Salt River Project’s Crosscut Canal

Decades of collaboration has made this network of canal paths a fixture in Arizona’s history.

Quick Facts

  • Location: Tempe, Arizona
  • Primary Function: Water delivery
  • Key Outcome: The 80-mile network of canal paths connects residents across the Valley to multiuse recreation, murals and light installations, community festivals, and local history 
Salt River Project Map
Map of the Salt River Project’s crosscut canal map

The Salt River Project (SRP) provides electricity to approximately 1.2 million customers across the Phoenix metro area and water to 2.5 million Valley residents, managing 13,000 square miles of watershed that includes 131 miles of canals. With the help of the City of Tempe’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement grants as well as the Tempe Transit Tax, an entire network of multiuse canal paths is available to Tempe residents. The SRP first partnered with Maricopa County in 1964 to create the Sun Circle Trail recreational canal path; today, more than 80 miles of canal trails span the Valley. 

What Are the Benefits of Recreation Services?

The expansive network of canal paths connects residents to communities throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area so they can enjoy local landscaping, commissioned public art, and path lighting. Visitors can enjoy walks along the canal, biking, and even fishing. Recreational users can enjoy walking along the Grand Canalscape path and take in the completed art from the Phoenix Mural Festival. The 10-night public art event Canal Convergence is hosted annually along the Arizona canal in November, showcasing local, national, and international artists and their installations along the Scottsdale Waterfront. The canal paths are multiuse and meet the accessibility standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), featuring a variety of pedestrian/bike bridges and connections, local art, and amenities.

Who Was Involved?

Salt River Project Canal
The Salt River Project’s Project Employees Recreational Association canal bike path. (Photo by Rebecca O’Neil)

Salt River Project

The SRP manages the network of canals and sponsors canal events like the Canal Convergence.

City of Tempe

The City of Tempe has helped to secure funding for the development of many of these canal paths within the city through a combination of federal grants and local taxes.

Maricopa County

Maricopa Country partnered with the SRP to create the Sun Circle Trail in 1964, the first recreational canal path in the network. 

Key Project Takeaways

  • Lasting partnerships can create a legacy. Since 1964, the SRP and its partners have worked to create not just a sprawling expanse of recreational paths along the canal and transmission infrastructure but also art and cultural festivals that have become integral to the community.