California’s largest Colorado River water user threw its support Tuesday behind a contentious tunnel project to divert more water from Northern to Southern California, casting it as key to easing strain on the dwindling river.
What happened: The Imperial Irrigation District, which delivers water to farmers in southeastern California, adopted a resolution endorsing the proposed Delta Conveyance Project on Tuesday, despite not anticipating getting any of the project’s water because of its sole reliance on the Colorado River.
Instead, the resolution says the district will benefit indirectly from the project because it could relieve pressure on the Colorado River from other California water agencies that can tap more into Northern California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta instead.
“A stronger Delta relieves pressure on the Colorado River, and that benefits us all,” said IID Chair Gina Dockstader in a press release.
