SRP Eastern Canal Dry-up Starts Nov. 20

WHAT:

Portions of the Eastern Canal on the south side of the Salt River will be drained over the next month for annual maintenance and construction activities. This will impact some of SRP’s southside irrigation customers who will not receive water from the canals during the dry-up.

This southside dry-up will result in increased construction traffic on canal banks as SRP crews work to remove silt, replace concrete lining and repair gates.

WHEN / WHERE:

The southside dry-up will take place from Nov. 20 to Dec. 20.

There will be signage posted where portions of the canal from McKellips to Southern roads in Mesa will be closed to all traffic including bikes and pedestrians. Under no circumstances should local residents enter the canals.

WHY:

SRP is responsible for keeping its canal system in operating condition during normal water deliveries. Canal dry-ups allow SRP as well as other utilities and municipalities to perform construction and maintenance activities in and around the canals. SRP crews also will use the dry-up to examine the canals and underwater structures to look for evidence of invasive adult quagga mussels.

VISUALS:

Crews will be in the canal using large nets to herd white amur fish and will load them onto hauling tanks that will deliver them to other portions of the canal system.

The fish herding and relocation of the fish will start Nov. 20 and will continue through Nov. 23. Weed-eating, white amur fish are used by SRP to control aquatic vegetation in its 131-mile Valley canal system.

Front loaders and heavy equipment will be used to pull silt and dirt from the canal and moving it to large dump trucks throughout the dryup.

Reporters are welcome to tour the fish herding and canal dryup process. Contact: Patty Garcia-Likens at (602) 245-0047.