Portions of 2 Valley canals to be closed, drained for maintenance starting next week
Nov 14, 2023, 9:13 AM
PHOENIX — Portions of two East Valley canals will be closed and drained starting next week to clear the way for maintenance work, Salt River Project announced.
The weed-eating fish that live in the affected areas will be relocated during the project, which starts Monday and is scheduled to run until Dec. 20.
Sections of SRP’s 131-mile canal system are drained each fall and winter to allow construction and maintenance.
The upcoming dry-up will take place on the Consolidated Canal from Stapley Drive to Broadway Road and the Eastern Canal from Guadalupe Road to Pecos Road. The segments are in Mesa and Gilbert south of the Salt River.
Bicycle and pedestrian traffic won’t be allowed on the canal trails during the closures.
How will SRP remove fish from drained canals?
SRP, which provides water for about half of metro Phoenix, uses white amur fish to control aquatic vegetation in the canals.
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Before the maintenance begins, crews will corral the fish, catch them in large nets and load them into hauling tanks to be distributed in other parts of the canal system.
Once the waterways are empty, crews will conduct inspections, remove silt, replace concrete lining and repair gates.
They can also look for evidence of invasive adult quagga mussels while the canals are dry.
