As the Coachella Valley continues to grow, state officials say the challenge is finding ways to accommodate new housing and development while protecting the desert landscape and ensuring communities have adequate water.
California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot recently discussed that balance and what responsible development could look like in the Coachella Valley.
Crowfoot, who has served as California’s Natural Resources Secretary since 2019, oversees the state agency responsible for managing and protecting California’s natural environment and resources.
California has nearly 40 million residents and more than 100 million acres of land, Crowfoot said, creating a need to balance housing and infrastructure needs with conservation.
“We’re focused on building more housing, building more clean energy infrastructure, rehabilitating the transportation infrastructure we have, and conserving these incredible landscapes that make California so special,” Crowfoot said.
In the Coachella Valley, Crowfoot said responsible development should focus on areas where infrastructure, transportation and jobs already exist.
“It looks like building housing where transportation exists and where the jobs are,” he said.
Crowfoot said local and state officials can work together to identify areas where development can strengthen existing communities while preserving environmentally sensitive areas.
Among the areas he identified for protection are desert washes and arroyos, which can serve an important role in moving water during storms.
“You obviously don’t want to build there,” Crowfoot said, noting that washes can also pose safety concerns during flooding.
He also pointed to steeply sloped areas near mountain open space as places that may be better suited for preservation because of their environmental value and challenges associated with development.
Instead, Crowfoot suggested looking at vacant lots within existing Coachella Valley communities as potential locations for new housing.
“Maybe there are vacant lots already in existing cities and towns in the Coachella Valley where we can help facilitate development,” he said.
Water is another central consideration as the region grows.
Crowfoot said California and Southern California have made progress in water conservation and efficiency, helping communities stretch existing supplies. The state’s Water Resilience Portfolio also emphasizes maintaining and diversifying water supplies, improving water-use efficiency and coordinating among local, regional and state agencies.
For new housing, Crowfoot said there should be a clear expectation that adequate water can be provided.
“The good news is we’re becoming more efficient with water,” he said. “We’re becoming more flexible with the way that we use water, but we obviously want to ensure that our communities can continue to have enough water.”
He said the state and local governments share responsibility for making sure new development has the necessary infrastructure, including water and power.
The approach reflects a broader state effort to balance development with conservation. In the Coachella Valley, the state has also supported conservation efforts, including projects involving the Salton Sea and protection of desert and mountain landscapes.
For a region facing continued development pressure, Crowfoot said the central question is ultimately where growth should occur and which areas should remain protected.
“Ultimately it comes down to planning, figuring out where is most appropriate to develop and where is most appropriate to conserve,” he said.
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