Palo Verde Valley Water Conservation
Year Awarded: Fiscal Year 2018
USDA Funding: $3,722,200
Partner-Contributed Funding: $43,280,000
Project Timeline: 2018 - 2023
Conservation Program Funded: Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program (PL-566)
California Counties: Riverside County
Lead Partner: Palo Verde Resource Conservation District (PVRCD) founded in the 1950’s is a volunteer, locally lead Special District in Riverside County, California working cooperatively with Federal, State, County, and Local Agencies to provide technical, research, educational, and financial assistance to agricultural producers within defined areas of Eastern Riverside and North East Imperial Counties. These parties have the common objectives of sustainably utilizing, managing, and conserving our natural resources.
Collaborating Partners:
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California Certified Organic Farmers
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Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
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Palo Verde Irrigation District
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University of California Cooperative Extension
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Walton Family Foundation
Project Summary
The Palo Verde RCPP proposes to make protective structural improvements, and to conserve water through incentivizing deficit irrigation and organic production. These measures will advance drought resiliency, soil health, water quality, habitat conservation, water accounting and critically important regional water conservation efforts in the Colorado River Basin (CRB). Today Palo Verde Irrigation District (PVID) growers are engaging in Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) negotiations with the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to conserve water for Lake Mead, which is at critically low levels. This RCPP is designed to facilitate voluntary grower contributions to that effort. PVID holds unquantified first priority rights to Colorado River water established in 1877 to irrigate 104,500 acres in Riverside and Imperial counties, California, along the Colorado River. PVID participation in DCP sought by BOR and other Colorado River water users.
NRCS Contact
Greg Norris, State Conservation Engineer
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Davis State Office, California
Phone: (530) 792-5609
Email: greg.norris@usda.gov
Evan Olivas, District Conservationist
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Blythe Field Office
Riverside County
Phone: (760) 922-3446
Email: evan.olivias@usda.gov