economy
A developer says drying up farmland could help build California's largest AI data center
The developer of what would be the largest AI data center in California wants to use Colorado River water currently tied to farmland.
TL;DR
- A developer is suing the Imperial Irrigation District for access to 287 million gallons of Colorado River water to build California's largest AI data center.
- The project involves fallowing farmland and using its water allocation to cool the data center, instead of increasing demand on the river.
- This plan raises questions about diverting water from agriculture to support the AI boom, particularly in the drought-prone Imperial Valley.
- Critics express concern about job losses in agricultural communities and the "buy and dry" practice of converting farmland for industrial use.
- The developer argues the data center will bring significant economic benefits, including jobs and economic improvement, to Imperial County, which has a high unemployment rate.