A Mixed-Methods Assessment of the Quantification Settlement Agreement in Imperial Valley, California

Abstract:

The Quantification Settlement Agreement of 2003 (QSA) was enacted to reduce California’s dependence on imported water from the Colorado River and fit within its 4.4 million acre-feet allotment. Parties from federal, state, and local levels agreed to implement a series of agriculture-to-urban water transfers from the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) to San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA), ultimately decreasing the amount of water received by the Imperial Valley (IV). To conserve the massive volumes of water for transfer to SDCWA, the QSA incentivized water-conserving fallowing and on-farm efficiency programs in the IID. In this study, we used a mixed-methods approach involving hydrologic and spatial analyses supported by semi-structured interviews to explore the Imperial Valley’s response to a decreased water supply. Preliminary results show that despite reduced canal inflow to the Valley as well as an overall decrease in total consumptive water use, annual water productivity in the IV increased since the QSA took effect. Narratives from key informants collected in semi-structured interviews negate our initial hypotheses regarding water scarcity, and instead imply an increase in water use efficiency within the IV’s agricultural systems. Ultimately, our research will provide stakeholders with regional insight into hydrologic, socioeconomic, and agricultural change, and furthermore, inform potential adaptations to changing water availability, especially in arid climates.

Keywords: agriculture, water resources, mixed-methods, California, Imperial Valley

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