In a significant and unusual endorsement, the Imperial Irrigation District -- the largest irrigation district in the U.S. -- has formally backed California’s proposed Delta Conveyance Project, a plan to modernize the State Water Project and secure water supplies for seven out of ten Californians.
The IID Board of Directors adopted a resolution in support of the project, which faces key legislative votes in September, IID said on Sept. 2.
IID’s move is notable because Imperial County is the only county in Southern California that does not receive State Water Project water. The district draws exclusively from the Colorado River, the California public power utility noted.
Its endorsement underscores recognition that the state’s two major water systems — the Bay-Delta and the Colorado River — are deeply connected, and that improving reliability in one provides relief to the other.
“A stronger Delta relieves pressure on the Colorado River, and that benefits us all,” said IID Chairwoman Gina Dockstader.
The Delta Conveyance Project would add new Sacramento River intakes and construct a 45-mile tunnel to move water beneath the Delta. State officials say it is critical to capturing storm flows, reducing seismic and levee risks, and ensuring reliable supplies for 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland.
For Southern California, Delta reliability directly affects the Metropolitan Water District and the Coachella Valley Water District, both of which rely on the drought-stricken Colorado River, particularly when State Water Project deliveries falter.
IID leaders said stabilizing the Delta helps ease that strain on a river already stressed by historic drought.
“When the Delta is stable, the Colorado River is stronger,” said IID Director Alex Cardenas. “One system supports the other — and California needs both to succeed.”
“Modernizing the Delta is an investment in a resilient water future for California and more certainty for the entire state,” said IID General Manager Jamie Asbury.
The endorsement positions IID as an ally of the state and other agencies backing the project, IID said.
The resolution will be transmitted to Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders in the coming weeks, “underscoring a growing recognition that California’s water systems cannot be managed in isolation,” the utility noted.
