Lily fields just upstream from the mouth of the Smith. Image: Google Earth.

For decades pesticide-intensive farming of Easter lily bulbs on the Smith River Plain has contaminated groundwater and surface waters of the Smith River estuary, threatening the health of wildlife and humans along one of California’s healthiest, most ecologically pristine rivers.

Now the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board is considering new regulations to address this persistent pollution.

Greg King, Executive Director of the Siskiyou Land Conservancy, joins the program to discuss an important upcoming townhall meeting — October 8th at 6 p.m. at the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors Chambers or participate remotely online — and what it would take to effectively regulation pesticide pollution.