Imperial Valley, California
Winter vegetables from desert irrigation
The Imperial Valley sits in the far southeast corner of California along the Mexican border, occupying a desert basin below sea level.
About imperial
The Imperial Valley sits in the far southeast corner of California along the Mexican border, occupying a desert basin below sea level. Without the All-American Canal and the Colorado River water rights that feed it, the region would be uninhabitable; with that infrastructure, it produces some of the nation's most important winter vegetables. November through April, when most of the US northern growing regions are dormant, the Imperial Valley produces lettuces, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, and a wide range of cool-season crops shipped across the country. Summer is too hot for most leafy production (regularly 110°F+), so the valley operates on a winter-anchored seasonal cycle. The Colorado River water question shapes everything here. The valley holds some of the most senior water rights on the river, established in the early 20th century, but the entire Colorado Basin is overallocated and the river runs dry before reaching its delta. Periodic negotiations between Imperial Irrigation District, the urban Southern California water districts, and the seven Colorado Basin states determine how much water remains available. Climate change accelerates the question — the river's flow has declined measurably, and the valley's long-term agricultural viability depends on water decisions made in Sacramento, Denver, and Washington.
Origin profile
Varieties from Imperial Valley, California
7 varieties associated with this origin. Tap any variety for its full editorial profile.
Editorial notes
The Imperial Valley exists at the seam between two larger systems: Colorado River water rights (deeply contested) and Mexican labor flows (politically contested). Both could change dramatically in coming decades. The Salton Sea — the toxic, shrinking inland body of water at the valley's north end — is a downstream consequence of irrigation drainage that periodically attracts national attention. The valley produces the lettuce on your January salad while these structural questions play out in the background.