Double Trouble: Water And Workers In California's Imperial County

By Seth Sandronsky | Center Square contributor, The Center Square California

March 24, 2023

(The Center Square) - California’s Imperial Valley, which harvests two-thirds of the winter vegetables (e.g., lettuce, celery, cilantro, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, carrots) available across the U.S., faces double trouble. The region’s agricultural bounty that depends on a single supply of water from the Colorado River is at-risk. Consequently, the potential impact on the area’s workforce whose unemployment rate is four-fold higher than average in the Golden State is fraught.

Imperial County is located on the southeast border of the Golden State on the U.S.-Mexico border, with about 180,000 residents who reside in seven cities. The climate is arid, with the recent series of storms an exception to this weather.

Against this backdrop, the main driver of Imperial County’s water woes is competition for this precious resource from the Colorado River. The competitive interests vying for a dangerously dwindling supply of Colorado River water range from seven U.S. states to Mexico. Interpretation of water rights is a site of struggle for these interests, given multiple interstate water compacts, federal laws and court decisions.

In the meantime, Imperial County can ill afford rising unemployment and falling economic output. It is worth noting that unemployment data for Imperial County does count workers without citizenship papers, according to Professor Emeritus Phillip Martin of the University of California at Davis.

According to Robert Schettler, public information officer for the Imperial Irrigation District, "one in every six jobs in Imperial County connects with agriculture."

“So, if we cut back on farming, there is a negative effect,” he said. “Ag is the backbone of the economy for California’s Imperial Valley."

In terms of Imperial County diversifying economic development away from the current centrality of agriculture, the nearby Salton Sea is a potential bright spot due its status as a source of lithium. Lithium is a key chemical to batteries powering cell phones and electric vehicles, the latter of which is part of the clean energy transformation away from the current reliance on fossil fuels warming the planet. The top three producers of lithium are Australia, Chile and China, respectively.

“We’re building a hub for global innovation while ensuring this transformation benefits communities right here in Imperial Valley,” said Gov. Gavin Newson in a statement on a recent visit. “California is poised to become the world’s largest source of batteries, and it couldn’t come at a more crucial moment in our efforts to move away from fossil fuels. The future happens here first — and Lithium Valley is fast-tracking the world’s clean energy future.”

The focus of the work of The Center Square California is state and local-level government and economic reporting that approaches stories with a taxpayer sensibility.