The Imperial Valley (Spanish: Valle de Imperial or Valle Imperial) of Southern California lies in Imperial and Riverside counties, with an urban area centered on the city of El Centro. The Valley is bordered by the Colorado River to the east and, in part, the Salton Sea to the west. Farther west lies the San Diego and Imperial County border. To the north is the Coachella Valley region of Riverside County, which together with Imperial Valley form the Salton Trough, or the Cahuilla Basin, also the county line of Imperial and Riverside counties, and to the south the international boundary with Mexico.
| Imperial Valley Spanish: Valle Imperial | |
|---|---|
 The Imperial Valley below the Salton Sea. The US–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″N 114°57′48″W / 32.74750°N 114.96333°W |
| Traversed by | Interstate 8, State Route 78, State Route 86, State Route 111 |
The culture of the area blends those of the United States and Mexico, 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 the Imperial Land Company, in the hopes of attracting settlers. It is now the home of the El Centro metropolitan area. Locally, the terms "Imperial Valley" and "Imperial County" are used synonymously. Imperial Valley is also called Lithium Valley, because of its rich supply of lithium, used to power electric vehicles, cameras, etc.
Geography
The Imperial Valley extends southward for 50 miles (80 km) from the southern end of the Salton Sea into Mexico. Part of a trough stretching from the Coachella Valley to the Gulf 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 the Gulf of California, from which it was cut off by the dam-like deposits of the Colorado River Delta Fan as it carved out the Grand Canyon. Bordered by sand dunes and barren mountains, it was uninhabited until 1901, when the Imperial 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 the New River and irrigation run-off. The rivers in the southern part of the Salton Sea river basin flow south to north.
The valley is bordered by the Colorado River to the east and, in part, the Salton Sea to the west. Farther west lies the border with San Diego County and to the south the international boundary between the US state of California and Baja California, Mexico. To the north is the boundary with Riverside County and the Coachella 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 37,835 at the 2000 census and 42,598 at the 2010 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]
Climate
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 the United States.
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.
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.
This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2022) |
Regions
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.
Imperial Valley cities
Cities over 10,000 population
- Brawley
- Calexico
- El Centro (county seat)
- Imperial
Cities under 10,000 population
- Calipatria
- Holtville
- Westmorland
Towns over 1,000 population
- Desert Shores
- Heber
- Niland
- Salton City
- Seeley
Towns under 1,000 population
- Bombay Beach
- Ocotillo
- Palo Verde
- Salton Sea Beach
- Winterhaven
Urban areas of the region
The El Centro, CA MSA is a multicore metropolitan region containing several urban areas.
| Population rank | Name | State(s) | Type (UA/UC) | 2017 population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Centro | CA | UA | 44.322 |
| 2 | Calexico | CA | UC | 38,633 |
| 3 | Brawley | CA | UC | 26,416 |
| 4 | Imperial | CA | UC | 20,263 |
| 5 | Calipatria | CA | UC | 6,515 |
| 6 | Holtville | CA | UC | 5,605 |
| 7 | Salton City | CA | UC | 5,155 |
Economy
Imperial County's economy consists predominantly of government, agriculture, and retail trade that represents approximately 70% of total county employment. Government services account for over one-third of total employment. Agriculture accounts for one-fourth of jobs with major crops of alfalfa, lettuce, sugar beets and carrots. 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 from Mexicali.
Tourism
Tourism is considered the secondary industry of the Imperial Valley. Many visitors come to the area to visit the Salton 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 the Algodones Dunes. The New River and the Alamo River flow from the border city of Mexicali northward to the Salton Sea.
Another popular destination is the Salton 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.
Off-roading on ATVs is another popular activity during the winter months. Heber Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area is south of El 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 of golf courses. Golf courses are in Holtville, Brawley and El Centro.
Sites of interest
Fort Yuma
Fort Yuma is on the banks of the Colorado River in Winterhaven, California. First established after the end of the Mexican–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 the Gila River. It was to defend the newly settled community of Yuma, Arizona on the other side of the Colorado River and the nearby Mexican 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 former Mission Puerto de Purísima Concepción. This site had been occupied by Camp Calhoun, named for John C. Calhoun, established in 1849. Fort Yuma was established to protect the southern emigrant travel route to California and to attempt control of the warlike Yuma Indians in the surrounding 100-mile (160 km) area.
Blue Angels
NAF El Centro is the winter home of the U.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.
Imperial Valley Expo & Fairgrounds
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, a 3⁄8 mile (600 m) race track.
Algodones Sand Dunes
The name Algodones Dunes refers to the entire geographic feature, while the administrative designation for that portion managed by the Bureau 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 at Highway 78 and continues south just past Interstate 8. The dune formations occurring in this area are popular in film-making and have been the site for movies such as Return of the Jedi.
Salton Buttes
The Salton Buttes are volcanoes on the southern shores of the Salton Sea.
Colorado River
The Colorado 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 the Rocky Mountains. The natural course of the river flows from north of Grand Lake, Colorado into the Gulf 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
Salvation Mountain
Salvation Mountain (location 33°15′14.9″N 115°28′21.4″W / 33.254139°N 115.472611°W) is a colorful artificial mountain north of Calipatria, California, near Slab City. It is made from adobe, straw, and thousands of gallons of paint. It was created by Leonard 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
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, portions of which are in Imperial County, is the largest state park in California. 500 miles (800 km) of dirt roads, 12 wilderness areas and miles of hiking trails provide visitors with an opportunity to see the Colorado Desert. The park is named after Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and the Spanish name borrego, or bighorn sheep. The park features washes, wildflowers, palm groves, cacti and sweeping vistas. Animals inhabiting the state park include greater roadrunners, golden eagles, kit foxes, southern mule deer and Peninsular bighorn sheep, as well as desert iguanas, chuckwallas, and sidewinders.
Fossil Canyon and Painted Gorge
and the surrounding area near Ocotillo in the Coyote Mountains are great places for rock hounding and fossil hunting. The fossils here are not dinosaurs, but ancient shells, coral, and oysters from the Miocene epoch when the area was underwater.
The , on the eastern side of the Coyote Mountains, consists of sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks.
Imperial NWR
The Imperial National Wildlife Refuge protects wildlife habitat along 30 miles (50 km) of the lower Colorado River in Arizona and California, including the last un-channeled section before the river enters Mexico. 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.
Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR
The Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, 40 miles (60 km) north of the Mexican border at the southern end of the Salton Sea and situated along the Pacific 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 the Colorado 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.
Mexicali
The border city of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, has museums, a zoo, a sports convention center, and an international airport. Visitors cross by foot or car from Calexico, California in the United States every day. Restaurants and taco 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.
Agriculture
-
The New River -
Fields of Imperial Valley, Salton Sea, (2008) -
This image captures about 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) of the All-American Canal just west of Yuma, Arizona; photo is taken of the southern section of the Algodones Dunes
Although this region is in the Colorado Desert section of the Sonoran 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 the Colorado River via the All-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 the Lake Mead reservoir.
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, the Colorado 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 the Imperial 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 conveys surface runoff and subsurface drainage from fields to the Salton Sea, which is a designated repository for agricultural runoff, with environmental considerations not yet solved.
- All-American Canal
- All-American Canal Bridge
- Alamo Canal
- California Development Company
- Coachella Canal
- Imperial Irrigation District
- Imperial Land Company
Renewable energy
Imperial Valley has become a "hot-bed" of renewable energy projects, both solar and geothermal. This is driven in part by California's mandate to generate 33% 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.
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."
In addition, in 2012 Synthetic Genomics bought an 81-acre (33-hectare) site in the Imperial Valley to produce algae fuel with their engineered algae strains, as well as other algae products such as food.
Demographics
The Imperial and Mexicali Valleys share a common international bond of both American and Hispanic cultures. On the U.S. side, the majority of residents are of Mexican-American or Latino 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 the State of California. Major population centers are Brawley, Calexico, and El Centro, which is the county seat.
As per the 2020 Census, Imperial County population was 179,702, an increase of 2.96% compared to 2010 population of 174,528. 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. 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 | GOP | DEM | Others |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 36.74% 20,487 | 61.11% 34,678 | 2.14% 1,218 |
| 2016 | 26.4% 12,704 | 67.9% 32,667 | 5.7% 2,720 |
| 2012 | 33.1% 12,777 | 65.2% 25,136 | 1.7% 652 |
| 2008 | 36.1% 14,008 | 62.2% 24,162 | 1.7% 650 |
| 2004 | 46.4% 15,890 | 52.4% 17,964 | 1.2% 420 |
| 2000 | 43.3% 12,524 | 53.5% 15,489 | 3.2% 924 |
| 1996 | 36.8% 9,705 | 55.3% 14,591 | 8.0% 2,104 |
| 1992 | 38.6% 9,759 | 43.9% 11,109 | 17.6% 4,450 |
| 1988 | 55.2% 12,889 | 43.8% 10,243 | 1.0% 233 |
| 1984 | 62.0% 13,829 | 36.9% 8,237 | 1.1% 235 |
| 1980 | 55.9% 12,068 | 36.9% 7,961 | 7.2% 1,550 |
| 1976 | 49.9% 10,618 | 48.2% 10,244 | 1.9% 400 |
| 1972 | 62.1% 14,178 | 34.9% 7,982 | 3.0% 689 |
Politics
Imperial County is a Democratic stronghold in Presidential, Congressional, and local elections. The last Republican to have won a majority in a Presidential election in Imperial County was George H. W. Bush in the 1988 United States presidential election.
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.
Imperial County is in California's 51st congressional district, represented by Democrat Sara Jacobs. In the state legislature, the county is in the 56th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Lisa Calderon, and the 40th Senate District, represented by Republican Brian Jones.
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.
Education
Schools in the Imperial Valley
The Imperial Valley has a range of schools including high schools, middle/junior high schools, elementary schools, and colleges. These include Central Union High School, Southwest High School, Calexico High School, , , Calipatria High School, and Brawley Union High School. Imperial Valley College, in Imperial, and SDSU Imperial Valley Extension, in Calexico, 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.
Transportation
Major highways
Interstate 8
State Route 7
State Route 78
State Route 86
State Route 98
State Route 111
State Route 115
Public transportation
- Greyhound Lines
- Imperial Valley Transit
- Yuma County Area Transit
- Amtrak
Airports
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 include San Diego International Airport, Palm Springs International Airport, Yuma International Airport, and Mexicali 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 |
In popular culture
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 the Gulf of California, precipitating a tidal wave moving north to transiently drown these lowlands. At the beginning of the story, Heinlein uses the character of a bartender in El 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 the Salton Sea? But don't be too sure about quakes; valleys below sea level don't just grow—something has to cause them. The San 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 to Los Angeles, California, movies are sometimes filmed in the sand dunes outside the agricultural portions of the Imperial Valley. These have included:[citation needed]
- American Sniper
- Return of the Jedi
- Independence Day
- Stargate
- The Scorpion King
- Patriot Games
- Into the Wild
- The Men who Stare at Goats
- La Bamba
- The original Flight of the Phoenix (1965) was filmed outside of Holtville.
- The Tom Cruise movie Losin' It (1983) was filmed in Calexico.
- Wake Island (1942). Most of the movie's outside scenes were filmed at Salton Sea Lake in the Imperial Valley of California.
Additionally, portions of the 2005 film Jarhead were filmed here because of its similarity to the desert terrain of Iraq.
Notable people
- Cher, entertainer
- Dalip Saund, first Asian American or Sikh American Congressman, helped secure citizenship and immigration rights for Indian and Chinese Americans
- Uttam Dhillon, former acting Administrator of the DEA
- Royce Freeman, NFL running back
- Edith Summers Kelley, author
- Mike Mohamed, NFL linebacker
- Sergio Romo, MLB pitcher
- Rudy Seánez, former MLB pitcher
- Robert Thomas, NFL linebacker
- Andy Ruiz Jr., boxing, heavyweight champion
See also
- 1940 El Centro earthquake
- 1979 Imperial Valley earthquake
- Imperial Valley Press
- Niland Geyser
- O. M. Wozencraft – "Father of the Imperial Valley"
References
- CA.gov Office of Governor Gavin Newsome (March 20, 2023). ”Governor Newsom Visits Lithium Valley to Highlight Momentum on Becoming Global Source for Battery Production.” Retrieved May 7, 2023.
- 60 Minutes (May 7, 2013). "Lithium Valley". Retrieved May 7, 2023.
- "Imperial Valley | valley, North America". Encyclopedia Britannica.
- "About IID". June 15, 2009. Archived from the original on June 15, 2009.
- "1 in 4 people in Imperial County live in poverty". KPCC - NPR News for Southern California - 89.3 FM. September 14, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
- "Home | The City of Imperial". www.cityofimperial.org. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
- "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Imperial County, California; United States". www.census.gov. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
- Zarroli, Jim (July 3, 2019). "This California City Has The Nation's Worst Job Market: 'I'm Applying Everywhere'". NPR News. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
- "Imperial Valley Mudpots - Places of Geologic Significance on Waymarking.com". www.waymarking.com.
- "Imperial Valley Lifestyle". Archived from the original on February 26, 2010. Retrieved December 31, 2009.
- "Fort Yuma". Retrieved August 5, 2009.
- "Blue Angels Official Website". Archived from the original on August 3, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
- "Imperial Valley Expo". Archived from the original on June 14, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
- "Algodones Sand Dunes". Retrieved August 5, 2009.
- Smedley, Tim (2023). The last drop: solving the world's water crisis. London: Picador. ISBN 978-1-5290-5814-7.
- "Fossil Canyon and Painted Gorge". Retrieved August 5, 2009.
- "Imperial NWR". Archived from the original on June 12, 2009. Retrieved August 4, 2009.
- "Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge". Retrieved August 4, 2009.
- Rode, Erin (December 10, 2024). "America's largest reservoir is filling up with water thanks to California". SFGATE. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
- "Calif. Desert Becomes Home For Renewable Energy", Rob Schmitz, Morning Edition, April 3, 2009, NPR.
- http://www.syntheticgenomics.com/media/press/052412.html Archived July 19, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Synthetic Genomics Press Release: May 24, 2012
- Census.Gov. "QuickFacts Imperial County, California; United States".
- "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.
- "Proposition 8 Map – November 4, 2008, General Election – California Secretary of State". Archived from the original on August 8, 2009. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
- "Registration by County". Archived from the original on October 12, 2009. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
- "California's 51st Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
- "Members Assembly". State of California. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
- "Senators". State of California. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
- "Imperial Valley Partnership University". ivup.org. Archived from the original on April 22, 2011.
- Abou-Diwan, Antoine (May 12, 2022). "The Force Returns to Valley Film Production". Calexico Chronicle. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
- https://akas.imdb.com/title/tt0418763/ Archived May 25, 2017, at the Wayback Machine [user-generated source]
Further reading
- Benny J. Andrés, Jr. (2014). Power and Control in the Imperial Valley: Nature, Agribusiness, and Workers in the California Borderland, 1900–1940. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press.
External links
- Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation
- From the Colorado River to the Salton Sea: The story of Imperial Valley's Water (slideshow)
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Imperial Valley
The Imperial Valley Spanish Valle de Imperial or Valle Imperial of Southern California lies in Imperial and Riverside counties with an urban area centered on the city of El Centro The Valley is bordered by the Colorado River to the east and in part the Salton Sea to the west Farther west lies the San Diego and Imperial County border To the north is the Coachella Valley region of Riverside County which together with Imperial Valley form the Salton Trough or the Cahuilla Basin also the county line of Imperial and Riverside counties and to the south the international boundary with Mexico Imperial Valley Spanish Valle ImperialThe Imperial Valley below the Salton Sea The US Mexican border runs diagonally across the lower left of the image Map of Imperial ValleyLength50 miles 80 km Northwest SoutheastGeographyLocationCalifornia United StatesPopulation centersBrawley Calexico El Centro ImperialCoordinates32 44 51 N 114 57 48 W 32 74750 N 114 96333 W 32 74750 114 96333 Traversed byInterstate 8 State Route 78 State Route 86 State Route 111 The culture of the area blends those of the United States and Mexico 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 the Imperial Land Company in the hopes of attracting settlers It is now the home of the El Centro metropolitan area Locally the terms Imperial Valley and Imperial County are used synonymously Imperial Valley is also called Lithium Valley because of its rich supply of lithium used to power electric vehicles cameras etc GeographyBighorns in Anza BorregoSalton SeaAerial view of Imperial Valley and Salton Sea The Imperial Valley extends southward for 50 miles 80 km from the southern end of the Salton Sea into Mexico Part of a trough stretching from the Coachella Valley to the Gulf 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 the Gulf of California from which it was cut off by the dam like deposits of the Colorado River Delta Fan as it carved out the Grand Canyon Bordered by sand dunes and barren mountains it was uninhabited until 1901 when the Imperial 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 the New River and irrigation run off The rivers in the southern part of the Salton Sea river basin flow south to north The valley is bordered by the Colorado River to the east and in part the Salton Sea to the west Farther west lies the border with San Diego County and to the south the international boundary between the US state of California and Baja California Mexico To the north is the boundary with Riverside County and the Coachella 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 37 835 at the 2000 census and 42 598 at the 2010 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 Climate 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 the United States 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 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 This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Imperial Valley news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2022 Learn how and when to remove this message Imperial County Courthouse in El CentroThe Imperial Valley from the highway between Tijuana and Mexicali Regions 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 Imperial Valley cities Cities over 10 000 population Bombay Beach sign along Highway 111Brawley Calexico El Centro county seat ImperialCities under 10 000 population Calipatria Holtville WestmorlandTowns over 1 000 population Salton Sea BeachFertilizing in the Imperial Valley 1972 Photo by Charles O Rear Desert Shores Heber Niland Salton City SeeleyTowns under 1 000 population Bombay Beach Ocotillo Palo Verde Salton Sea Beach WinterhavenUrban areas of the region The El Centro CA MSA is a multicore metropolitan region containing several urban areas Population rank Name State s Type UA UC 2017 population1 El Centro CA UA 44 3222 Calexico CA UC 38 6333 Brawley CA UC 26 4164 Imperial CA UC 20 2635 Calipatria CA UC 6 5156 Holtville CA UC 5 6057 Salton City CA UC 5 155EconomyImperial County s economy consists predominantly of government agriculture and retail trade that represents approximately 70 of total county employment Government services account for over one third of total employment Agriculture accounts for one fourth of jobs with major crops of alfalfa lettuce sugar beets and carrots 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 from Mexicali Tourism The Algodones DunesOff road vehicle traffic on the dunes during the Presidents Day weekend 2007 Tourism is considered the secondary industry of the Imperial Valley Many visitors come to the area to visit the Salton 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 the Algodones Dunes The New River and the Alamo River flow from the border city of Mexicali northward to the Salton Sea Another popular destination is the Salton 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 Off roading on ATVs is another popular activity during the winter months Heber Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area is south of El 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 of golf courses Golf courses are in Holtville Brawley and El Centro Sites of interest Fort Yuma Fort Yuma is on the banks of the Colorado River in Winterhaven California First established after the end of the Mexican 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 the Gila River It was to defend the newly settled community of Yuma Arizona on the other side of the Colorado River and the nearby Mexican 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 former Mission Puerto de Purisima Concepcion This site had been occupied by Camp Calhoun named for John C Calhoun established in 1849 Fort Yuma was established to protect the southern emigrant travel route to California and to attempt control of the warlike Yuma Indians in the surrounding 100 mile 160 km area Blue Angels NAF El Centro is the winter home of the U 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 Imperial Valley Expo amp Fairgrounds The Imperial Valley Expo amp 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 a 3 8 mile 600 m race track Algodones Sand Dunes The name Algodones Dunes refers to the entire geographic feature while the administrative designation for that portion managed by the Bureau 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 at Highway 78 and continues south just past Interstate 8 The dune formations occurring in this area are popular in film making and have been the site for movies such as Return of the Jedi Salton Buttes The Salton Buttes are volcanoes on the southern shores of the Salton Sea Colorado River Colorado River The Colorado 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 the Rocky Mountains The natural course of the river flows from north of Grand Lake Colorado into the Gulf 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 8km of the Colorado River annually Salvation Mountain Salvation Mountain location 33 15 14 9 N 115 28 21 4 W 33 254139 N 115 472611 W 33 254139 115 472611 is a colorful artificial mountain north of Calipatria California near Slab City It is made from adobe straw and thousands of gallons of paint It was created by Leonard 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 Vista of Anza Borrego Anza Borrego Desert State Park portions of which are in Imperial County is the largest state park in California 500 miles 800 km of dirt roads 12 wilderness areas and miles of hiking trails provide visitors with an opportunity to see the Colorado Desert The park is named after Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and the Spanish name borrego or bighorn sheep The park features washes wildflowers palm groves cacti and sweeping vistas Animals inhabiting the state park include greater roadrunners golden eagles kit foxes southern mule deer and Peninsular bighorn sheep as well as desert iguanas chuckwallas and sidewinders Fossil Canyon and Painted Gorge and the surrounding area near Ocotillo in the Coyote Mountains are great places for rock hounding and fossil hunting The fossils here are not dinosaurs but ancient shells coral and oysters from the Miocene epoch when the area was underwater The on the eastern side of the Coyote Mountains consists of sedimentary metamorphic and igneous rocks Imperial NWR Mesquite point at Imperial NWR The Imperial National Wildlife Refuge protects wildlife habitat along 30 miles 50 km of the lower Colorado River in Arizona and California including the last un channeled section before the river enters Mexico 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 Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR The Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge The Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge 40 miles 60 km north of the Mexican border at the southern end of the Salton Sea and situated along the Pacific 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 the Colorado 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 Mexicali The border city of Mexicali Baja California Mexico has museums a zoo a sports convention center and an international airport Visitors cross by foot or car from Calexico California in the United States every day Restaurants and taco 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 Agriculture The New River Fields of Imperial Valley Salton Sea 2008 This image captures about 15 kilometers 9 3 mi of the All American Canal just west of Yuma Arizona photo is taken of the southern section of the Algodones Dunes Although this region is in the Colorado Desert section of the Sonoran 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 the Colorado River via the All 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 the Lake Mead reservoir 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 the Colorado 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 the Imperial 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 conveys surface runoff and subsurface drainage from fields to the Salton Sea which is a designated repository for agricultural runoff with environmental considerations not yet solved All American Canal All American Canal Bridge Alamo Canal California Development Company Coachella Canal Imperial Irrigation District Imperial Land Company Renewable energy Los AngelesSan DiegoMexicaliSalton SeaTijuanaAlamo River mouthColorado River mouthLaguna SaladaYumaGulf of CaliforniaColorado River ValleyCerro Prieto volcanoclass notpageimage Salton Trough area The red lines are simplified faults Right lateral direction of motion of the transform fault is shown pink arrows The red rhombs are pull apart basins the northern one is the site of the Niland Salton Sea geothermal field the southern the Cerro Prieto geothermal field Imperial Valley has become a hot bed of renewable energy projects both solar and geothermal This is driven in part by California s mandate to generate 33 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 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 In addition in 2012 Synthetic Genomics bought an 81 acre 33 hectare site in the Imperial Valley to produce algae fuel with their engineered algae strains as well as other algae products such as food DemographicsThe Imperial and Mexicali Valleys share a common international bond of both American and Hispanic cultures On the U S side the majority of residents are of Mexican American or Latino 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 the State of California Major population centers are Brawley Calexico and El Centro which is the county seat As per the 2020 Census Imperial County population was 179 702 an increase of 2 96 compared to 2010 population of 174 528 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 65 7 spoke Spanish and 32 3 English as their first language Laguna Salada Mexicali Valley Imperial Valley Salton Sea and Coachella Valley left right 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 Imperial County vote by party in presidential elections Year GOP DEM Others2020 36 74 20 487 61 11 34 678 2 14 1 2182016 26 4 12 704 67 9 32 667 5 7 2 7202012 33 1 12 777 65 2 25 136 1 7 6522008 36 1 14 008 62 2 24 162 1 7 6502004 46 4 15 890 52 4 17 964 1 2 4202000 43 3 12 524 53 5 15 489 3 2 9241996 36 8 9 705 55 3 14 591 8 0 2 1041992 38 6 9 759 43 9 11 109 17 6 4 4501988 55 2 12 889 43 8 10 243 1 0 2331984 62 0 13 829 36 9 8 237 1 1 2351980 55 9 12 068 36 9 7 961 7 2 1 5501976 49 9 10 618 48 2 10 244 1 9 4001972 62 1 14 178 34 9 7 982 3 0 689PoliticsImperial County is a Democratic stronghold in Presidential Congressional and local elections The last Republican to have won a majority in a Presidential election in Imperial County was George H W Bush in the 1988 United States presidential election 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 Imperial County is in California s 51st congressional district represented by Democrat Sara Jacobs In the state legislature the county is in the 56th Assembly District represented by Democrat Lisa Calderon and the 40th Senate District represented by Republican Brian Jones 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 EducationSchools in the Imperial Valley The Imperial Valley has a range of schools including high schools middle junior high schools elementary schools and colleges These include Central Union High School Southwest High School Calexico High School Calipatria High School and Brawley Union High School Imperial Valley College in Imperial and SDSU Imperial Valley Extension in Calexico 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 TransportationMajor highways State Route 86 north of Salton CityInterstate 8 State Route 7 State Route 78 State Route 86 State Route 98 State Route 111 State Route 115Public transportation Greyhound Lines Imperial Valley Transit Yuma County Area Transit AmtrakAirports 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 include San Diego International Airport Palm Springs International Airport Yuma International Airport and Mexicali International Airport Airport IATA code ICAO code CityCalexico International Airport CXL KCXL CalexicoHoltville Airport L04 none HoltvilleImperial County Airport IPL KIPL ImperialIn popular cultureRobert 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 the Gulf of California precipitating a tidal wave moving north to transiently drown these lowlands At the beginning of the story Heinlein uses the character of a bartender in El 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 the Salton Sea But don t be too sure about quakes valleys below sea level don t just grow something has to cause them The San 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 to Los Angeles California movies are sometimes filmed in the sand dunes outside the agricultural portions of the Imperial Valley These have included citation needed American Sniper Return of the Jedi Independence Day Stargate The Scorpion King Patriot Games Into the Wild The Men who Stare at Goats La Bamba The original Flight of the Phoenix 1965 was filmed outside of Holtville The Tom Cruise movie Losin It 1983 was filmed in Calexico Wake Island 1942 Most of the movie s outside scenes were filmed at Salton Sea Lake in the Imperial Valley of California Additionally portions of the 2005 film Jarhead were filmed here because of its similarity to the desert terrain of Iraq Notable peopleCher entertainer Dalip Saund first Asian American or Sikh American Congressman helped secure citizenship and immigration rights for Indian and Chinese Americans Uttam Dhillon former acting Administrator of the DEA Royce Freeman NFL running back Edith Summers Kelley author Mike Mohamed NFL linebacker Sergio Romo MLB pitcher Rudy Seanez former MLB pitcher Robert Thomas NFL linebacker Andy Ruiz Jr boxing heavyweight championSee also1940 El Centro earthquake 1979 Imperial Valley earthquake Imperial Valley Press Niland Geyser O M Wozencraft Father of the Imperial Valley ReferencesCA gov Office of Governor Gavin Newsome March 20 2023 Governor Newsom Visits Lithium Valley to Highlight Momentum on Becoming Global Source for Battery Production Retrieved May 7 2023 60 Minutes May 7 2013 Lithium Valley Retrieved May 7 2023 Imperial Valley valley North America Encyclopedia Britannica About IID June 15 2009 Archived from the original on June 15 2009 1 in 4 people in Imperial County live in poverty KPCC NPR News for Southern California 89 3 FM September 14 2017 Retrieved November 16 2022 Home The City of Imperial www cityofimperial org Retrieved October 2 2022 U S Census Bureau QuickFacts Imperial County California United States www census gov Retrieved September 4 2021 Zarroli Jim July 3 2019 This California City Has The Nation s Worst Job Market I m Applying Everywhere NPR News Retrieved July 5 2019 Imperial Valley Mudpots Places of Geologic Significance on Waymarking com www waymarking com Imperial Valley Lifestyle Archived from the original on February 26 2010 Retrieved December 31 2009 Fort Yuma Retrieved August 5 2009 Blue Angels Official Website Archived from the original on August 3 2009 Retrieved August 5 2009 Imperial Valley Expo Archived from the original on June 14 2009 Retrieved August 5 2009 Algodones Sand Dunes Retrieved August 5 2009 Smedley Tim 2023 The last drop solving the world s water crisis London Picador ISBN 978 1 5290 5814 7 Fossil Canyon and Painted Gorge Retrieved August 5 2009 Imperial NWR Archived from the original on June 12 2009 Retrieved August 4 2009 Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Retrieved August 4 2009 Rode Erin December 10 2024 America s largest reservoir is filling up with water thanks to California SFGATE Retrieved December 12 2024 Calif Desert Becomes Home For Renewable Energy Rob Schmitz Morning Edition April 3 2009 NPR http www syntheticgenomics com media press 052412 html Archived July 19 2013 at the Wayback Machine Synthetic Genomics Press Release May 24 2012 Census Gov QuickFacts Imperial County California United States Dave Leip s Atlas of U S Presidential Elections uselectionatlas org Proposition 8 Map November 4 2008 General Election California Secretary of State Archived from the original on August 8 2009 Retrieved August 17 2009 Registration by County Archived from the original on October 12 2009 Retrieved August 17 2009 California s 51st Congressional District Representatives amp District Map Civic Impulse LLC Retrieved April 7 2013 Members Assembly State of California Retrieved April 7 2013 Senators State of California Retrieved April 7 2013 Imperial Valley Partnership University ivup org Archived from the original on April 22 2011 Abou Diwan Antoine May 12 2022 The Force Returns to Valley Film Production Calexico Chronicle Retrieved June 9 2022 https akas imdb com title tt0418763 Archived May 25 2017 at the Wayback Machine user generated source Further readingBenny J Andres Jr 2014 Power and Control in the Imperial Valley Nature Agribusiness and Workers in the California Borderland 1900 1940 College Station TX Texas A amp M University Press External linksWikimedia Commons has media related to Imperial Valley Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation From the Colorado River to the Salton Sea The story of Imperial Valley s Water slideshow U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Imperial Valley
