Portions of Arizona Canal closing for dry-up, maintenance

PHOENIX — Don’t be surprised if the canals look a little dry when you’re driving around the Valley.

The Salt River Project will start working on its annual canal dry-up, maintenance and construction project on Thursday.

SRP crews will be draining and closing parts of about eight miles of the Arizona Canal in Scottsdale until Feb. 7.

Workers will herd fish from Friday to Jan. 13. From Jan. 12 to Feb. 7, maintenance crews will use excavators and dump trucks for repairs.

How will the project to dry up Valley canals impact residents?

This project won’t impact metro Phoenix residents’ water supplies. However, irrigation customers won’t receive water from the canals during the project.

SRP is also focusing on repairing parts of the canal system damaged by the devastating storms that hit the Valley late last year.

SRP said this project:

• Maintains critical canal infrastructure.
• Protects waterways.
• Prevents the loss of water.
• Provides more community recreation spaces.

Every fall and winter, SRP shuts down parts of the canal system for maintenance, following a rotating 10‑year schedule.

Crews will erect signage related to the project on the Arizona Canal from Mesa Drive and Camelback Road west to 68th Street and Indian School Road.

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