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 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 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 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 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 along the eastern edge of the Imperial Valley agricultural region in a band averaging 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 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 ) 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. 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 Fossil Canyon 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
Painted Gorge, 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 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, 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 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 with temperatures of 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 {{Image frame|content= Image:Nrborderborderentrythreecolorsmay05-1-.JPG|The New River File:Imperial valley fields.jpg|Fields of Imperial Valley,
Salton Sea, (2008) File:All-American 2009.jpg|This image captures about 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 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 of canal and with 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. ==Demographics==