Imperial board: Water supply short

The Imperial Irrigation and Drainage District board declared that there is an insufficient water supply to maintain the current level of use in Imperial County in 2008. The board declared a supply and demand imbalance by unanimous vote Tuesday evening, said Kevin Kelly, district spokesman. The goal is to have a plan in place by Jan. 1, 2008.

While Imperial County borders Yuma County, the shortage won't impact water use in the Yuma area, which has among the oldest water rights to Colorado River water.

"A study was done in 2006 to help develop a contingency plan in times of shortages," he said. "I don't think the board expected it to happen so quickly."

The looming shortage stems from an increased demand for water in Imperial County while the valley is faced with a shorter supply to meet the requirements of an agreement to transfer water to San Diego and Coachella, according to Kelly.

The next step is for the Imperial Irrigation and Drainage District to develop an apportionment system, Kelly said, preferring not to call it "water rationing."

Staff has been instructed to come back to the board by September with a proposal that would assign a specific amount of water to each user. For example, farmers would receive the right to a set amount of water, with each one receiving the same amount per acre, Kelly said. "It's equity distribution."

Kelly said that agriculture is by far the largest water user in the county, using 97 percent of the 3.1 million acre-feet from the Colorado River to which Imperial County is entitled. The remaining 3 percent is used by the county's municipalities and by industry.

But farming, industrial and municipal demands are all increasing, he said. Cities are growing, industry is developing and crop patterns have changed. More alfalfa, a thirsty crop, is being grown because of the strong demand right now for alfalfa hay. Farmers also are turning to sugar cane, a high-water-use crop, to produce ethanol fuel.

"It's ironic," Kelly said. "There's a push for more renewable energy. At the same time, we're being asked to cut back on water use.

"There's a number of proposals in the works in Imperial Valley for biofuel," he continued. "There's also more interest in geothermal energy. All of which take water."

Any proposal to deal with a water shortage would have various elements, he said. One would be an emphasis on conservation.

"The district also would manage a water bank to facilitate the sale of water," he said. He explained that through the bank, water a land owner hadn't used could be made available to a buyer through the Imperial Irrigation and Drainage District.

California is entitled to a total of 4.4 million acre-feet of Colorado River water a year, Kelly said. As the state struggles to live within its entitlement, Imperial County's large share has drawn considerable attention.

"We're blessed with a water supply," Kelly said. "But we're cursed by the attention that brings. (Our water) is coveted by others."

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Joyce Lobeck can be reached at jlobeck@yumasun.com or 539-683.