Consolidated Canal, South of the Salt River, Chandler Vicinity, Maricopa County, Arizona - AZ-55 - Written Historical and Descriptive Data, Photographs

Summary

The Consolidated Canal conveys water for agricultural, municipal and industrial uses south of the Salt River. In addition, the canal right-of-way is utilized for three separate and distinct city recreation thoroughfares.

The Consolidated Canal played a crucial role in the development of agriculture in the Salt River Valley, the early evolution of the city of Chandler, and the unification of the Salt River Project’s consolidated southside canal system. Historic portions of the canal featured irrigation structures that aligned with prehistoric Hohokam Indian waterways, and dated from the late nineteenth century, and the early twentieth century.

On October 3, 1890, the Phoenix Herald reported an extraordinary plan of local veterinarian Dr. A. J. Chandler. He intended to unify the already existing Mesa, Utah, Tempe and San Francisco canals into one “great south-side connecting canal.” Dr. Chandler was committed to the development of large tracts of desert land that lay south of the Salt River and the small town of Mesa. The success or failure of his investments hinged on the availability of water, an exceedingly precious commodity. To secure adequate water for his newly acquired lands, Chandler, like the settlers that had come to the area before him, looked to the river that brought life-sustaining water. He envisioned an irrigation arrangement on the south side to mirror the elaborate canal systems supporting successful agricultural production on the north side of the Salt River. At the core of Dr. Chandler’s vision was the Consolidated Canal; success was dependent on completion of the canal and thus, the flow of water to his uncultivated lands. This report will provide a complete history of the Consolidated Canal, from its origins to its emergence in the 21st century as an important component of the Salt River Valley’s urban and rural water-delivery system.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Salt River Project Digital Library

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Daniel Garcia

Record Identifiers

HAER No.(s): AZ-55

File Information