Imperial Irrigation District Offers Farmers Incentives to Conserve Water Amid Drought

The Imperial Irrigation District (IID), the largest consumer of Colorado River water, has initiated a program to incentivize farmers to halt irrigation on forage crops, particularly alfalfa, for up to 60 days during the peak summer months. Tina Shields, the district's water department manager, reported that over 80% of eligible properties have signed up for the program, which offers $300 in federal funding per acre-foot of water saved. This financial support is appealing to farmers facing declining alfalfa prices and full barns, making the offer more lucrative than continuing to irrigate. The initiative stems from a collaborative agreement among Arizona, Nevada, and California to address the declining water levels in the Colorado River, which serves 40 million people across seven U.S. states and parts of Mexico. The federal government has allocated $1.2 billion to encourage users to temporarily reduce their water consumption. The IID's voluntary program targets crops like alfalfa, Bermuda grass, and Klein grass, which can tolerate short periods without water, particularly during the summer when water demand peaks. Currently, the program has attracted applications from approximately 170 businesses, covering nearly 160,000 acres of farmland, with the potential to conserve around 215,000 acre-feet of water. Farmers like Trevor Tagg have opted into the program, citing the financial strain of low alfalfa prices and the risk of bankruptcy. With about a quarter of Imperial County's agricultural output coming from field crops, the program represents a critical step in managing water resources during ongoing drought conditions.