SRP Announces Canal Dry-up & Maintenance Project from Nov. 20 to Dec. 20
Video Opportunities During the Fish Herding and Removal Will Be Nov. 21 to 26
WHAT:
Portions of the South and Tempe Canals in northwest Mesa will be closed to the public as crews remove fish, drain the canal segment and perform maintenance work from Nov. 20 to Dec. 20. During the project, crews will remove silt, replace concrete lining and repair gates along a stretch of seven to eight miles.
Weed-eating, white amur fish are used in the 131-mile canal system managed by SRP to control aquatic vegetation. Hundreds of white amur fish will be safely corralled and moved to another part of the canal upstream while the targeted portions will be emptied to make way for heavy equipment so crews can make the necessary repairs to the vital system that delivers water for about 2.5 million Valley residents.
The portions of the canal that will be cleaned out will be closed to traffic including bicycles and pedestrians, and signage will be posted where there will be increased construction traffic.
Each fall and winter, SRP performs dry-ups on a rotating 10-year schedule on portions of the canal system. Canal dry-ups allow SRP as well as other utilities and municipalities to perform construction and maintenance activities in and around the canals.
WHEN / WHERE:
Crews will drain and perform maintenance work on the following areas:
A portion of the South Canal from Gilbert and McDowell Roads southwest to Horne and Brown Roads.
A portion of the Tempe Canal from Mesa Drive and Brown Road to just west of Country Club and Brown Roads.
INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITES:
Thursday, Nov. 21 through Tuesday, Nov. 26 – Crews will use large nets to herd the fish, load them onto hauling tanks and move them to other portions of the canal system.
Wednesday, Nov. 27 through Friday Dec. 20 – Crews will inspect the canals, remove silt, replace concrete lining and repair gates.
(Please note: Crews are unavailable on Friday, Nov. 22)
Reporters are welcome to tour the fish herding and canal dry-up process. Contact: Media Relations at (602) 245-0047 or email Patty.Likens@srpnet.com.
SRP is a community-based, not-for-profit public power utility and the largest electricity provider in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, serving about 1.2 million customers. SRP provides water to about 2.5 million Valley residents, delivering 260 billion gallons of water (800,000 acre-feet) each year, and manages a 13,000-square-mile watershed that includes an extensive system of reservoirs, wells, irrigation laterals, and 131 miles of canals.