Coachella Valley

The Coachella Valley is an irrigated agricultural and recreational desert valley in southern California east of Los Angeles. The valley extends for approximately 45 miles (72 km) in Riverside County southeast from the San Bernardino Mountains to the Salton Sea. It is approximately 15 miles (24 km) wide along most of its length, bounded on the west by the San Jacinto Mountains and the Santa Rosa Mountains and on the north and east by the Little San Bernardino Mountains. The San Andreas Fault crosses the valley from the Chocolate Mountains in the southeast corner and along the centerline of the Little San Bernardinos. The fault is easily visible along its northern length as a strip of greenery against an otherwise bare mountain. The Chocolate Mountains are home to a United States Navy live gunnery range and are mostly off-limits to the public.

Related Topics:
Coachella Valley - Irrigated - Desert - California - Los Angeles - Riverside County - San Bernardino Mountains - Salton Sea - San Jacinto Mountains - Santa Rosa Mountains - Little San Bernardino Mountains - San Andreas Fault - Chocolate Mountains - United States Navy

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Although geographically the valley is the northwestern extension of the Colorado Desert to the southeast, the irrigation of over 100,000 acres (405 km²) of the valley since the early 20th century has allowed widespread agriculture. In its 2003 annual report, the Coachella Valley Water District listed the year's total crop value at over $550 million or just over $8000 per acre ($2/m²). The Coachella Canal, a concrete-lined aqueduct built between 1938 and 1948 as a branch of the All-American Canal, brings water from the Colorado River to the valley. The Colorado River Aqueduct, which provides drinking water to Los Angeles and San Diego, crosses the northeast end of the valley along the base of the Little San Bernardino Mountains.

Related Topics:
Colorado Desert - 20th century - Agriculture - Coachella Canal - 1938 - 1948 - All-American Canal - Colorado River - Colorado River Aqueduct - San Diego

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The valley is the primary date-growing region in the United States, responsible for nearly 95 percent of the nation's crop and is celebrated each year in Indio during the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival. The earliest attempt at growing dates came about in 1890 when the United States Department of Agriculture imported date palm shoots from Iraq and Egypt. Sixty-eight shoots were distributed across the Southwest in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Yuma, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, and several California cites: Indio, Pomona, Tulare and National City. The imports were almost all male seedlings and produced poor fruit. The Coachella Valley showed promise, so USDA horticulturist Bernard Johnson planted a number of shoots that he brought back from Algeria in September, 1903. On his own initiative, Johnson imported more shoots from Algeria in 1908 and again in 1912. The area's entire date industry can be traced back to those original USDA experiments near present-day Mecca. Other agricultural products cultivated in the valley include fruits and vegetables, especially table grapes and peppers along with avocados, artichokes, corn, citrus fruits, grain and cotton. The Coachella grapefruit originated in the region.

Related Topics:
Date - County Fair - 1890 - United States Department of Agriculture - Iraq - Egypt - Las Cruces, New Mexico - Yuma, Arizona - Phoenix, Arizona - Pomona - Tulare - National City - Algeria - 1903 - 1908 - 1912 - Grapes - Pepper - Avocado - Artichoke - Corn - Citrus - Cotton - Grapefruit

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The town of Coachella is the primary shipping point for agricultural goods. The popular resort community of Palm Springs sits at the northwest end of the valley. Other communities in the valley include Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Desert Hot Springs, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta and Indio. Unincorporated areas and towns include Bermuda Dunes and Thousand Palms in the west end of the valley with Indio Hills, Sky Valley, North Palm Springs and Garnet along the northern rim along with Thermal, Valerie Jean, Vista Santa Rosa, Oasis and Mecca to the southeast. The Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, Twentynine Palms Band of Mission Indians, Agua Caliente Band of Mission Indians and the Torres-Martinez tribe each have reservations in the area.

Related Topics:
Coachella - Palm Springs - Cathedral City - Rancho Mirage - Desert Hot Springs - Palm Desert - Indian Wells - La Quinta - Indio - Bermuda Dunes - Thousand Palms - Indio Hills - Sky Valley - North Palm Springs - Garnet - Thermal - Valerie Jean - Vista Santa Rosa - Oasis - Mecca - Cabazon Band of Mission Indians - Twentynine Palms Band of Mission Indians - Agua Caliente Band of Mission Indians - Torres-Martinez

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The valley's northwest entrance from the Inland Empire along Interstate 10 is known as the "San Gorgonio Pass" and is one of the windiest places on earth. Cool coastal air is forced through the pass and mixes with the hot desert air, making the San Gorgonio Pass one of only three ideal places in California for steady, wind-generated electricity. Hundreds of huge wind turbines spread across the desert and hills on either side of the highway greet visitors as they approach the crest of the pass and have become somewhat of a symbol of the area. The state's other wind farms are in the Tehachapi Pass between Mojave and Bakersfield and in the Altamont Pass near Livermore.

Related Topics:
Inland Empire - Interstate 10 - Tehachapi Pass - Mojave - Bakersfield - Altamont Pass - Livermore

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