IID Ratifies Tropical Storm Rachel Emergency as Crews Restore Power, Canal
Board of Directors • Imperial Irrigation DistrictOctober 15, 2026
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The Imperial Irrigation District's Board of Directors met in a brief special session Oct. 15, 2026, to formally confirm what crews in the Imperial and Coachella valleys already knew: Tropical Storm Rachel hit district power and water systems hard. On a voice vote, the board adopted Resolution No. 22-2026. The resolution ratifies the general manager's emergency declaration and positions the district to pursue cost recovery alongside state and county emergency proclamations.
- Board ratifies storm emergency declaration through Resolution 22-2026 on a voice vote
- More than 2,300 power customers affected, with residential service restored within 12 hours
- Westside Main Canal breached by desert runoff, now reported fully functional
- Damage assessments continue for cost recovery as crews finish MW1 line work
- Centinela Prison rationing water, and a director asks IID for water trucks
Board Locks In Emergency Status After Storm
The basics: Resolution No. 22-2026 ratifies General Manager Jamie Asbury's Oct. 13 emergency declaration and proclamation of a continuing local emergency from Tropical Storm Rachel. Ratification is the board's formal endorsement of an emergency action staff has already taken.
Why it matters: The district's declaration now lines up with the governor's statewide emergency proclamation of Sept. 21 and the County of Imperial's local emergency of Oct. 9. Staff said that alignment is meant to help expedite cost recovery for repairs to power and canal infrastructure. Those costs ultimately land on ratepayers and water users if they are not recovered.
Where things stand: The storm struck Sunday, Oct. 11. It damaged transmission and distribution infrastructure in both valleys, along with water infrastructure on the west side. Sabrina Barber of the Power Department said a little over 2,300 power customers were affected. She reported that 25 circuits and 22 substations were impacted and that 25 to 30 poles were damaged.
Restoration moved quickly. Residential customers had power back within 12 hours. All but a few commercial customers, mostly pumps, were restored by Tuesday, Oct. 13. Staff framed the relatively limited pole damage as a sign that prior infrastructure investments are holding up.
The water side: Runoff from the west-side desert poured through Yucca and Coyote washes and breached the Westside Main Canal. The flooding damaged canal banks and washed out roads. A water-side staff member said the floodwater was desert runoff rather than district supply. "There was no water from the Colorado River in the channel in the Westside Main," the staff member said.
When a director asked about the canal's current condition, the staff member answered directly: "It is fully functional."
Still open: The work is not finished. Crews are completing repairs on the MW1 line, and staff are still documenting losses. "We're still working on the assessments, taking photos, collecting information for our cost recovery purposes," said Barber.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Vice Chairman JB Hamby, Division 2, moved to approve the staff recommendation. Director Lewis Pacheco, Division 4, seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote. No individual tally was announced, and no dissent was recorded.
Before the vote, Board Chair Karin Eugenio, Division 5, credited the district's workforce, saying "staff has done a really good job in preparing for these storms."
The near-term winners are residential and commercial power customers, who saw service restored fast. West-side water users depend on the Westside Main, which is back in operation. The open question for ratepayers is how much of the repair bill the district can recover through the emergency framework. Final damage figures have not yet been presented.
What's next: Staff will continue damage assessments for cost recovery and complete work on the MW1 line. No date was given for a final damage or cost report to the board.
Centinela Prison Water Strain Reaches the Dais
Why it matters: The storm's reach extended beyond IID's own lines to a major institutional water user on the west side.
Where things stand: A director reported driving out to the affected area and seeing Interstate 8 reduced to one lane. The director relayed a request from Centinela Prison. "Centinela Prison is down to water rationing," the director said. The director put the facility at about 30% capacity and asked that its request for water trucks be forwarded to staff.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The response from the dais was supportive. Another speaker said they would be happy to help. The board took no formal action on the request, and no commitment on timing or volume was stated.
What's next: Any water-truck coordination will run through district staff. Watch for an update on whether IID assistance reached the facility.
Minor Items
- Community thanks: Directors thanked staff, a west-side farmer and Magnolia School for its quick pole repair.
- Travel impact: A director reported Interstate 8 was down to one lane in the storm-affected area.
Looking Ahead
The emergency declaration is ratified, but the storm's financial story is still being written. Ratepayers and west-side water users should watch for staff's final damage assessment and cost-recovery figures. They should also look for confirmation that MW1 line repairs and canal-related road fixes are complete. The staff report for the item is available on the district's agenda attachment.