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Imperial County, California

Imperial County (Spanish: Condado de Imperial) is a county located on the southeast border of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 179,702, making it the least populous county in Southern California.[9] The county seat and largest city is El Centro.[11] Imperial is the most recent California county to be established, as it was created in 1907 out of portions of San Diego County.

Imperial County, California
County of Imperial
Images, from top down, left to right: The fields of Imperial Valley, Salton Sea, Imperial County Courthouse
Interactive map of Imperial County
Location in the state of California
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
RegionImperial Valley
IncorporatedAugust 7, 1907
Named forImperial Valley, which was named after the Imperial Land Company
County seat
and largest city
El Centro
Government
 • TypeCouncil–CEO
 • BodyBoard of Supervisors [1][2][3][4][5]
 • ChairRyan E. Kelley (N.P.)
 • Vice ChairLuis A. Plancarte (N.P.)
 • Board of Supervisors[6]
Supervisors
  • Jesus Eduardo Escobar (N.P.)
  • Luis A. Plancarte (N.P.)
  • Michael W. Kelley (N.P.)
  • Ryan E. Kelley (N.P.)
  • John Hawk (N.P.)
 • Chief executive officerMiguel Figueroa
Area
 • Total4,482 sq mi (11,610 km2)
 • Land4,177 sq mi (10,820 km2)
 • Water305 sq mi (790 km2)
Highest elevation4,551 ft (1,387 m)
Lowest elevation−232 ft (−71 m)
Population
 • Total179,702
 • Density43/sq mi (17/km2)
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific Time Zone)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (Pacific Daylight Time)
Area codes442/760
FIPS code06-025
GNIS feature ID277277
Congressional district25th
Websitewww.co.imperial.ca.us

Imperial County is located in the far southeast of California, in the Imperial Valley. It borders San Diego County to the west, Riverside County to the north, the U.S. state of Arizona to the east and the Mexican state of Baja California to the south. It includes the El Centro Metropolitan Statistical Area and is part of the Southern California border region, the smallest but most economically diverse region in the state.[12]

Although this region is a desert, with high temperatures and low average rainfall of 3 inches (76 mm) per year,[13] the economy is strongly based on agriculture. This is supported by irrigation, with water supplied wholly from the Colorado River via the All-American Canal.[14]

The Imperial Valley straddles the border between the United States and Mexico. Imperial County is strongly influenced by Mexican culture. Approximately 80% of the county's population is Hispanic, with the vast majority being of Mexican origin. The remainder of the population is predominantly non-Hispanic white, in addition to smaller African American, Native American, and Asian minorities.

History edit

 
Juan Bautista de Anza's noted expedition passed through the area in 1775.

The indigenous peoples of the area were the Quechan along the Colorado River, the Kamia-Kumeyaay west of the Quechan, and the Cahuilla to the north.

Spanish explorer Melchor Díaz was one of the first Europeans to visit the area of the Imperial Valley in 1540. The explorer Juan Bautista de Anza also explored the area in 1776.[15] The indigenous peoples in the county were also engaged in an armed regional conflict, with the Quechan leading a coalition with the Kumeyaay against the Maricopa-led coalition with the Cahuilla, Cocopah, and other tribes in modern-day Arizona. Constant warfare would deny the Spanish explorers any overland access to Alta California, dispites Spanish attempts to mediate the conflict.[16]

Decades later, after the Mexican–American War, the northern half of the valley was annexed in 1848 by the U.S., while the southern half remained under Mexican rule.

Following the war, another war would consume the region in 1850 after the Glanton Gang sabotaged Quechan ferry operators and mugged a local Quechan chief. This would lead towards the start of the Yuma War, with a Quechan-led coalition of tribes against the US army and their indigenous allies in Baja California and Sonora. In the First Yuma War, the Quechan laid siege on Fort Yuma in 1851, and forced the American garrison there to abandon the fort. The Americans returned to the area in 1852 and subdued the Quechan by destroying their villages and farmland, and killed any warriors that resisted, leading to Quechan surrender to the US.[17] The Second Yuma War would later see neighboring tribes erode the much of the military advantages that the Quechan had left.

Small-scale settlement in natural aquifer areas had occurred in the early 19th century (the present-day site of Mexicali), but most permanent settlement (Americans on the U.S. side, Mexicans on the other side) was after 1900.[18]

In 1905, torrential rainfall in the American Southwest caused the Colorado River (the only drainage for the region) to flood, including canals that had been built to irrigate the Imperial Valley. Since the valley is partially below sea level, the waters never fully receded, but collected in the Salton Sink in what is now called the Salton Sea.

Imperial County was formed in 1907 from the eastern portion of San Diego County. The county was named for Imperial Valley. This had been named for the Imperial Land Company, a subsidiary of the California Development Company, which at the turn of the 20th century had claimed the southern portion of the Colorado Desert for agriculture.[19] The Imperial Land Company also owned extensive lands in Mexico (Baja California). Its objective was to develop commercial crop farming.

By 1910, the land company had managed to settle and develop thousands of farms on both sides of the border. The Mexican Revolution soon after severely disrupted the company's plans. Rival Mexican armies affiliated with different ethnicities killed nearly 10,000 farmers and their families in northern Mexico. Not until the 1920s was the other side of California in the United States sufficiently peaceful and prosperous for the company to earn a return for a large percentage of Mexicans. Some chose to stay and create roots in newly developed communities in the valley.

During the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, the county attracted migrating "Okies" from drought-ridden farms on the plains by the need of migrant labor. More prosperous job-seekers also arrived from across the U.S. in the 1930s and 1940s. American entry into World War II stimulated the growth of jobs and need to expanded agriculture, and the All American Canal was completed from its source, the Colorado River, to Imperial Valley from 1948 to 1951. By the 1950 census, more than 50,000 residents lived in Imperial County alone, about 40 times the population of 1910. Most of the population was year-round, but would increase every winter by migrant laborers from Mexico. Until the 1960s, the farms in Imperial County provided substantial economic returns to the company and the valley.

During the Great Recession of 2008–11, El Centro had one of the highest unemployment rates (above 30–34%) in the U.S. In the early 2020s, Imperial ranks as one of California's poorest counties. It has a lower median household income than either the state or national medians.[20]

Sites of interest edit

Fort Yuma edit

Fort Yuma is located 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 located in the bottoms near the Colorado River, less than 1 mile (1.6 km) 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 Yuma Indians in the surrounding 100-mile (160 km) area.[21]

Blue Angels edit

 
Blue Angels

NAF El Centro is the winter home of the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, The Blue Angels. NAF El Centro historically kicks off the Blue Angels' season with their first air show, traditionally held in March.[22]

Imperial Valley Expo & Fairgrounds edit

 
Mid-Winter Fair in Imperial, CA

The city of Imperial is home to the California Mid-Winter Fair and Fiesta which is the local county fair, held in late February to early March.[23] It is also home to the Imperial Valley Speedway, a race track of 38 mile (600 m).[24]

Algodones Sand Dunes edit

 
The Algodones 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 40 miles (64 km) along the eastern edge of the Imperial Valley agricultural region in a band averaging 5 miles (8 km) in width. A major east–west route of the Union Pacific railroad skirts the eastern edge. The dune system is divided into three 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 expansive dune formations offer picturesque scenery, a chance to view rare plants and animals, and a playground for ATV and off-roading enthusiasts. The dunes are also popular in film making and have been the site for movies such as Return of the Jedi.[25]

Colorado River edit

The Colorado River streams through the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately 1,450 miles (2,330 km) 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 use.[26] The river is a popular destination for water sports, including fishing, boating, water skiing, and jet skiing.[27]

Salvation Mountain edit

Salvation Mountain (location 33°15′14.9″N 115°28′21.4″W / 33.254139°N 115.472611°W / 33.254139; -115.472611) is an 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". 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 edit

 
Bighorn sheep at Palm Canyon in Anza-Borrego State Park

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, portions of which are located in Imperial County, is the largest state park in California. 500 miles (800 km) of dirt roads, twelve wilderness areas, and many more miles of hiking trails provide visitors with an unparalleled opportunity to experience the wonders of the Colorado Desert. The park's name is a combination of the last name of Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza, and the Spanish word for bighorn sheep, borrego. The park features many sweeping vistas, washes (wadis), rocky outcrops, boulder-strewn hillsides, in addition to the vast expanses of sandy desert; in springtime (especially after periods of rain), these areas appear to change shape, as they come alive with blooming wildflowers, flowering and fruiting cacti and numerous other species of native flora. Fauna that visitors may also have the chance to see include the bobcat, coyote, golden eagle, kit fox, mule deer, mountain lion, red-tailed hawk and roadrunner, as well as the iconic desert subspecies of bighorn sheep (formerly more common, across the southwest U.S. and northern Mexico). Many varied reptile species call the area home, such as the banded gecko, chuckwalla, desert iguana, desert tortoise, desert sidewinder, gopher snake, kingsnake, red diamond rattlesnake and the rosy boa.[28]

Fossil Canyon and Painted Gorge edit

Located near Ocotillo, California in the Coyote Mountains, Fossil Canyon (and the surrounding area) is a great place for rock-hounding and fossil hunting. The fossils here are not necessarily of dinosaurs; more commonly found are ancient oyster and seashell, coral, and other marine life from the prehistoric Miocene epoch, when the entire area was submerged as part of the Western Interior Seaway.[29]

The Painted Gorge, located on the eastern side of the Coyote Mountains, consists of sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rock; Heat and movement over time has created fantastic shapes and colors. Dark ochre, iron-reds, royal purples, and mauves (mixed with dark browns/black) create a palette of color as the sun illuminates and plays shadows upon this geologic wonder.[30]

Imperial NWR edit

 
Mesquite Point at Imperial NWR

The Imperial National Wildlife Refuge protects wildlife habitat along 30 miles (50 km) 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.[31]

Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR edit

The Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge is located 40 miles (64 km) north of the Mexican border at the southern end of the Salton Sea in California's Imperial Valley. Situated along the Pacific Flyway, the refuge is the only one of its kind, located 227 feet (69 m) 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 100 °F (38 °C) with temperatures of 116–120 °F (47–49 °C) recorded yearly.[32]

Museum of History in Granite edit

A unique attraction of the town of Felicity is the Museum of History in Granite. The museum exhibits granite monuments made from Missouri Red Granite. Each is 100 feet (30 m) long. Subjects include a Korean War Memorial, History of Arizona, The Wall for the Ages, the eight monument History of Humanity, and the History of the United States of America. Smaller monuments include the Felicity Stone (sm), a Rosetta Stone for the future located at the center of the History of Humanity monuments.

Geography edit

 
Fields with Mount Signal in Background

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,482 square miles (11,610 km2), of which 4,177 square miles (10,820 km2) is land and 305 square miles (790 km2) (6.8%) is water.[33] Much of Imperial County is below sea level. Imperial County is roughly twice the size in total square miles as the State of Delaware.

The county is in the Colorado Desert, an extension of the larger Sonoran Desert.

The Colorado River forms the county's eastern boundary. Two notable geographic features are found in the county, the Salton Sea, at 235 feet (72 m) below sea level, and the Algodones Dunes, one of the largest dune fields in America.[34]

The Chocolate Mountains are located east of the Salton Sea, and extend in a northwest–southeast direction [34] for approximately 60 miles (97 km).

In this region, the geology is dominated by the transition of the tectonic plate boundary from rift to fault. The southernmost strands of the San Andreas Fault connect the northernmost extensions of the East Pacific Rise. Consequently, the region is subject to earthquakes, and the crust is being stretched, resulting in a sinking of the terrain over time. Related to the active geology are some interesting hydrothermal features.

National protected areas edit

Demographics edit

2011 edit

Places by population, race, and income edit

Places by population and race
Place Type[40] Population[35] White[35] Other[35]
[note 1]
Asian[35] Black or African
American[35]
Native American[35]
[note 2]
Hispanic or Latino
(of any race)[36]
Bombay Beach CDP 459 69.7% 0.0% 0.0% 30.3% 0.0% 0.0%
Brawley City 26,645 78.0% 16.2% 0.9% 4.2% 0.7% 80.1%
Calexico City 40,378 64.4% 34.1% 1.0% 0.2% 0.3% 96.4%
Calipatria City 7,292 66.8% 21.1% 1.5% 9.0% 1.7% 75.5%
Desert Shores CDP 1,104 94.4% 5.6% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 86.3%
El Centro City 44,206 65.1% 28.6% 2.6% 3.1% 0.7% 79.6%
Heber CDP 6,008 57.7% 39.0% 0.0% 0.0% 3.2% 98.6%
Holtville City 6,088 68.0% 29.0% 1.0% 0.4% 1.6% 80.5%
Imperial City 18,206 76.4% 17.5% 2.3% 2.4% 1.4% 76.1%
Niland CDP 1,112 86.7% 8.7% 0.0% 1.2% 3.4% 61.7%
Ocotillo CDP 253 98.8% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1.2% 7.1%
Palo Verde CDP 171 73.0% 22.8% 1.0% 3.0% 1.0% 19.0%
Salton City CDP 3,768 77.2% 20.0% 0.0% 2.8% 0.0% 47.9%
Salton Sea Beach CDP 598 63.0% 10.2% 1.8% 0.0% 24.9% 53.8%
Seeley CDP 1,683 79.8% 17.8% 0.0% 2.4% 0.0% 79.1%
Westmorland City 2,714 90.7% 6.2% 0.0% 1.1% 2.0% 87.9%
Winterhaven CDP 493 50.9% 5.9% 10.8% 0.0% 32.5% 81.5%
Places by population and income
Place Type[40] Population[41] Per capita income[37] Median household income[38] Median family income[39]
Bombay Beach CDP 459 $12,439 $19,375 $24,063
Brawley City 26,645 $17,709 $36,233 $43,328
Calexico City 40,378 $14,317 $35,988 $39,129
Calipatria City 7,292 $11,559 $35,030 $37,381
Desert Shores CDP 1,104 $11,610 $29,345 $29,732
El Centro City 44,206 $18,273 $38,297 $42,417
Heber CDP 6,008 $13,540 $45,044 $44,444
Holtville City 6,088 $20,749 $40,712 $42,188
Imperial City 18,017 $21,378 $57,152 $57,548
Niland CDP 1,112 $9,750 $14,883 $15,170
Ocotillo CDP 253 $15,254 $17,734 $20,625
Palo Verde CDP 171 $44,003 $59,676 [42]
Salton City CDP 3,768 $16,887 $32,925 $34,792
Salton Sea Beach CDP 598 $17,791 $27,375 $57,159
Seeley CDP 1,683 $14,126 $33,977 $44,063
Westmorland City 2,714 $13,179 $28,375 $30,804
Winterhaven CDP 493 $9,207 $35,074 $35,441

2010 edit

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
191012,591
192043,453245.1%
193060,90340.2%
194055,740−8.5%
195061,1759.8%
196071,10516.2%
197074,4924.8%
198093,11025.0%
1990109,30317.4%
2000142,36130.2%
2010174,52822.6%
2020179,7023.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[43]
1790–1960[44] 1900–1990[45]
1990–2000[46] 2010–2015[9]

The 2010 United States Census reported that Imperial County had a population of 174,528. The racial makeup of Imperial County was 102,553 (58.8%) White, 5,773 (3.3%) African American, 3,059 (1.8%) Native American, 2,843 (1.6%) Asian, 165 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 52,413 (30.0%) from other races, and 7,722 (4.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 140,271 persons (80.4%).[47]

2000 edit

As of the census[48] of 2000, there were 142,361 people, 39,384 households, and 31,467 families residing in the county. The population density was 34 people per square mile (13 people/km2). There were 43,891 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (3.9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 49.4% White, 4.0% Black or African American, 1.9% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 39.1% from other races, and 3.7% from two or more races. 72.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 65.7% spoke Spanish at home, while 32.3% spoke only English.

There were 39,384 households, out of which 46.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.1% were non-families. 17.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.33 and the average family size was 3.77.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 31.4% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 109.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.4 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,870, and the median income for a family was $35,226. Males had a median income of $32,775 versus $23,974 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,239. About 19.4% of families and 22.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.7% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.

Imperial County has the lowest per capita income of any county in Southern California and among the bottom five counties in the state.

By 2006 the population had risen to 160,201, the population growth rate since the year 2000 was 30%, the highest in California and fifth highest in the United States in the time period. High levels of immigration, new residents search for affordable homes, and a search for retirement homes can explain the population increase.

Government edit

The county is governed by the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, a five-member board elected by districts.[49] Supervisors serve four-year terms. Other elected county officials include the Assessor,[50] Auditor-Controller,[51] District Attorney,[52] County Clerk-Recorder,[53] Public Administrator,[54] Sheriff-Coroner,[55] and Treasurer-Tax Collector.[56] The county is run on a day-to-day basis by the County Executive Officer, who is currently Robin Hodgkin, on an interim basis. The county is advised as to legal matters by the County Counsel, who is currently Katherine K. Turner.[57][58]

Politics edit

Voter registration statistics edit

Cities by population and voter registration edit

Overview edit

Previously strongly Republican, Imperial County is now a Democratic stronghold in presidential, congressional and local elections. The last Republican to win a majority in the county was George H. W. Bush in 1988.

United States presidential election results for Imperial County, California[60]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 20,847 36.74% 34,678 61.11% 1,218 2.15%
2016 12,704 26.42% 32,667 67.93% 2,720 5.66%
2012 12,777 33.13% 25,136 65.18% 652 1.69%
2008 14,008 36.08% 24,162 62.24% 650 1.67%
2004 15,890 46.36% 17,964 52.41% 420 1.23%
2000 12,524 43.28% 15,489 53.53% 924 3.19%
1996 9,705 36.76% 14,591 55.27% 2,104 7.97%
1992 9,759 38.55% 11,109 43.88% 4,450 17.58%
1988 12,889 55.16% 10,243 43.84% 233 1.00%
1984 13,829 62.01% 8,237 36.94% 235 1.05%
1980 12,068 55.92% 7,961 36.89% 1,550 7.18%
1976 10,618 49.94% 10,244 48.18% 400 1.88%
1972 14,178 62.05% 7,982 34.93% 689 3.02%
1968 10,818 52.91% 7,481 36.59% 2,147 10.50%
1964 10,330 48.06% 11,143 51.85% 19 0.09%
1960 10,606 53.55% 9,119 46.04% 81 0.41%
1956 10,526 56.05% 8,197 43.65% 58 0.31%
1952 11,044 62.13% 6,619 37.24% 112 0.63%
1948 6,217 52.64% 5,301 44.89% 292 2.47%
1944 5,979 53.81% 5,085 45.76% 48 0.43%
1940 6,854 46.59% 7,728 52.53% 130 0.88%
1936 4,771 38.34% 7,560 60.75% 113 0.91%
1932 3,783 29.01% 8,772 67.28% 484 3.71%
1928 5,417 67.61% 2,486 31.03% 109 1.36%
1924 3,455 50.28% 759 11.04% 2,658 38.68%
1920 4,699 64.51% 2,022 27.76% 563 7.73%
1916 2,694 40.46% 3,273 49.15% 692 10.39%
1912 13 0.39% 1,295 38.46% 2,059 61.15%
1908 909 47.64% 675 35.38% 324 16.98%

On November 4, 2008, Imperial County voted 69.7% for Proposition 8, which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages, showing more support for the proposition than any other strongly Democratic county.[61][62] After Prop 8 was declared unconstitutional by a lower federal court, Imperial County continued to defend Proposition 8 in the federal judicial system.[63] However, on February 6, 2012, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied Imperial County legal standing in the case Hollingsworth v. Perry.[64]

Imperial County is in California's 25th congressional district, represented by Democrat Raul Ruiz.[65] In the state legislature, the county is in the 56th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Lisa Calderon,[66] and the 40th Senate District, represented by Republican Brian Jones.[67]

Crime edit

The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense.

Cities by population and crime rates edit

Economy edit

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 Imperial County and accounts for 48% of all employment.[71] Although this region is a desert, with high temperatures and low average rainfall of 3 inches (76 mm) 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.[13]

 
Irrigation Canal Imperial County

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 1,400 miles (2,300 km) of canal and with 1,100 miles (1,800 km) of pipeline.[14] 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.[72] 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.[73] Imperial County produces nearly 2/3 of all vegetables consumed by Americans during the winter.[74]

El Centro is the commercial center of Imperial County. Fifty percent of the jobs in El Centro come from the service and retail sector.[71]

A recent growth in the interest of Imperial County as a filming location, has spurred growth in servicing this industry.[71] Because of the county's desert environment and proximity to Los Angeles, California, movies are sometimes filmed in the sand dunes outside the agricultural portions of the county. These have included Return of the Jedi, Stargate, The Scorpion King, and Into the Wild. Additionally, portions of the 2005 film Jarhead were filmed here because of its similarity to the desert terrain of Iraq.[citation needed]

In 2016, Imperial County had the highest unemployment rate of any county in the United States, at 23.5%.[75]

Cotton in Imperial County and Riverside is predominantly Bt cotton.[76]: Supplemental  This is in contrast to the rest of the state, which largely relies on non-incorporated pesticides.[76]: Supplemental  The introduction of Bt cotton has dramatically reduced pesticide use here.[76]: Supplemental 

Renewable energy source edit

Imperial Valley has become a hotbed of renewable energy projects, both solar and geothermal.[77] This is driven in part by California's mandate to generate 20% of its power from renewable sources by the end of 2010, the valley's excellent sun resources, the high unemployment, its proximity to large population centers on the coast, and large tracts of otherwise unusable desert land.[77] Much of the land suitable for green energy is owned by the federal government (Bureau of Land Management). As of April 2008, the BLM has received 163 applications to build renewable energy projects on 1,600,000 acres (6,500 km2) in California. Almost all of these are planned for the Imperial Valley and the desert region north of the valley.[77] Stirling Energy is currently building one of the world's largest solar thermal plants, 10 square miles (26 km2) with 38,000 "sun catchers," it will power up to 600,000 homes once it is fully operational by around 2015.[77] CalEnergy currently runs a geothermal plant that generates enough power for 300,000 homes and could tap into more for up to 2.5 million homes.[77]

Transportation edit

 
State Route 86 north of Salton City
 
Dogwood Bridge over Interstate 8 in El Centro

Major highways edit

Imperial County is at the junction of one interstate, and three state highways. Radiating to the east and west are connections to the Arizona Sun Corridor and San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan area via Interstate 8, Blythe, and northern San Diego County via State Route 78, the Mexicali Valley via State Route 111, and the Coachella Valley, Inland Empire, and Los Angeles metropolitan area via State Route 86.

Public transportation edit

 
Imperial Valley Transit bus

Imperial County is served by Greyhound Lines and Imperial Valley Transit buses. Through a partnership between Imperial County Transportation Commission (ICTC), the Yuma County Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (YCIPTA), and the Quechan Indian Tribe, Yuma County Area Transit buses serve portions of Imperial County and connects it to Yuma, Arizona.[78][79] Amtrak trains on the Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle route also travel through the county, but with no scheduled stops; the nearest stop is in Yuma, Arizona.

Airports edit

County owned edit

  • Imperial County Airport, the county's main airport, is primarily a general aviation facility. It is located just north of El Centro, and has limited commercial flight service subsidized by the Essential Air Service program.
  • Holtville Airport is a public use general aviation airport, owned by the county and located roughly 5 miles (8 km) east of Holtville.

Municipal ownership edit

Privately owned edit

Military edit

Communities edit

Cities edit

Census-designated places edit

Unincorporated communities edit

Former settlements edit

Indian Reservations edit

Population ranking edit

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Imperial County.[80]

county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census)
1 El Centro City 42,598
2 Calexico City 38,572
3 Brawley City 24,953
4 Imperial City 14,758
5 Calipatria City 7,705
6 Holtville City 5,939
7 Torres-Martinez Reservation[81] AIAN 5,594
8 Heber CDP 4,275
9 Salton City CDP 3,763
10 Westmorland City 2,225
11 Fort Yuma Indian Reservation[82] (partially in Yuma County, AZ) AIAN 2,189
12 Seeley CDP 1,739
13 Desert Shores CDP 1,104
14 Niland CDP 1,006
15 Salton Sea Beach CDP 422
16 Winterhaven CDP 394
17 Bombay Beach CDP 295
18 Ocotillo CDP 266
19 Palo Verde CDP 171

Area codes edit

442/760 – Covers all of the El Centro metropolitan area as well as Palm Springs, Oceanside, Bishop, Ridgecrest, Barstow, and Needles; northern San Diego County; and southeastern California, including much of the Mojave Desert and the Owens Valley. Area code 760 split from area code 619 on March 22, 1997, and was overlaid with area code 442 in 2009.

In popular culture edit

As a filming location edit

Cultural references edit

  • Part of Independence Day takes place in the Imperial Valley.
  • Tucson-based indie rock band Calexico is named after Calexico.
  • The 2009 nonfiction book Imperial by William T. Vollmann documents the history and culture of Imperial County. A companion volume of photographs was published August 18, 2009.
  • The Sons of Anarchy spin-off Mayans MC takes place in Santo Padre, a fictional town in Imperial County.
  • The video game Grand Theft Auto V features a county named Blaine County, which is based on Imperial County.
  • In the 1963 film, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Ethel Merman's character is heard talking on a phone to her son, saying that she was "in some place called Plaster City." Plaster City is an unincorporated community in Imperial County.

Education edit

School districts are:[83]

Unified:

Secondary:

Elementary:

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Other = Some other race + Two or more races
  2. ^ Native American = Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander + American Indian or Alaska Native
  3. ^ a b Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow.

References edit

  1. ^ "Jesus Eduardo Escobar, Supervisor, District 1 from Imperial County, California".
  2. ^ "Luis A. Plancarte, Supervisor, District 2 from Imperial County, California".
  3. ^ "Michael W. Kelley, Supervisor, District 3 from Imperial County, California".
  4. ^ "Ryan e. Kelley, Supervisor, District 4 from Imperial County, California".
  5. ^ "John Hawk Castillo, Supervisor, District 5 from Imperial County, California".
  6. ^ "Home".
  7. ^ "Blue Angels Peak". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
  8. ^ Southern shore of the Salton Sea
  9. ^ a b c . United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 5, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  10. ^ "American FactFinder". Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  11. ^ . National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  12. ^ [1][dead link]
  13. ^ a b "Water Supply". Imperial Irrigation District. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Water Transportation System". Imperial Irrigation District.
  15. ^ "De Anza Trail". Solideas.com. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
  16. ^ Naomi Sussman. “Indigenous Diplomacy and Spanish Mediation in the Lower Colorado-Gila River Region, 1771-1783.” Ethnohistory, vol. 66, no. 2, Apr. 2019, pp. 329–52. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1215/00141801-7298819.
  17. ^ Thompson, D. Jerry (2006). Civil war to the bloody end: The life and times of Major General Samuel P. Heintzelman. San Antonio, Texas: Texas A&M University Press. ISBN 1-58544-535-5.
  18. ^ . CaliforniaResortLife. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  19. ^ "This corner of California is suffering economic misery despite boom all around it". Los Angeles Times. February 5, 2019.
  20. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts". Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  21. ^ "Fort Yuma". Militarymuseum.org. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  22. ^ . Blueangels.navy.mil. Archived from the original on April 30, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  23. ^ "2019 California Mid-Winter Fair and Fiesta opens Friday". The Desert Review. February 25, 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  24. ^ . Ivexpo.com. Archived from the original on June 14, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  25. ^ "Algodones Sand Dunes". Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  26. ^ Rubio-Velázquez, Javier; Loaiciga, Hugo A.; Lopez-Carr, David (March 2, 2023). "Human-Induced Resource Scarcity in the Colorado River Basin and Its Implications for Water Supply and the Environment in the Mexicali Valley Transboundary Aquifer". Annals of the American Association of Geographers. 113 (5): 1172–1189. doi:10.1080/24694452.2022.2162477. S2CID 257326957. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  27. ^ . Archived from the original on July 13, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  28. ^ . CaliforniaResortLife. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  29. ^ "Fossil Canyon and Painted Gorge". Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  30. ^ "The Painted Gorge: From undersea to desert region". San Diego Reader. February 13, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  31. ^ . Archived from the original on June 12, 2009. Retrieved August 4, 2009.
  32. ^ "Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge". Retrieved August 4, 2009.
  33. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  34. ^ a b . Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
  35. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B02001. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  36. ^ a b U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B03003. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  37. ^ a b U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19301. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  38. ^ a b U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19013. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  39. ^ a b U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19113. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  40. ^ a b U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  41. ^ U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B01003. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  42. ^ Data unavailable
  43. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  44. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  45. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  46. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  47. ^ "2010 Census P.L. 94-171 Summary File Data". United States Census Bureau.
  48. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  49. ^ . Co.imperial.ca.us. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
  50. ^ . Archived from the original on May 29, 2016. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  51. ^ . Archived from the original on May 29, 2016. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  52. ^ . Co.imperial.ca.us. Archived from the original on October 28, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  53. ^ website, Designed by Leonel Ibarra for The County of Imperial based on ca.gov. . Co.imperial.ca.us. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  54. ^ . Public Administrator Area Agency on Aging. Archived from the original on October 22, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  55. ^ "Imperial County Sheriffs's Office". Icso.org. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  56. ^ . Co.imperial.ca.us. Archived from the original on October 31, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  57. ^ . Co.imperial.ca.us. Archived from the original on October 17, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  58. ^ "Board selects first woman to County Counsel". Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  59. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q California Secretary of State. February 10, 2013 – Report of Registration July 27, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  60. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  61. ^ . Sos.ca.gov. Archived from the original on August 8, 2009. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  62. ^ . Sos.ca.gov. Archived from the original on October 12, 2009. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  63. ^ Fagan, Kevin (August 26, 2010). . The San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on August 25, 2010. Retrieved August 25, 2010.
  64. ^ Denniston, Lyle (February 6, 2012). "Prop. 8: Final ruling due". SCOTUSblog. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  65. ^ "California's 25th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  66. ^ "Members Assembly". State of California. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  67. ^ "Senators". State of California. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  68. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, State of California. Table 11: Crimes – 2009 December 2, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
  69. ^ Only larceny-theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes.
  70. ^ a b c United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Crime in the United States, 2012, Table 8 (California). Retrieved November 14, 2013.
  71. ^ a b c . Archived from the original on November 3, 2010. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
  72. ^ Field Seeds, Grass Seeds, Forage, Hay, and Silage: 2017 and 2012 (PDF) (Report). US Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service. 2017. p. 8. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  73. ^ . Archived from the original on June 3, 2009. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
  74. ^ (PDF). Imperial County Farm Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 18, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  75. ^ "Labor Force Data by County, 2016 Annual Averages". U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  76. ^ a b c Epstein, Lynn; Bassein, Susan (2003). "Patterns of Pesticide Use in California and The Implications for Strategies for Reduction of Pesticides". Annual Review of Phytopathology. Annual Reviews. 41 (1): 351–375. doi:10.1146/annurev.phyto.41.052002.095612. ISSN 0066-4286. PMID 14527333.
  77. ^ a b c d e "Calif. Desert Becomes Home For Renewable Energy", Rob Schmitz, Morning Edition, April 3, 2009, NPR
  78. ^ . schurz-ivpressonline. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  79. ^ "ICTC/YCIPTA/Quechan Transit Services" (PDF). Imperialctc.org. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  80. ^ "2010 U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  81. ^ . Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
  82. ^ [2][dead link]
  83. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Imperial County, CA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 25, 2022. - Text list

External links edit

  • Official website  
  •   Geographic data related to Imperial County, California at OpenStreetMap
  • Imperial Irrigation District
  • Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation

33°02′N 115°21′W / 33.04°N 115.35°W / 33.04; -115.35

imperial, county, california, imperial, county, redirects, here, other, uses, imperial, county, disambiguation, imperial, county, spanish, condado, imperial, county, located, southeast, border, state, california, 2020, census, population, making, least, populo. Imperial County redirects here For other uses see Imperial County disambiguation Imperial County Spanish Condado de Imperial is a county located on the southeast border of the U S state of California As of the 2020 census the population was 179 702 making it the least populous county in Southern California 9 The county seat and largest city is El Centro 11 Imperial is the most recent California county to be established as it was created in 1907 out of portions of San Diego County Imperial County CaliforniaCountyCounty of ImperialImages from top down left to right The fields of Imperial Valley Salton Sea Imperial County CourthouseFlagSealInteractive map of Imperial CountyLocation in the state of CaliforniaCountryUnited StatesStateCaliforniaRegionImperial ValleyIncorporatedAugust 7 1907Named forImperial Valley which was named after the Imperial Land CompanyCounty seatand largest cityEl CentroGovernment TypeCouncil CEO BodyBoard of Supervisors 1 2 3 4 5 ChairRyan E Kelley N P Vice ChairLuis A Plancarte N P Board of Supervisors 6 Supervisors Jesus Eduardo Escobar N P Luis A Plancarte N P Michael W Kelley N P Ryan E Kelley N P John Hawk N P Chief executive officerMiguel FigueroaArea Total4 482 sq mi 11 610 km2 Land4 177 sq mi 10 820 km2 Water305 sq mi 790 km2 Highest elevation 7 4 551 ft 1 387 m Lowest elevation 8 232 ft 71 m Population April 1 2020 9 Total179 702 Density43 sq mi 17 km2 Time zoneUTC 8 Pacific Time Zone Summer DST UTC 7 Pacific Daylight Time Area codes442 760FIPS code06 025GNIS feature ID277277Congressional district25thWebsitewww wbr co wbr imperial wbr ca wbr usImperial County is located in the far southeast of California in the Imperial Valley It borders San Diego County to the west Riverside County to the north the U S state of Arizona to the east and the Mexican state of Baja California to the south It includes the El Centro Metropolitan Statistical Area and is part of the Southern California border region the smallest but most economically diverse region in the state 12 Although this region is a desert with high temperatures and low average rainfall of 3 inches 76 mm per year 13 the economy is strongly based on agriculture This is supported by irrigation with water supplied wholly from the Colorado River via the All American Canal 14 The Imperial Valley straddles the border between the United States and Mexico Imperial County is strongly influenced by Mexican culture Approximately 80 of the county s population is Hispanic with the vast majority being of Mexican origin The remainder of the population is predominantly non Hispanic white in addition to smaller African American Native American and Asian minorities Contents 1 History 2 Sites of interest 2 1 Fort Yuma 2 2 Blue Angels 2 3 Imperial Valley Expo amp Fairgrounds 2 4 Algodones Sand Dunes 2 5 Colorado River 2 6 Salvation Mountain 2 7 Anza Borrego Desert State Park 2 8 Fossil Canyon and Painted Gorge 2 9 Imperial NWR 2 10 Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR 2 11 Museum of History in Granite 3 Geography 3 1 National protected areas 4 Demographics 4 1 2011 4 1 1 Places by population race and income 4 2 2010 4 3 2000 5 Government 6 Politics 6 1 Voter registration statistics 6 1 1 Cities by population and voter registration 6 2 Overview 7 Crime 7 1 Cities by population and crime rates 8 Economy 9 Renewable energy source 10 Transportation 10 1 Major highways 10 2 Public transportation 10 3 Airports 10 3 1 County owned 10 3 2 Municipal ownership 10 3 3 Privately owned 10 3 4 Military 11 Communities 11 1 Cities 11 2 Census designated places 11 3 Unincorporated communities 11 4 Former settlements 11 5 Indian Reservations 11 6 Population ranking 11 7 Area codes 12 In popular culture 12 1 As a filming location 12 2 Cultural references 13 Education 14 See also 15 Notes 16 References 17 External linksHistory editThis article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Imperial County California news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message nbsp Juan Bautista de Anza s noted expedition passed through the area in 1775 The indigenous peoples of the area were the Quechan along the Colorado River the Kamia Kumeyaay west of the Quechan and the Cahuilla to the north Spanish explorer Melchor Diaz was one of the first Europeans to visit the area of the Imperial Valley in 1540 The explorer Juan Bautista de Anza also explored the area in 1776 15 The indigenous peoples in the county were also engaged in an armed regional conflict with the Quechan leading a coalition with the Kumeyaay against the Maricopa led coalition with the Cahuilla Cocopah and other tribes in modern day Arizona Constant warfare would deny the Spanish explorers any overland access to Alta California dispites Spanish attempts to mediate the conflict 16 Decades later after the Mexican American War the northern half of the valley was annexed in 1848 by the U S while the southern half remained under Mexican rule Following the war another war would consume the region in 1850 after the Glanton Gang sabotaged Quechan ferry operators and mugged a local Quechan chief This would lead towards the start of the Yuma War with a Quechan led coalition of tribes against the US army and their indigenous allies in Baja California and Sonora In the First Yuma War the Quechan laid siege on Fort Yuma in 1851 and forced the American garrison there to abandon the fort The Americans returned to the area in 1852 and subdued the Quechan by destroying their villages and farmland and killed any warriors that resisted leading to Quechan surrender to the US 17 The Second Yuma War would later see neighboring tribes erode the much of the military advantages that the Quechan had left Small scale settlement in natural aquifer areas had occurred in the early 19th century the present day site of Mexicali but most permanent settlement Americans on the U S side Mexicans on the other side was after 1900 18 In 1905 torrential rainfall in the American Southwest caused the Colorado River the only drainage for the region to flood including canals that had been built to irrigate the Imperial Valley Since the valley is partially below sea level the waters never fully receded but collected in the Salton Sink in what is now called the Salton Sea Imperial County was formed in 1907 from the eastern portion of San Diego County The county was named for Imperial Valley This had been named for the Imperial Land Company a subsidiary of the California Development Company which at the turn of the 20th century had claimed the southern portion of the Colorado Desert for agriculture 19 The Imperial Land Company also owned extensive lands in Mexico Baja California Its objective was to develop commercial crop farming By 1910 the land company had managed to settle and develop thousands of farms on both sides of the border The Mexican Revolution soon after severely disrupted the company s plans Rival Mexican armies affiliated with different ethnicities killed nearly 10 000 farmers and their families in northern Mexico Not until the 1920s was the other side of California in the United States sufficiently peaceful and prosperous for the company to earn a return for a large percentage of Mexicans Some chose to stay and create roots in newly developed communities in the valley During the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl the county attracted migrating Okies from drought ridden farms on the plains by the need of migrant labor More prosperous job seekers also arrived from across the U S in the 1930s and 1940s American entry into World War II stimulated the growth of jobs and need to expanded agriculture and the All American Canal was completed from its source the Colorado River to Imperial Valley from 1948 to 1951 By the 1950 census more than 50 000 residents lived in Imperial County alone about 40 times the population of 1910 Most of the population was year round but would increase every winter by migrant laborers from Mexico Until the 1960s the farms in Imperial County provided substantial economic returns to the company and the valley During the Great Recession of 2008 11 El Centro had one of the highest unemployment rates above 30 34 in the U S In the early 2020s Imperial ranks as one of California s poorest counties It has a lower median household income than either the state or national medians 20 Sites of interest editFort Yuma edit Fort Yuma is located 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 located in the bottoms near the Colorado River less than 1 mile 1 6 km 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 Purisima Concepcion 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 Yuma Indians in the surrounding 100 mile 160 km area 21 Blue Angels edit nbsp Blue AngelsNAF El Centro is the winter home of the U S Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron The Blue Angels NAF El Centro historically kicks off the Blue Angels season with their first air show traditionally held in March 22 Imperial Valley Expo amp Fairgrounds edit nbsp Mid Winter Fair in Imperial CAThe city of Imperial is home to the California Mid Winter Fair and Fiesta which is the local county fair held in late February to early March 23 It is also home to the Imperial Valley Speedway a race track of 3 8 mile 600 m 24 Algodones Sand Dunes edit nbsp The Algodones DunesThe 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 40 miles 64 km along the eastern edge of the Imperial Valley agricultural region in a band averaging 5 miles 8 km in width A major east west route of the Union Pacific railroad skirts the eastern edge The dune system is divided into three 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 expansive dune formations offer picturesque scenery a chance to view rare plants and animals and a playground for ATV and off roading enthusiasts The dunes are also popular in film making and have been the site for movies such as Return of the Jedi 25 Colorado River edit The Colorado River streams through the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico approximately 1 450 miles 2 330 km 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 use 26 The river is a popular destination for water sports including fishing boating water skiing and jet skiing 27 Salvation Mountain edit Salvation Mountain location 33 15 14 9 N 115 28 21 4 W 33 254139 N 115 472611 W 33 254139 115 472611 is an 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 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 edit nbsp Bighorn sheep at Palm Canyon in Anza Borrego State ParkAnza Borrego Desert State Park portions of which are located in Imperial County is the largest state park in California 500 miles 800 km of dirt roads twelve wilderness areas and many more miles of hiking trails provide visitors with an unparalleled opportunity to experience the wonders of the Colorado Desert The park s name is a combination of the last name of Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and the Spanish word for bighorn sheep borrego The park features many sweeping vistas washes wadis rocky outcrops boulder strewn hillsides in addition to the vast expanses of sandy desert in springtime especially after periods of rain these areas appear to change shape as they come alive with blooming wildflowers flowering and fruiting cacti and numerous other species of native flora Fauna that visitors may also have the chance to see include the bobcat coyote golden eagle kit fox mule deer mountain lion red tailed hawk and roadrunner as well as the iconic desert subspecies of bighorn sheep formerly more common across the southwest U S and northern Mexico Many varied reptile species call the area home such as the banded gecko chuckwalla desert iguana desert tortoise desert sidewinder gopher snake kingsnake red diamond rattlesnake and the rosy boa 28 Fossil Canyon and Painted Gorge edit Located near Ocotillo California in the Coyote Mountains Fossil Canyon and the surrounding area is a great place for rock hounding and fossil hunting The fossils here are not necessarily of dinosaurs more commonly found are ancient oyster and seashell coral and other marine life from the prehistoric Miocene epoch when the entire area was submerged as part of the Western Interior Seaway 29 The Painted Gorge located on the eastern side of the Coyote Mountains consists of sedimentary metamorphic and igneous rock Heat and movement over time has created fantastic shapes and colors Dark ochre iron reds royal purples and mauves mixed with dark browns black create a palette of color as the sun illuminates and plays shadows upon this geologic wonder 30 Imperial NWR edit nbsp Mesquite Point at Imperial NWRThe Imperial National Wildlife Refuge protects wildlife habitat along 30 miles 50 km 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 31 Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR edit The Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge is located 40 miles 64 km north of the Mexican border at the southern end of the Salton Sea in California s Imperial Valley Situated along the Pacific Flyway the refuge is the only one of its kind located 227 feet 69 m 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 100 F 38 C with temperatures of 116 120 F 47 49 C recorded yearly 32 Museum of History in Granite edit A unique attraction of the town of Felicity is the Museum of History in Granite The museum exhibits granite monuments made from Missouri Red Granite Each is 100 feet 30 m long Subjects include a Korean War Memorial History of Arizona The Wall for the Ages the eight monument History of Humanity and the History of the United States of America Smaller monuments include the Felicity Stone sm a Rosetta Stone for the future located at the center of the History of Humanity monuments Geography edit nbsp Fields with Mount Signal in BackgroundAccording to the U S Census Bureau the county has a total area of 4 482 square miles 11 610 km2 of which 4 177 square miles 10 820 km2 is land and 305 square miles 790 km2 6 8 is water 33 Much of Imperial County is below sea level Imperial County is roughly twice the size in total square miles as the State of Delaware The county is in the Colorado Desert an extension of the larger Sonoran Desert The Colorado River forms the county s eastern boundary Two notable geographic features are found in the county the Salton Sea at 235 feet 72 m below sea level and the Algodones Dunes one of the largest dune fields in America 34 The Chocolate Mountains are located east of the Salton Sea and extend in a northwest southeast direction 34 for approximately 60 miles 97 km In this region the geology is dominated by the transition of the tectonic plate boundary from rift to fault The southernmost strands of the San Andreas Fault connect the northernmost extensions of the East Pacific Rise Consequently the region is subject to earthquakes and the crust is being stretched resulting in a sinking of the terrain over time Related to the active geology are some interesting hydrothermal features National protected areas edit Cibola National Wildlife Refuge part Imperial National Wildlife Refuge part Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife RefugeDemographics edit2011 edit Population race and incomeTotal population 35 171 343 White 35 115 496 67 4 Black or African American 35 5 985 3 5 American Indian or Alaska Native 35 3 020 1 8 Asian 35 2 757 1 6 Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 35 83 0 0 Some other race 35 38 604 22 5 Two or more races 35 5 398 3 2 Hispanic or Latino of any race 36 136 376 79 6 Per capita income 37 16 593Median household income 38 39 402Median family income 39 43 769Places by population race and income edit Places by population and racePlace Type 40 Population 35 White 35 Other 35 note 1 Asian 35 Black or AfricanAmerican 35 Native American 35 note 2 Hispanic or Latino of any race 36 Bombay Beach CDP 459 69 7 0 0 0 0 30 3 0 0 0 0 Brawley City 26 645 78 0 16 2 0 9 4 2 0 7 80 1 Calexico City 40 378 64 4 34 1 1 0 0 2 0 3 96 4 Calipatria City 7 292 66 8 21 1 1 5 9 0 1 7 75 5 Desert Shores CDP 1 104 94 4 5 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 86 3 El Centro City 44 206 65 1 28 6 2 6 3 1 0 7 79 6 Heber CDP 6 008 57 7 39 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 98 6 Holtville City 6 088 68 0 29 0 1 0 0 4 1 6 80 5 Imperial City 18 206 76 4 17 5 2 3 2 4 1 4 76 1 Niland CDP 1 112 86 7 8 7 0 0 1 2 3 4 61 7 Ocotillo CDP 253 98 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 7 1 Palo Verde CDP 171 73 0 22 8 1 0 3 0 1 0 19 0 Salton City CDP 3 768 77 2 20 0 0 0 2 8 0 0 47 9 Salton Sea Beach CDP 598 63 0 10 2 1 8 0 0 24 9 53 8 Seeley CDP 1 683 79 8 17 8 0 0 2 4 0 0 79 1 Westmorland City 2 714 90 7 6 2 0 0 1 1 2 0 87 9 Winterhaven CDP 493 50 9 5 9 10 8 0 0 32 5 81 5 Places by population and incomePlace Type 40 Population 41 Per capita income 37 Median household income 38 Median family income 39 Bombay Beach CDP 459 12 439 19 375 24 063Brawley City 26 645 17 709 36 233 43 328Calexico City 40 378 14 317 35 988 39 129Calipatria City 7 292 11 559 35 030 37 381Desert Shores CDP 1 104 11 610 29 345 29 732El Centro City 44 206 18 273 38 297 42 417Heber CDP 6 008 13 540 45 044 44 444Holtville City 6 088 20 749 40 712 42 188Imperial City 18 017 21 378 57 152 57 548Niland CDP 1 112 9 750 14 883 15 170Ocotillo CDP 253 15 254 17 734 20 625Palo Verde CDP 171 44 003 59 676 42 Salton City CDP 3 768 16 887 32 925 34 792Salton Sea Beach CDP 598 17 791 27 375 57 159Seeley CDP 1 683 14 126 33 977 44 063Westmorland City 2 714 13 179 28 375 30 804Winterhaven CDP 493 9 207 35 074 35 4412010 edit Historical population CensusPop Note 191012 591 192043 453245 1 193060 90340 2 194055 740 8 5 195061 1759 8 196071 10516 2 197074 4924 8 198093 11025 0 1990109 30317 4 2000142 36130 2 2010174 52822 6 2020179 7023 0 U S Decennial Census 43 1790 1960 44 1900 1990 45 1990 2000 46 2010 2015 9 The 2010 United States Census reported that Imperial County had a population of 174 528 The racial makeup of Imperial County was 102 553 58 8 White 5 773 3 3 African American 3 059 1 8 Native American 2 843 1 6 Asian 165 0 1 Pacific Islander 52 413 30 0 from other races and 7 722 4 4 from two or more races Hispanic or Latino of any race were 140 271 persons 80 4 47 Population reported at 2010 United States CensusThe County TotalPopulation White AfricanAmerican NativeAmerican Asian PacificIslander otherraces two ormore races Hispanicor Latino of any race Imperial County 174 528 102 553 5 773 3 059 2 843 165 52 413 7 722 140 271Incorporatedcity TotalPopulation White AfricanAmerican NativeAmerican Asian PacificIslander otherraces two ormore races Hispanicor Latino of any race Brawley 24 953 13 570 510 241 349 32 9 258 993 20 344Calexico 38 572 23 150 134 204 504 21 12 920 1 639 37 354Calipatria 7 705 3 212 1 612 79 95 25 2 455 227 4 940El Centro 42 598 25 376 1 081 554 965 34 12 356 2 232 34 751Holtville 5 939 3 655 37 41 50 4 1 977 175 4 858Imperial 14 758 9 298 331 154 370 13 3 783 809 11 046Westmorland 2 225 1 038 21 38 11 0 1 042 75 1 938Census designatedplace TotalPopulation White AfricanAmerican NativeAmerican Asian PacificIslander otherraces two ormore races Hispanicor Latino of any race Bombay Beach 295 223 37 8 1 0 22 4 59Desert Shores 1 104 709 8 26 4 1 307 49 848Heber 4 275 2 174 5 33 15 0 1 758 290 4 197Niland 1 006 539 36 20 36 0 315 60 618Ocotillo 266 242 1 1 2 0 17 3 61Palo Verde 171 124 2 5 1 0 26 13 33Salton City 3 763 2 260 80 61 61 5 1 159 137 2 368Salton Sea Beach 422 309 6 4 2 2 82 17 229Seeley 1 739 746 19 7 21 2 793 151 1 489Winterhaven 394 245 4 37 1 0 84 23 261Otherunincorporated areas TotalPopulation White AfricanAmerican NativeAmerican Asian PacificIslander otherraces two ormore races Hispanicor Latino of any race All others not CDPs combined 24 343 15 683 1 849 1 546 355 26 4 059 825 14 8772000 edit As of the census 48 of 2000 there were 142 361 people 39 384 households and 31 467 families residing in the county The population density was 34 people per square mile 13 people km2 There were 43 891 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile 3 9 km2 The racial makeup of the county was 49 4 White 4 0 Black or African American 1 9 Native American 2 0 Asian 0 1 Pacific Islander 39 1 from other races and 3 7 from two or more races 72 2 of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race 65 7 spoke Spanish at home while 32 3 spoke only English There were 39 384 households out of which 46 7 had children under the age of 18 living with them 57 7 were married couples living together 17 1 had a female householder with no husband present and 20 1 were non families 17 1 of all households were made up of individuals and 8 1 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 3 33 and the average family size was 3 77 In the county the population was spread out with 31 4 under the age of 18 9 9 from 18 to 24 30 4 from 25 to 44 18 2 from 45 to 64 and 10 0 who were 65 years of age or older The median age was 31 years For every 100 females there were 109 3 males For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 111 4 males The median income for a household in the county was 31 870 and the median income for a family was 35 226 Males had a median income of 32 775 versus 23 974 for females The per capita income for the county was 13 239 About 19 4 of families and 22 6 of the population were below the poverty line including 28 7 of those under age 18 and 13 6 of those age 65 or over Imperial County has the lowest per capita income of any county in Southern California and among the bottom five counties in the state By 2006 the population had risen to 160 201 the population growth rate since the year 2000 was 30 the highest in California and fifth highest in the United States in the time period High levels of immigration new residents search for affordable homes and a search for retirement homes can explain the population increase Government editThe county is governed by the Imperial County Board of Supervisors a five member board elected by districts 49 Supervisors serve four year terms Other elected county officials include the Assessor 50 Auditor Controller 51 District Attorney 52 County Clerk Recorder 53 Public Administrator 54 Sheriff Coroner 55 and Treasurer Tax Collector 56 The county is run on a day to day basis by the County Executive Officer who is currently Robin Hodgkin on an interim basis The county is advised as to legal matters by the County Counsel who is currently Katherine K Turner 57 58 Politics editVoter registration statistics edit Population and registered votersTotal population 35 171 343 Registered voters 59 note 3 60 690 35 4 Democratic 59 30 599 50 4 Republican 59 14 413 23 7 Democratic Republican spread 59 16 186 26 7 American Independent 59 1 402 2 3 Green 59 141 0 2 Libertarian 59 215 0 4 Peace and Freedom 59 255 0 4 Americans Elect 59 8 0 0 Other 59 358 0 6 No party preference 59 13 299 21 9 Cities by population and voter registration edit Cities by population and voter registration City Population 35 Registered voters 59 note 3 Democratic 59 Republican 59 D R spread 59 Other 59 No party preference 59 Brawley 24 645 37 1 50 5 26 7 23 8 5 9 19 1 Calexico 37 378 39 0 61 8 9 7 52 1 4 2 25 6 Calipatria 7 292 16 0 53 7 18 7 35 0 6 5 23 4 El Centro 42 141 38 1 49 0 25 6 23 4 6 0 21 6 Holtville 5 908 35 3 45 0 28 4 16 6 8 2 21 5 Imperial 14 017 40 9 39 6 32 4 7 2 7 9 23 1 Westmorland 1 714 42 8 56 0 19 5 36 5 7 1 20 0 Overview edit Previously strongly Republican Imperial County is now a Democratic stronghold in presidential congressional and local elections The last Republican to win a majority in the county was George H W Bush in 1988 United States presidential election results for Imperial County California 60 Year Republican Democratic Third partyNo No No 2020 20 847 36 74 34 678 61 11 1 218 2 15 2016 12 704 26 42 32 667 67 93 2 720 5 66 2012 12 777 33 13 25 136 65 18 652 1 69 2008 14 008 36 08 24 162 62 24 650 1 67 2004 15 890 46 36 17 964 52 41 420 1 23 2000 12 524 43 28 15 489 53 53 924 3 19 1996 9 705 36 76 14 591 55 27 2 104 7 97 1992 9 759 38 55 11 109 43 88 4 450 17 58 1988 12 889 55 16 10 243 43 84 233 1 00 1984 13 829 62 01 8 237 36 94 235 1 05 1980 12 068 55 92 7 961 36 89 1 550 7 18 1976 10 618 49 94 10 244 48 18 400 1 88 1972 14 178 62 05 7 982 34 93 689 3 02 1968 10 818 52 91 7 481 36 59 2 147 10 50 1964 10 330 48 06 11 143 51 85 19 0 09 1960 10 606 53 55 9 119 46 04 81 0 41 1956 10 526 56 05 8 197 43 65 58 0 31 1952 11 044 62 13 6 619 37 24 112 0 63 1948 6 217 52 64 5 301 44 89 292 2 47 1944 5 979 53 81 5 085 45 76 48 0 43 1940 6 854 46 59 7 728 52 53 130 0 88 1936 4 771 38 34 7 560 60 75 113 0 91 1932 3 783 29 01 8 772 67 28 484 3 71 1928 5 417 67 61 2 486 31 03 109 1 36 1924 3 455 50 28 759 11 04 2 658 38 68 1920 4 699 64 51 2 022 27 76 563 7 73 1916 2 694 40 46 3 273 49 15 692 10 39 1912 13 0 39 1 295 38 46 2 059 61 15 1908 909 47 64 675 35 38 324 16 98 On November 4 2008 Imperial County voted 69 7 for Proposition 8 which amended the California Constitution to ban same sex marriages showing more support for the proposition than any other strongly Democratic county 61 62 After Prop 8 was declared unconstitutional by a lower federal court Imperial County continued to defend Proposition 8 in the federal judicial system 63 However on February 6 2012 the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied Imperial County legal standing in the case Hollingsworth v Perry 64 Imperial County is in California s 25th congressional district represented by Democrat Raul Ruiz 65 In the state legislature the county is in the 56th Assembly District represented by Democrat Lisa Calderon 66 and the 40th Senate District represented by Republican Brian Jones 67 Crime editThe following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1 000 persons for each type of offense Population and crime ratesPopulation 35 171 343Violent crime 68 590 3 44 Homicide 68 3 0 02 Forcible rape 68 18 0 11 Robbery 68 99 0 58 Aggravated assault 68 470 2 74Property crime 68 3 134 18 29 Burglary 68 1 758 10 26 Larceny theft 68 69 2 944 17 18 Motor vehicle theft 68 940 5 49Arson 68 44 0 26Cities by population and crime rates edit Cities by population and crime ratesCity Population 70 Violent crimes 70 Violent crime rateper 1 000 persons Property crimes 70 Property crime rateper 1 000 personsBrawley 25 570 59 2 31 1 176 45 99Calexico 39 527 108 2 73 1 538 38 91El Centro 43 643 166 3 80 2 477 56 76Holtville 6 088 11 1 81 98 16 10Imperial 15 126 7 0 46 73 4 83Westmorland 2 282 2 0 88 9 3 94Economy editThousands 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 Imperial County and accounts for 48 of all employment 71 Although this region is a desert with high temperatures and low average rainfall of 3 inches 76 mm 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 13 nbsp Irrigation Canal Imperial CountyA 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 1 400 miles 2 300 km of canal and with 1 100 miles 1 800 km of pipeline 14 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 72 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 73 Imperial County produces nearly 2 3 of all vegetables consumed by Americans during the winter 74 El Centro is the commercial center of Imperial County Fifty percent of the jobs in El Centro come from the service and retail sector 71 A recent growth in the interest of Imperial County as a filming location has spurred growth in servicing this industry 71 Because of the county s desert environment and proximity to Los Angeles California movies are sometimes filmed in the sand dunes outside the agricultural portions of the county These have included Return of the Jedi Stargate The Scorpion King and Into the Wild Additionally portions of the 2005 film Jarhead were filmed here because of its similarity to the desert terrain of Iraq citation needed In 2016 Imperial County had the highest unemployment rate of any county in the United States at 23 5 75 Cotton in Imperial County and Riverside is predominantly Bt cotton 76 Supplemental This is in contrast to the rest of the state which largely relies on non incorporated pesticides 76 Supplemental The introduction of Bt cotton has dramatically reduced pesticide use here 76 Supplemental Renewable energy source editImperial Valley has become a hotbed of renewable energy projects both solar and geothermal 77 This is driven in part by California s mandate to generate 20 of its power from renewable sources by the end of 2010 the valley s excellent sun resources the high unemployment its proximity to large population centers on the coast and large tracts of otherwise unusable desert land 77 Much of the land suitable for green energy is owned by the federal government Bureau of Land Management As of April 2008 the BLM has received 163 applications to build renewable energy projects on 1 600 000 acres 6 500 km2 in California Almost all of these are planned for the Imperial Valley and the desert region north of the valley 77 Stirling Energy is currently building one of the world s largest solar thermal plants 10 square miles 26 km2 with 38 000 sun catchers it will power up to 600 000 homes once it is fully operational by around 2015 77 CalEnergy currently runs a geothermal plant that generates enough power for 300 000 homes and could tap into more for up to 2 5 million homes 77 Transportation edit nbsp State Route 86 north of Salton City nbsp Dogwood Bridge over Interstate 8 in El CentroMajor highways edit nbsp Interstate 8 nbsp State Route 7 nbsp State Route 78 nbsp State Route 86 nbsp State Route 98 nbsp State Route 111 nbsp State Route 115 nbsp State Route 186 Imperial County is at the junction of one interstate and three state highways Radiating to the east and west are connections to the Arizona Sun Corridor and San Diego Tijuana metropolitan area via Interstate 8 Blythe and northern San Diego County via State Route 78 the Mexicali Valley via State Route 111 and the Coachella Valley Inland Empire and Los Angeles metropolitan area via State Route 86 Public transportation edit nbsp Imperial Valley Transit busImperial County is served by Greyhound Lines and Imperial Valley Transit buses Through a partnership between Imperial County Transportation Commission ICTC the Yuma County Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority YCIPTA and the Quechan Indian Tribe Yuma County Area Transit buses serve portions of Imperial County and connects it to Yuma Arizona 78 79 Amtrak trains on the Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle route also travel through the county but with no scheduled stops the nearest stop is in Yuma Arizona Airports edit County owned edit Imperial County Airport the county s main airport is primarily a general aviation facility It is located just north of El Centro and has limited commercial flight service subsidized by the Essential Air Service program Holtville Airport is a public use general aviation airport owned by the county and located roughly 5 miles 8 km east of Holtville Municipal ownership edit Brawley Municipal Airport is a public use general aviation airport owned by and located in Brawley Calexico Airport is a public use general aviation field owned by and located in Calexico It is located 15 miles 24 km south of Interstate 8 on State Route 111 It used in part to service maquiladora factories in nearby Mexicali Cliff Hatfield Memorial Airport is a public use general aviation airport owned by and located in Calipatria Privately owned edit Salton Sea Airport is a public use general aviation airport located in Salton City Douthitt Strip Airport is a private use facility in El Centro It was formerly a military airfield Military edit Naval Air Facility El Centro is a U S Navy airfield in El Centro Communities editCities edit Brawley Calexico Calipatria El Centro county seat Holtville Imperial Westmorland Census designated places edit Bombay Beach Desert Shores El Centro NAF Heber Niland Ocotillo Palo Verde Salton Sea Beach Salton City Seeley Winterhaven Unincorporated communities edit Alamorio Andrade Bard Bonds Corner Boulder Park Coyote Wells Date City Dixieland Felicity Glamis Kane Spring Meloland Mount Signal Munyon Obregon Perrys Corner Picacho Plaster City Rockwood Sandia Slab City Former settlements edit Bradtmoore Camp Gaston Carrizo Creek Station Hedges Indian Wells Jaeger City Ogilby Pilot Knob Station Potholes Sackett s Wells Silsbee Tumco Indian Reservations edit Fort Yuma Indian Reservation partially in Yuma County Arizona Torres Martinez Indian Reservation partially in Riverside County Population ranking edit The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Imperial County 80 county seat Rank City Town etc Municipal type Population 2010 Census 1 El Centro City 42 5982 Calexico City 38 5723 Brawley City 24 9534 Imperial City 14 7585 Calipatria City 7 7056 Holtville City 5 9397 Torres Martinez Reservation 81 AIAN 5 5948 Heber CDP 4 2759 Salton City CDP 3 76310 Westmorland City 2 22511 Fort Yuma Indian Reservation 82 partially in Yuma County AZ AIAN 2 18912 Seeley CDP 1 73913 Desert Shores CDP 1 10414 Niland CDP 1 00615 Salton Sea Beach CDP 42216 Winterhaven CDP 39417 Bombay Beach CDP 29518 Ocotillo CDP 26619 Palo Verde CDP 171Area codes edit Main article List of California area codes 442 760 Covers all of the El Centro metropolitan area as well as Palm Springs Oceanside Bishop Ridgecrest Barstow and Needles northern San Diego County and southeastern California including much of the Mojave Desert and the Owens Valley Area code 760 split from area code 619 on March 22 1997 and was overlaid with area code 442 in 2009 In popular culture editAs a filming location edit Scenes for the 2006 film Borat Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan were filmed in Imperial County but were not used in the finished film The majority of Jarhead and The Salton Sea were filmed in the Imperial Valley Scenes from Top Gun were filmed at Naval Air Facility El Centro American Sniper was filmed in El Centro in fall 2014 Scenes from Jumanji The Next Level were filmed in Imperial Dunes the spring of 2019 Cultural references edit Part of Independence Day takes place in the Imperial Valley Tucson based indie rock band Calexico is named after Calexico The 2009 nonfiction book Imperial by William T Vollmann documents the history and culture of Imperial County A companion volume of photographs was published August 18 2009 The Sons of Anarchy spin off Mayans MC takes place in Santo Padre a fictional town in Imperial County The video game Grand Theft Auto V features a county named Blaine County which is based on Imperial County In the 1963 film It s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World Ethel Merman s character is heard talking on a phone to her son saying that she was in some place called Plaster City Plaster City is an unincorporated community in Imperial County Education editSchool districts are 83 Unified Calexico Unified School District Calipatria Unified School District Coachella Valley Unified School District Holtville Unified School District Imperial Unified School District San Pasqual Valley Unified School District Secondary Brawley Union High School District Central Union High School DistrictElementary Brawley Elementary School District El Centro Elementary School District Heber Elementary School District Magnolia Union Elementary School District McCabe Union Elementary School District Meadows Union Elementary School District Mulberry Elementary School District Seeley Union Elementary School District Westmorland Union Elementary School DistrictSee also editNiland Geyser National Register of Historic Places listings in Imperial County California Southern Border Region California Walters CampNotes edit Other Some other race Two or more races Native American Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander American Indian or Alaska Native a b Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow References edit Jesus Eduardo Escobar Supervisor District 1 from Imperial County California Luis A Plancarte Supervisor District 2 from Imperial County California Michael W Kelley Supervisor District 3 from Imperial County California Ryan e Kelley Supervisor District 4 from Imperial County California John Hawk Castillo Supervisor District 5 from Imperial County California Home Blue Angels Peak Peakbagger com Retrieved February 23 2015 Southern shore of the Salton Sea a b c State amp County QuickFacts United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on August 5 2011 Retrieved April 4 2016 American FactFinder Archived from the original on February 14 2020 Retrieved April 19 2019 Find a County National Association of Counties Archived from the original on May 31 2011 Retrieved June 7 2011 1 dead link a b Water Supply Imperial Irrigation District Retrieved April 20 2023 a b Water Transportation System Imperial Irrigation District De Anza Trail Solideas com Retrieved August 3 2009 Naomi Sussman Indigenous Diplomacy and Spanish Mediation in the Lower Colorado Gila River Region 1771 1783 Ethnohistory vol 66 no 2 Apr 2019 pp 329 52 EBSCOhost doi 10 1215 00141801 7298819 Thompson D Jerry 2006 Civil war to the bloody end The life and times of Major General Samuel P Heintzelman San Antonio Texas Texas A amp M University Press ISBN 1 58544 535 5 Tour Imperial Valley CaliforniaResortLife Archived from the original on December 22 2015 Retrieved December 15 2015 This corner of California is suffering economic misery despite boom all around it Los Angeles Times February 5 2019 U S Census Bureau QuickFacts Retrieved February 18 2022 Fort Yuma Militarymuseum org Retrieved August 5 2009 Blue Angels Official Website Blueangels navy mil Archived from the original on April 30 2009 Retrieved August 5 2009 2019 California Mid Winter Fair and Fiesta opens Friday The Desert Review February 25 2019 Retrieved April 1 2019 Imperial Valley Expo Ivexpo com Archived from the original on June 14 2009 Retrieved August 5 2009 Algodones Sand Dunes Retrieved August 5 2009 Rubio Velazquez Javier Loaiciga Hugo A Lopez Carr David March 2 2023 Human Induced Resource Scarcity in the Colorado River Basin and Its Implications for Water Supply and the Environment in the Mexicali Valley Transboundary Aquifer Annals of the American Association of Geographers 113 5 1172 1189 doi 10 1080 24694452 2022 2162477 S2CID 257326957 Retrieved April 20 2023 Things to Do in Yuma Archived from the original on July 13 2009 Retrieved August 5 2009 Tour Imperial Valley CaliforniaResortLife Archived from the original on December 22 2015 Retrieved December 15 2015 Fossil Canyon and Painted Gorge Retrieved August 5 2009 The Painted Gorge From undersea to desert region San Diego Reader February 13 2019 Retrieved November 11 2022 Imperial NWR Archived from the original on June 12 2009 Retrieved August 4 2009 Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Retrieved August 4 2009 2010 Census Gazetteer Files United States Census Bureau August 22 2012 Retrieved September 26 2015 a b Imperial County Archived from the original on May 2 2014 Retrieved August 3 2009 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q U S Census Bureau American Community Survey 2011 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimates Table B02001 U S Census website Retrieved October 26 2013 a b U S Census Bureau American Community Survey 2011 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimates Table B03003 U S Census website Retrieved October 26 2013 a b U S Census Bureau American Community Survey 2011 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimates Table B19301 U S Census website Retrieved October 21 2013 a b U S Census Bureau American Community Survey 2011 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimates Table B19013 U S Census website Retrieved October 21 2013 a b U S Census Bureau American Community Survey 2011 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimates Table B19113 U S Census website Retrieved October 21 2013 a b U S Census Bureau American Community Survey 2011 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimates U S Census website Retrieved October 21 2013 U S Census Bureau American Community Survey 2011 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimates Table B01003 U S Census website Retrieved October 21 2013 Data unavailable U S Decennial Census United States Census Bureau Retrieved September 26 2015 Historical Census Browser University of Virginia Library Retrieved September 26 2015 Forstall Richard L ed March 27 1995 Population of Counties by Decennial Census 1900 to 1990 United States Census Bureau Retrieved September 26 2015 Census 2000 PHC T 4 Ranking Tables for Counties 1990 and 2000 PDF United States Census Bureau April 2 2001 Retrieved September 26 2015 2010 Census P L 94 171 Summary File Data United States Census Bureau U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved May 14 2011 Board of Supervisors Co imperial ca us Archived from the original on May 2 2014 Retrieved November 17 2013 Welcome to the Imperial County Assessor s Office Archived from the original on May 29 2016 Retrieved June 2 2016 County of Imperial Auditor Archived from the original on May 29 2016 Retrieved June 2 2016 Home Co imperial ca us Archived from the original on October 28 2017 Retrieved November 7 2017 website Designed by Leonel Ibarra for The County of Imperial based on ca gov Imperial County Clerk Recorder Department Co imperial ca us Archived from the original on November 7 2017 Retrieved November 7 2017 Public AdministratorArea Agency on Aging Public Administrator Area Agency on Aging Archived from the original on October 22 2017 Retrieved November 7 2017 Imperial County Sheriffs s Office Icso org Retrieved November 7 2017 County of Imperial TC TR Co imperial ca us Archived from the original on October 31 2017 Retrieved November 7 2017 County Counsel County of Imperial Co imperial ca us Archived from the original on October 17 2017 Retrieved November 7 2017 Board selects first woman to County Counsel Retrieved November 7 2017 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q California Secretary of State February 10 2013 Report of Registration Archived July 27 2013 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved October 31 2013 Leip David Dave Leip s Atlas of U S Presidential Elections uselectionatlas org Retrieved November 7 2017 Proposition 8 Map November 4 2008 General Election California Secretary of State Sos ca gov Archived from the original on August 8 2009 Retrieved August 17 2009 Registration by County Sos ca gov Archived from the original on October 12 2009 Retrieved August 17 2009 Fagan Kevin August 26 2010 Imperial County steps up to defend Prop 8 The San Francisco Chronicle Archived from the original on August 25 2010 Retrieved August 25 2010 Denniston Lyle February 6 2012 Prop 8 Final ruling due SCOTUSblog Retrieved June 18 2013 California s 25th Congressional District Representatives amp District Map Civic Impulse LLC Retrieved April 7 2013 Members Assembly State of California Retrieved April 7 2013 Senators State of California Retrieved April 7 2013 a b c d e f g h i j Office of the Attorney General Department of Justice State of California Table 11 Crimes 2009 Archived December 2 2013 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved November 14 2013 Only larceny theft cases involving property over 400 in value are reported as property crimes a b c United States Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation Crime in the United States 2012 Table 8 California Retrieved November 14 2013 a b c El Centro Chamber of Commerce Archived from the original on November 3 2010 Retrieved August 3 2009 Field Seeds Grass Seeds Forage Hay and Silage 2017 and 2012 PDF Report US Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service 2017 p 8 Retrieved April 20 2023 IID Archived from the original on June 3 2009 Retrieved August 3 2009 Quick Facts About Imperial County Agriculture PDF Imperial County Farm Bureau Archived from the original PDF on February 18 2018 Retrieved March 22 2018 Labor Force Data by County 2016 Annual Averages U S Bureau of Labor Statistics Retrieved September 8 2017 a b c Epstein Lynn Bassein Susan 2003 Patterns of Pesticide Use in California and The Implications for Strategies for Reduction of Pesticides Annual Review of Phytopathology Annual Reviews 41 1 351 375 doi 10 1146 annurev phyto 41 052002 095612 ISSN 0066 4286 PMID 14527333 a b c d e Calif Desert Becomes Home For Renewable Energy Rob Schmitz Morning Edition April 3 2009 NPR Route connects El Centro Yuma schurz ivpressonline Archived from the original on December 20 2016 Retrieved December 18 2016 ICTC YCIPTA Quechan Transit Services PDF Imperialctc org Retrieved November 7 2017 2010 U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved February 10 2013 2010 Census Interactive Population Search Archived from the original on January 18 2017 Retrieved December 7 2017 2 dead link 2020 CENSUS SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP Imperial County CA PDF U S Census Bureau Retrieved July 25 2022 Text listExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Imperial County California nbsp Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Imperial County Official website nbsp nbsp Geographic data related to Imperial County California at OpenStreetMap Imperial Irrigation District Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation Statistical profile of Imperial County California 33 02 N 115 21 W 33 04 N 115 35 W 33 04 115 35 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Imperial County California amp oldid 1183262514, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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