Hydro Works Here: IID Recognizes National Hydropower Day by Imperial Irrigation District Aug 25, 2026 Member Submitted News In recognition of National Hydropower Day, the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) is highlighting the water and power infrastructure that has helped serve the Imperial and Coachella Valley for generations. This year’s National Hydropower Day theme, Hydro Works!, recognizes the many ways hydropower supports communities, including clean energy, reliable electricity, local jobs, water resource management, and long-term energy reliability. For IID, hydro works through a unique connection between Colorado River water, the All-American Canal, and the District’s public power system. Recognizing the potential to harness electric power from the nearly 200-foot drop in elevation along the All-American Canal between the Colorado River and the Imperial Valley, IID entered the public power business in 1936, offering rates that were 20 percent lower than those of the competing private utility at the time. “Hydropower is part of IID’s history and part of our ongoing work to provide reliable service to the communities we serve,” said IID Board Chairwoman Karin Eugenio. “The same water system that supports our farms, homes and local economy also helps generate renewable energy for our region.” Imperial Dam, completed in 1938, remains a key part of the regional water delivery system, diverting Colorado River water into the All-American Canal. As that water moves through the canal system, IID’s hydroelectric drop facilities use the force of moving water to turn turbines and generate electricity. The completion of Drop 4 in 1941 marked IID’s first hydroelectric generation. Revenue from hydropower sales to local customers helped repay the $25 million construction cost of the All-American Canal. Today, IID operates five drops along the All-American Canal, as well as the Pilot Knob Power Plant, which diverts water through the All-American Canal to generate power before returning it to the Colorado River for delivery to Mexico. IID’s local hydropower resources also include the East Highline Hydroelectric Plant, Double Weir Hydroelectric Plant, and Turnip Mini Hydro. Together, IID’s local hydropower facilities represent approximately 85.8 megawatts of generation capacity. IID also imports hydropower generated at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Hoover, Parker, and Davis dams on the Lower Colorado River. Hydropower remains IID’s greenest and most cost-effective power supply, providing reliable and cost-effective electricity for the Imperial and Coachella valleys. It also reflects the region’s long-standing relationship between water delivery, agriculture, public power and local reliability. “Hydro works here because water and power have always been connected in the Imperial Valley,” Eugenio said. “It supports clean energy, strengthens reliability and reminds us that IID’s infrastructure continues to serve multiple public benefits.” National Hydropower Day is observed each year on Aug. 24 to recognize hydropower’s role in providing reliable electricity and supporting communities across the country. For more information about IID programs and services, visit www.iid.com.
