The growing operation was discovered by accident during helicopter surveillance connected with an unrelated case.

Suspicions were raised by the distinctive colour of the plants contrasting with the surrounding vegetation.

The site is a few hundred yards behind the regional DEA and FBI headquarters.

However. the plants could not be seen from the DEA building, which is separated from the forest by a small lake.

DEA agents had to wait for flood water to subside before moving in to investigate.

They discovered an abandoned cannabis farm with over 300 plants,

"It wasn't a handful of seeds thrown in there haphazardly," said Special Agent Michelle Deaver, DEA spokeswoman in Dallas.

"It was a groomed marijuana field."

It seems that the flood waters drove out the budding cannabis farmers behind the plantation.

"There were no booby traps, so that's good. Or snakes," Agent Deaver said.

"I'm sure the agents were eaten up with mosquitoes, though."