A file photo of an Imperial Valley field and canal. Under the 2003 Quantification Settlement Agreement, made possible largely through the conserved water transfer agreement between the Imperial Irrigation District and the San Diego County Water Authority, hundreds of thousands of acre feet of water are conserved annually in a mutually beneficial way that supports agriculture and protects the environment.

This week, as Earth Day, a global event established in 1970 to promote environmental protection, was celebrated, it seems like a good time to discuss the efforts to sustain water resources, especially in the West along the Colorado River Basin. It is well known whether you are a water manager, grower, or someone living in the West, that we are in an extended period of drought brought about by climate change. While we’ve had a couple of good years thanks to Mother Nature, it doesn’t change the fact

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In this historical photo, crops are transported from a Vessey & Co. field near Holtville. The history of agriculture in the Imperial Valley is filled with stories of survival, hardship, family bonds and success. Photo Courtesy of Vessey & Co.

Recently, this blog writer had a chance to interview farmers in the Imperial Valley whose farming operations are 100 years old and, in some cases, even older—over 115 years old. It’s fascinating to listen to their family stories and hear the tales of grandparents and great-grandparents who chose to travel to the Valley by wagon when agriculture and ranching were just beginning in the region. Imagine the Imperial Valley in the early parts of the 1900s, at that time still an untamed frontier that offered the promise of land but a harsh environment in which to forge a new life. Yet, they still made their way to the

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Members of the Salton Sea Authority (SSA) Board of Directors and management staff are pictured with past executive directors during an event to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the SSA held at the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla tribal land in Riverside County on Nov. 16. Pictured left to right are Bob Hargraves, SSA attorney, Rick Daniels, past executive director, Gina Dockstader, SSA board member, Altrena Santillanes, SSA board president, Patick O’Dowd, current executive director, Castulo Estrada, SSA board vice president, and Phil Rosentrater, past executive director.

On November 16, the Salton Sea Authority (SSA) and community leaders came together on Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla tribal land in Mecca, California, to mark the SSA’s 30th anniversary in an event that saw past and present executive directors and current board members share their experiences advocating for the sea. The SSA was formed in 1993 as a state joint powers authority

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