| Imperial Valley Spanish:Valle Imperial | |
|---|---|
 The Imperial Valley below theSalton Sea. TheUS–Mexican border runs diagonally across the lower left of the image. | |
 Map of Imperial Valley | |
| Length | 50 miles (80 km) Northwest-Southeast |
| Geography | |
| Location | California, United States |
| Population centers | Brawley,Calexico,El Centro,Imperial |
| Coordinates | 32°44′51″N114°57′48″W / 32.74750°N 114.96333°W /32.74750; -114.96333 |
| Traversed by | Interstate 8,State Route 78,State Route 86,State Route 111 |
TheImperial Valley (Spanish:Valle de Imperial orValle Imperial) ofSouthern California lies inImperial andRiverside counties, with anurban area centered on the city ofEl Centro. The Valley is bordered by theColorado River to the east and, in part, theSalton Sea to the west. Farther west lies theSan Diego and Imperial County border. To the north is theCoachella Valley region ofRiverside County, which together with Imperial Valley form theSalton Trough, or the Cahuilla Basin, also the county line of Imperial and Riverside counties, and to the south the international boundary withMexico.
The culture of the area blends those of theUnited States andMexico, due to its regional history and geographic location along the international border. The Imperial Valley economy is based on agriculture.
Imperial Valley was named by theImperial Land Company, in the hopes of attracting settlers. It is now the home of theEl Centro metropolitan area. Locally, the terms "Imperial Valley" and "Imperial County" are used synonymously. Imperial Valley is also calledLithium Valley, because of its rich supply oflithium, used to powerelectric vehicles, cameras, etc.[1][2]
The Imperial Valley extends southward for 50 miles (80 km) from the southern end of theSalton Sea intoMexico. Part of a trough stretching from the Coachella Valley to theGulf of California, it is almost entirely below sea level—235 feet (72 m) below at the edge of the Salton Sea. Its hot desert climate is characterized by daily temperature extremes. It was once part of theGulf of California, from which it was cut off by the dam-like deposits of theColorado River Delta Fan as it carved out theGrand Canyon. Bordered by sand dunes and barren mountains, it was uninhabited until 1901, when theImperial Canal was opened and diverted Colorado River water into the valley through Mexico. Floodwaters in 1905–07 destroyed the irrigation channels and created the Salton Sea now filled by theNew River and irrigation run-off.[3] The rivers in the southern part of the Salton Sea river basin flow south to north.
The valley is bordered by theColorado River to the east and, in part, theSalton Sea to the west. Farther west lies the border withSan Diego County and to the south the international boundary between the US state ofCalifornia andBaja California,Mexico. To the north is the boundary withRiverside County and theCoachella Valley, which with the Imperial Valley form the "Cahuilla Basin" or the "Salton Trough".[citation needed]
El Centro is the largest industrial center of the Imperial Valley, being the center of shipping exports as well as being home to retail, transportation, wholesale, and agricultural industries. There are also two international border crossings nearby for commercial and noncommercial vehicles. The city's population was 42,598 at the 2010 census and 44,322 at the 2020 census. The city is 50 feet (20 m) below sea level and the largest city in the United States below sea level. Fifty percent of the jobs in El Centro come from the service and retail sector.[when?][citation needed]
The Imperial Valley often has summer temperatures well over 100 °F (38 °C), but from late October until mid-April the temperature is relatively mild and sometimes low. During winter months the Valley averages more than eight hours of sunshine a day, receiving the most sunlight of any place in theUnited States.[4]
Historically, the lowest minimum temperature ever recorded in the Imperial Valley was 16 °F (−9 °C) on January 22, 1937. The highest maximum temperature ever recorded was 121 °F (49 °C) on July 28, 1995. The lowest maximum temperature was 42 °F (6 °C), recorded on January 24, 1949, and the highest minimum temperature was 92 °F (33 °C) on June 30, 1946. The highest monthly mean temperature was 95.9 °F (35.5 °C), recorded in August 1969 and the lowest mean temperature was 42.3 °F (5.7 °C) in February 1939.[4]
The 85-year average annual rainfall is 2.93 inches (74 mm) with June being the driest month. The only recorded snowfall in the Valley occurred on December 12, 1932. Snow began falling at 8:45 p.m. and by 5 a.m. the next day 2.5 inches (6 cm) had been recorded. In the southwest portion of Imperial Valley, 4 inches (10 cm) of snow was reported that day. This was the only snowfall on record to cover the entire valley.[4]
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Imperial Valley can loosely categorize its cities and communities into three regions: the Salton Beach Towns, Desert Cities, and the El Centro area (urbanized Imperial). The Salton Sea Beach Towns have the smallest cities but were resorts in their heyday and have since shrunk in population and size due to the current state of the Salton Sea. The cities and communities of the desert region are outliers in that they are away from urbanized Imperial and tend to be smaller in population than the cities surrounding El Centro. Cities of the El Centro area tend to be larger than those of the desert and Salton regions. And the southeastern end of California is the state's poorest region, with lower-income residents making up over half of the year-round population.[5]
TheEl Centro, CA MSA is a multicore metropolitan region containing severalurban areas.[7]
| Population rank | Name | State(s) | Type (UA/UC) | 2020 population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Centro | CA | UA | 44,322 |
| 2 | Calexico | CA | UC | 38,633 |
| 3 | Brawley | CA | UC | 26,416 |
| 4 | Imperial | CA | UC | 18,631 |
| 5 | Calipatria | CA | UC | 6,515 |
| 6 | Holtville | CA | UC | 5,605 |
| 7 | Salton City | CA | UC | 5,155 |
Imperial County's economy consists predominantly ofgovernment,agriculture, andretail trade that represents approximately 70% of total county employment.[8] Government services account for over one-third of total employment. Agriculture accounts for one-fourth of jobs with major crops ofalfalfa,lettuce, sugar beets andcarrots. Retail growth has been experienced due to increased population in the Imperial and Mexicali Valleys. In 2005, the Imperial Valley Mall opened, attracting shoppers from the Valley area, including residents and tourists across the border fromMexicali.
Tourism is considered the secondary industry of the Imperial Valley. Many visitors come to the area to visit theSalton Sea (California's largest inland lake, which serves as a dumpout point for the overflow and drainage from the IID canal system and ditch drainage) and theAlgodones Dunes. TheNew River and the Alamo River flow from the border city ofMexicali northward to the Salton Sea.
Another popular destination is theSalton Sea mud pots and volcanoes. These mud pots and volcanoes are in an open field on the eastern side of the Salton Sea. The mud is just above ambient temperature and it is possible to walk right up to the vents. The location is host to a number of gray cones reaching heights of six feet (2 m) and depressions filled with bubbling mud. These features are the result of the geothermal activity in the area.[9]
Off-roading on ATVs is another popular activity during the winter months. Heber Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area is south ofEl Centro and is primarily an off-roading destination. The valley sand dune recreation area draws hundreds of thousands of off-road enthusiasts. Bird-watching is a popular activity, with abundant natural habitat and rare species. The Imperial Valley has an array ofgolf courses. Golf courses are in Holtville, Brawley and El Centro.[10]
Fort Yuma is on the banks of theColorado River inWinterhaven, California. First established after the end of theMexican–American War in 1848, it was originally in the bottoms near the Colorado River, less than 1-mile (1.6 km) below the mouth of theGila River. It was to defend the newly settled community ofYuma, Arizona on the other side of the Colorado River and the nearbyMexican border. In March 1851 the post was moved to a small elevation on the Colorado's west bank, opposite the present city of Yuma, Arizona, on the site of the formerMission Puerto de Purísima Concepción. This site had been occupied by Camp Calhoun, named forJohn C. Calhoun, established in 1849. Fort Yuma was established to protect the southern emigrant travel route to California and to attempt control of the warlikeYuma Indians in the surrounding 100-mile (160 km) area.[11]
NAF El Centro is the winter home of theU.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, The Blue Angels. NAF El Centro historically starts the Blue Angels' season with their first air show, traditionally held in March.[12]
The Imperial Valley Expo & Fairgrounds is home to the California Mid-Winter Fair and Fiesta, which is the local county fair. It is also home to the Imperial Valley Speedway, a3⁄8 mile (600 m) race track.[13]
The nameAlgodones Dunes refers to the entire geographic feature, while the administrative designation for that portion managed by theBureau of Land Management is the "Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area" (sometimes called the "Glamis Dunes"). The Algodones Sand Dunes are the largest mass of sand dunes in California. This dune system extends for more than 40 miles (60 km) along the eastern edge of the Imperial Valley agricultural region in a band averaging 5 miles (8 km) in width. A major east–west route of the Union Pacific railroad skirts the eastern edge. The dune system is divided into 3 areas. The northernmost area is known as Mammoth Wash. South of Mammoth Wash is the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness established by the 1994 California Desert Protection Act. This area is closed to motorized use and access is by hiking and horseback. The largest and most heavily used area begins atHighway 78 and continues south just pastInterstate 8. The dune formations occurring in this area are popular in film-making and have been the site for movies such asReturn of the Jedi.[14]
TheSalton Buttes are volcanoes on the southern shores of the Salton Sea.
TheColorado River is a popular destination for water sports including fishing, boating, water-skiing, and jet-skiing. The Colorado River is a river in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately 1,450 miles (2,330 km) long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of theRocky Mountains. The natural course of the river flows from north of Grand Lake, Colorado into theGulf of California. For many months out of the year, however, no water actually flows from the United States to the gulf, due to human consumption. Imperial Valley users use 3.8km³ of the Colorado River annually[15]
Salvation Mountain (location33°15′14.9″N115°28′21.4″W / 33.254139°N 115.472611°W /33.254139; -115.472611) is a colorful artificial mountain north ofCalipatria, California, nearSlab City. It is made from adobe, straw, and thousands of gallons of paint. It was created byLeonard Knight to convey the message that "God Loves Everyone". Mr. Knight refused substantial donations of money and labor from supporters who wished to modify his message of universal love to favor or disfavor particular groups.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, portions of which are in Imperial County, is the largest state park inCalifornia. 500 miles (800 km) of dirt roads, 12 wilderness areas and miles of hiking trails provide visitors with an opportunity to see theColorado Desert. The park is named after Spanish explorerJuan Bautista de Anza and the Spanish name borrego, orbighorn sheep. The park features washes, wildflowers, palm groves,cacti and sweeping vistas. Animals inhabiting the state park includegreater roadrunners,golden eagles,kit foxes, southernmule deer and Peninsularbighorn sheep, as well asdesert iguanas,chuckwallas, andsidewinders.
Fossil Canyon and the surrounding area nearOcotillo in theCoyote Mountains are great places for rock hounding andfossil hunting. The fossils here are not dinosaurs, but ancientshells,coral, andoysters from theMiocene epoch when the area was underwater.[16]
ThePainted Gorge, on the eastern side of the Coyote Mountains, consists ofsedimentary,metamorphic andigneous rocks.
TheImperial National Wildlife Refuge protects wildlife habitat along 30 miles (50 km) of the lowerColorado River inArizona andCalifornia, including the last un-channeled section before the river entersMexico. The river and its associated backwater lakes and wetlands are a green oasis, contrasting with the surrounding desert mountains. It is a refuge and breeding area for migratory birds and local desert wildlife.[17]
TheSonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, 40 miles (60 km) north of theMexican border at the southern end of the Salton Sea and situated along thePacific Flyway, is the only refuge of its kind, just 227 feet (69 m) below sea level. Because of its southern latitude, elevation and location in theColorado Desert, the refuge experiences some of the highest temperatures in the nation. Daily temperatures from May to October generally exceed 100 °F (38 °C) with temperatures of 116–120 °F (47–49 °C) recorded yearly.[18]
The border city ofMexicali, Baja California,Mexico, has museums, a zoo, a sports convention center, and an international airport. Visitors cross by foot or car fromCalexico, California in theUnited States every day. Restaurants andtaco stands, pharmacies, bars and dance clubs draw tourists. Many shops and stalls selling Mexican crafts and souvenirs within walking distance from the border. Also US residents get medical and dental services in Mexicali because they tend to be less expensive than those in the United States. Mexico's drinking age of 18 makes it a weekend destination for high school and college-aged Southern Californians.
Although this region is in theColorado Desert section of theSonoran Desert, with high temperatures and low average rainfall of 3 inches (76 mm) per year, the economy is heavily based on agriculture due to irrigation, which is supplied wholly from theColorado River via theAll-American Canal. Farmers in Imperial Valley hold some of its oldest water rights and receive the largest share of water as of 2024, and their actions have been described as having a large effect on theLake Mead reservoir.[19]
Thousands of acres of prime farmland have transformed the desert into one of the most productive farming regions in California with an annual crop production of over $1 billion. Agriculture is the largest industry in the Imperial Valley and accounts for 48% of all employment. An environmental cost is that, south of the canal, theColorado River no longer flows above ground at all for much of the year into Mexico.
A vast system of canals, check dams, and pipelines carry the water all over the valley, a system which forms theImperial Irrigation District, or IID. The water distribution system includes over 1,400 miles (2,300 km) of canal and with 1,100 miles (1,800 km) of pipeline. The number of canal and pipeline branches number roughly over a hundred. Imported water and a long growing season allow two crop cycles each year, and the Imperial Valley is a major source of winter fruits and vegetables, cotton, and grain for U.S. and international markets.Alfalfa is another major crop produced in the Imperial Valley. The agricultural lands are served by a constructed agricultural drain system, which conveyssurface runoff and subsurface drainage from fields to the Salton Sea, which is a designated repository for agricultural runoff, with environmental considerations not yet solved.
Imperial Valley has become a "hot-bed" of renewable energy projects, both solar and geothermal.[20] This is driven in part by California's mandate to generate33% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020, the valley's excellent sun resources, the high unemployment, its proximity to large population centers on the coast, and large tracts of undeveloped desert land.[20]
Much of the land suitable for green energy is owned by the federal government (Bureau of Land Management). As of April 2008[update], the BLM has received 163 applications to build renewable energy projects on 1,600,000 acres (6,500 km2) in California, "almost all of them are planned for the Imperial Valley and the desert region north of the valley."[20]
In addition, in 2012Synthetic Genomics bought an 81-acre (33-hectare) site in the Imperial Valley to producealgae fuel with their engineered algae strains, as well as other algae products such as food.[21]
The Imperial and Mexicali Valleys share a common international bond of both American andHispanic cultures. On the U.S. side, the majority of residents are ofMexican-American orLatino heritage, while the Mexican side has been greatly influenced by American culture by the U.S. for many decades. The entire valley has multi-racial representation of Africans, Europeans, east and south Asians, and Native Americans.
The El Centro Metropolitan Area is home to 182,972 residents, according to a 2017 US Census estimate, and encompasses the whole Imperial County. The area is in the far southeast region of theState of California. Major population centers areBrawley,Calexico, andEl Centro, which is thecounty seat.
As per the 2020 Census, Imperial County population was 179,702, an increase of 2.96% compared to 2010 population of 174,528.[7] The population density was 41.8 people per square mile (16.1 people per square kilometer). The racial makeup of the county was 85% Hispanic or Latino, 3.3% black or African American, 2.5% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and 1.7% from two or more races.[22] 65.7% spoke Spanish and 32.3% English as their first language.
There were 39,384 households, out of which 46.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.1% were non-families. 17.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.33 and the average family size was 3.77. In the county the population was spread out, with 31.4% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.4 males.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1908 | 909 | 47.64% | 675 | 35.38% | 324 | 16.98% |
| 1912 | 13 | 0.39% | 1,295 | 38.46% | 2,059 | 61.15% |
| 1916 | 2,694 | 40.46% | 3,273 | 49.15% | 692 | 10.39% |
| 1920 | 4,699 | 64.51% | 2,022 | 27.76% | 563 | 7.73% |
| 1924 | 3,455 | 50.28% | 759 | 11.04% | 2,658 | 38.68% |
| 1928 | 5,417 | 67.61% | 2,486 | 31.03% | 109 | 1.36% |
| 1932 | 3,783 | 29.01% | 8,772 | 67.28% | 484 | 3.71% |
| 1936 | 4,771 | 38.34% | 7,560 | 60.75% | 113 | 0.91% |
| 1940 | 6,854 | 46.59% | 7,728 | 52.53% | 130 | 0.88% |
| 1944 | 5,979 | 53.81% | 5,085 | 45.76% | 48 | 0.43% |
| 1948 | 6,217 | 52.64% | 5,301 | 44.89% | 292 | 2.47% |
| 1952 | 11,044 | 62.13% | 6,619 | 37.24% | 112 | 0.63% |
| 1956 | 10,526 | 56.05% | 8,197 | 43.65% | 58 | 0.31% |
| 1960 | 10,606 | 53.55% | 9,119 | 46.04% | 81 | 0.41% |
| 1964 | 10,330 | 48.06% | 11,143 | 51.85% | 19 | 0.09% |
| 1968 | 10,818 | 52.91% | 7,481 | 36.59% | 2,147 | 10.50% |
| 1972 | 14,178 | 62.05% | 7,982 | 34.93% | 689 | 3.02% |
| 1976 | 10,618 | 49.94% | 10,244 | 48.18% | 400 | 1.88% |
| 1980 | 12,068 | 55.92% | 7,961 | 36.89% | 1,550 | 7.18% |
| 1984 | 13,829 | 62.01% | 8,237 | 36.94% | 235 | 1.05% |
| 1988 | 12,889 | 55.16% | 10,243 | 43.84% | 233 | 1.00% |
| 1992 | 9,759 | 38.55% | 11,109 | 43.88% | 4,450 | 17.58% |
| 1996 | 9,705 | 36.76% | 14,591 | 55.27% | 2,104 | 7.97% |
| 2000 | 12,524 | 43.28% | 15,489 | 53.53% | 924 | 3.19% |
| 2004 | 15,890 | 46.36% | 17,964 | 52.41% | 420 | 1.23% |
| 2008 | 14,008 | 36.08% | 24,162 | 62.24% | 650 | 1.67% |
| 2012 | 12,777 | 33.13% | 25,136 | 65.18% | 652 | 1.69% |
| 2016 | 12,704 | 26.42% | 32,667 | 67.93% | 2,720 | 5.66% |
| 2020 | 20,847 | 36.74% | 34,678 | 61.11% | 1,218 | 2.15% |
| 2024 | 26,546 | 49.12% | 26,083 | 48.27% | 1,409 | 2.61% |
Imperial County was initially a Republican-leaning county in presidential elections:Barry Goldwater lost the county by less than four points in 1964 when he lost the national popular vote by 24 points. The county shifted towards the Democratic Party in the 1990s, and until 2024 the last Republican to have won a majority in a Presidential election in Imperial County wasGeorge H. W. Bush in the1988 United States presidential election. Between 1996 and 2020 every Democratic nominee won at least 52 percent of the county's vote, andHillary Clinton reached almost 68 percent — the best performance by any candidate in the county's history — in 2016. However, a rapid rightward swing, common to most counties onthe Mexican border, sawDonald Trump narrowly win the county with a 26-point swing in 2024.
On November 4, 2008, Imperial County voted 69.7% for Proposition 8, which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages, showing more support for the proposition than any other strongly Democratic county.[24][25]
Imperial County is inCalifornia's 25th congressional district, represented byDemocrat Raul Ruiz.[26] In thestate legislature, the county is inthe 36th Assembly district, represented byRepublican Jeff Gonzalez,[27] andthe 18th senatorial district, represented byDemocrat Steve Padilla.[28]
The median income for a household in the county was $31,870, and the median income for a family was $35,226. Males had a median income of $32,775 versus $23,974 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,239. About 19.4% of families and 22.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.7% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.
The Imperial Valley has a range of schools including high schools, middle/junior high schools, elementary schools, and colleges. These includeCentral Union High School,Southwest High School,Calexico High School,Holtville High School,Imperial High School,Calipatria High School, andBrawley Union High School.Imperial Valley College, inImperial, andSDSU Imperial Valley Extension, inCalexico, are local. The valley also offers a partnership between the local community college, Imperial Valley College, and SDSU's extension which offers a four-year bachelor's degree for students in the area. The program was formally named imperial Valley Partnership University.[29]
Imperial County Airport is the main airport in the county. It is primarily a general aviation airport with limited commercial flight service. Major regional airports near the county includeSan Diego International Airport,Palm Springs International Airport,Yuma International Airport, andMexicali International Airport.
| Airport | IATA code | ICAO code | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calexico International Airport | CXL | KCXL | Calexico |
| Holtville Airport | L04 | none | Holtville |
| Imperial County Airport | IPL | KIPL | Imperial |
Robert A. Heinlein's science fiction short story "Water Is for Washing" (Argosy, November 1947) was based on the premise that an earthquake had catastrophically shattered the range of deposits separating the Imperial Valley from theGulf of California, precipitating atidal wave moving north to transiently drown these lowlands. At the beginning of the story, Heinlein uses the character of a bartender inEl Centro to establish the danger of the quake and inundation:[citation needed]
You've heard about the 1905 flood, when the Colorado River spilled over and formed theSalton Sea? But don't be too sure about quakes; valleys below sea level don't just grow—something has to cause them. TheSan Andreas Fault curls around this valley like a question mark. Just imagine the shake-up it must have taken to drop thousands of square miles below the level of the Pacific.
Due to its desert environment and proximity toLos Angeles, California, movies are sometimes filmed in the sand dunes outside the agricultural portions of the Imperial Valley. These have included:[citation needed]
Additionally, portions of the 2005 filmJarhead were filmed here because of its similarity to thedesert terrain ofIraq.[31]
Municipalities and communities ofImperial County, California,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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