Imperial Valley

The Imperial Valley is a desert region in Southern California spanning Imperial and Riverside counties, centered on the city of El Centro. It runs about 50 miles southeast from the Salton Sea toward the Mexican border, bounded by the Colorado River to the east, and lies well below sea level, with El Centro itself about 50 feet below sea level. The valley remained essentially uninhabited until 1901, when the Imperial Canal opened and diverted Colorado River water into the valley through Mexico, after which it developed into a major agricultural region blending American and Mexican cultures along the international border. Its major towns include Brawley, Calexico and El Centro, and its rich lithium deposits, used in electric vehicles and electronics, have more recently earned it the nickname Lithium Valley.