Today, over two-thirds of the growers use drip irrigation, technology they imported from Israel and California. Water is drawn from deep wells, about 600 feet deep, tapping into subterranean rivers flowing from the Sierra Madre mountain range, just east of this valley. This way, water is delivered close to the root system, not on the surface, which can be evaporated and wasted. Growers here also use different colored plastics to line the melon rows. In cooler regions of this valley, growers will use clear plastic.
Condensation forms underneath the plastic.
As the sun's rays shine through the plastic, each droplet of water condensation acts as a magnifying glass, warming the soil and root systems. This helps plant growth. A healthy plant produces healthy fruit. It also produces more sugar content for the melons. In this valley, there are about 16,000 acres of vegetables and melons growing this time of year.