Grand Canal (Arizona)

Grand Canal is a canal in Maricopa County in the US state of Arizona . The Grand Canal begins today east of Glendale Municipal Airport and runs about 37 kilometers through the southern suburbs of Phoenix (Arizona) , it ends in the reservoir of the Salt River Dam in the suburb of Tempe.

The canal is considered to be the oldest remaining pioneer canal on the north side of the Salt River . The Grand Canal was planned in 1877 and built by the Grand Canal Company in 1878 . The federal government bought the Grand Canal for $ 20,488 in June 1906. Floods occurred almost every year as a result of heavy rainfall and the low gradient in the neighboring districts. The canal was originally used to irrigate agricultural crops, but is now also used for fire protection as an extinguishing water reservoir. In the eastern section in particular, minor corrections were made to the original course several times as a result of the expansion of the settlements and roads.

Web links

• Photo series of flood events in Phoenix / Arizona since the 1940s (Panoramio, images from the local civil protection agency)
• Map of Maricopa County

Coordinates: 33 ° 31 '22 "  N , 112 ° 17' 23"  W.