The History of the SRP Canal System

The History of the SRP Canal System

Year: 2020

Summary

Booklet gives a brief overview of the history of SRP and the canal system.

"The Salt River Project (SRP) began as a partnership between the federal government and landowners in Central Arizona – a partnership that has allowed the area to flourish.

When landowners formed the Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association (the Association) over a century ago, it signaled a turning point in the rise of Phoenix as a major Southwestern city. SRP became one of the nation’s first reclamation projects in 1903. Working with the federal government, the Association built dams along the Salt and Verde rivers that fed an extensive canal system. This infrastructure provided a regular flow of water to farmers who had previously faced a vicious cycle of drought and flood.

SRP grew and evolved to meet the needs of a growing and changing community. Between 1920 and 1930, SRP expanded its pioneering hydroelectric generation and built power lines to deliver electricity to people in rural areas of the Salt River Valley. Today, SRP’s water storage and delivery system delivers roughly 800,000 acre-feet to the Salt River Valley every year.

For nearly 120 years, Arizonans have looked to SRP for community leadership and dependable water and power. Today, SRP is continuing its legacy – providing low-cost, reliable water and electricity to people in the Valley so our communities can continue to thrive."