of California’s last relatively intact coastal river systems, providing high-quality habitat for salmonids and other sensitive aquatic species while also supporting the cultural, subsistence, and environmental values of the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation. Effective water quality management in this region is critical because lily bulb cultivation can release sediment, nutrients, and pesticides into both surface and groundwater, threatening these beneficial uses and communities if not properly controlled. 

The Environmental Impact Report, and Draft Lily Bulb Order can all be found at: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/northcoast/board_info/board_meetings/02_2026/index.html

Suggested Comments:

Tell the State Waterboard to adopt an effective permit that will:

• Disallow any further pesticide discharges to waterways, including copper.

  • To meet this criterion, the lily order must establish pesticide discharge thresholds of zero for all synthetic pesticides used on the Smith River Plain.

• Disallow the spraying of pesticides during wet weather.

• Create large and effective buffer zones between fields, waterways, residences, and schools.

• Effectively enforce the regulations outlined within the order via significant consequences following order violations.

• Provide protections that safeguard Tribal beneficial uses, imperiled species within the estuary, and guarantee clean drinking water for the Community of Smith River.

Comments due March 30th, 5:00 pm

Submit comments via email to: NorthCoast@waterboards.ca.gov with the subject: “Comments for Draft Lily Bulb Order / Draft EIR,” 

or via snail mail to:

Agricultural Lands Program, North Coast Water Board

5550 Skylane Blvd, Ste. A,

Santa Rosa, CA 95403