The Imperial Irrigation District (IID) today reaffirmed its support for California’s collaborative approach to developing long-term operating guidelines for the Colorado River.

As California’s largest Colorado River water rights holder and steward of the single largest entitlement on the river—3.1 million acre-feet annually, including 2.6 million acre-feet of Present Perfected Rights—IID has consistently led by example in protecting the river system while sustaining the backbone of the Imperial Valley economy and America’s winter produce supply.

“California’s collaborative leadership on the Colorado River has always been grounded in action—and nowhere is that more evident than here in the Imperial Valley,” said IID General Manager Jamie Asbury. “Our growers have helped IID conserve more water than any other individual contractor in the Colorado River—over nine million acre-feet from 2003 through the end of this year—while maintaining one of the world’s most productive agricultural economies.”

IID’s Record of Conservation and Leadership

Despite having the most senior water rights on the river, IID and the Imperial Valley’s farmers have led the way in conservation and system stability. Through decades of partnership under the Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA) and System Conservation Implementation Agreements (SCIA) with the Bureau of Reclamation, IID has implemented on-farm efficiency programs, infrastructure improvements, canal lining, and deficit irrigation programs—collectively supporting the reduction of California’s dependence on the Colorado River. In 2025, California is projected to reach its lowest Colorado River annual use since 1949.

Last year alone, IID conserved nearly 700,000 acre-feet of water, raising Lake Mead’s elevation by roughly four feet and providing essential stability for the Lower Basin. IID remains ready to expand this leadership with an additional 200,000 acre-feet of system conservation (nearly 3 feet of elevation to Lake Mead) in 2026 through cost-shared federal partnerships, subject to agreement with the United States Department of the Interior.

Commitment to the Salton Sea and Environmental Stewardship

Conservation on the river is inseparable from the health of the Salton Sea, which depends almost entirely on agricultural return flows from Imperial Valley farms. As IID growers implement greater efficiency conservation measures, inflows to the Sea decline—exposing playa and potentially increasing air quality and ecosystem risks. IID continues to call for robust state and federal coordination and funding to ensure that the state’s efforts to address habitat restoration and dust suppression at the Sea can be accelerated.

“The Imperial Valley has proven that voluntary, locally driven conservation works—but it must be coupled with meaningful progress at the Salton Sea,” said IID Board Chairwoman Gina Dockstader. “We are proud of the role our growers have played in stabilizing the river, but we cannot do it alone. Protecting this valley means protecting the river, our agriculture, and the communities and ecosystems that depend on them.”

A Collaborative Path Forward

As Basin States continue to negotiate the post-2026 operational guidelines, IID reaffirmed its commitment to voluntary, equitable, and durable solutions that uphold its senior water rights, sustain food security, and protect environmental resources in the Imperial Valley and across the Southwest.

“Our history of action speaks for itself,” said Asbury. “IID will continue to work with California, our fellow Basin States, and the Department of the Interior to ensure that strong voluntary collaboration guides the river’s future.”

Last year alone, IID conserved nearly 700,000 acre-feet of water, raising Lake Mead’s elevation by roughly four feet and providing essential stability for the Lower Basin and remains ready to expand this leadership.