Arizona Tribe Leads with Innovative Solar Canal Project
The Gila River Indian Community in Arizona has initiated a groundbreaking project to move toward sustainability and environmental preservation, marking a first in the United States. This innovative initiative involves constructing a solar farm atop the Casablanca irrigation canal, located south of Phoenix on the tribe's reservation. Spanning nearly 3,000 feet, this pilot project is designed to generate clean energy while concurrently addressing water conservation issues exacerbated by persistent drought conditions.
The project draws inspiration from a similar endeavor in India and represents a strategic step toward the tribe's ambitious goal of achieving 100% reliance on renewable energy sources. David DeJong, the director of the Pima-Maricopa Irrigation Project, oversees the project. The solar panels installed over the canal will produce electricity sufficient to power several thousand homes and shade the water below, significantly reducing evaporation.
Funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, the project is expected to cut evaporative water losses by at least 50%, with potential reductions reaching up to two-thirds. This conservation effort saves approximately ten acre-feet of water annually, enough to irrigate about two acres of land. Given the critical role of irrigation canals in supporting agriculture and urban areas in Phoenix and its surrounding suburbs, this project could provide valuable lessons for similar water systems across Central Arizona.
The significance of this project extends beyond its immediate environmental benefits. It represents a cultural and historical continuation of the Gila River Indian Community. Governor Stephen Roe Lewis highlighted the profound connection between the tribe's heritage and the project, noting that the ancient Hohokam people, the tribe's ancestors, were pioneers in developing irrigation canals in Arizona's deserts. Governor Lewis sees this project as a modern extension of their innovative spirit, emphasizing its importance to the tribe's identity and survival.
As the West grapples with severe droughts and water scarcity, the insights gained from the Casablanca solar-over-canal project could inspire and inform similar sustainability efforts across the region, making a small yet potentially significant impact on the region's water management and conservation strategies.
Learn more by visiting WBUR's story, "Arizona tribe first to span canals with solar panels."
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