Urban waterways : changing historical uses and users in a southwestern desert city

This study traces the changing historical uses of irrigation canals and documents current activities along the canals in a rapidly urbanizing section of the Phoenix metropolitan area in the State of Arizona in the southwestern United States. The Highline and Western Canals, in an area of South Phoenix, provide a case study for understanding the role of the canals as their surroundings change from agricultural land use to an urban context. Reviews of land use changes, archival data, and photographs; interviews with local leaders; and canal user surveys offer a historical picture of the area, describe the characteristics of today's canal users, and provide a context for planning of the canal system. This study serves as a pilot project for further research about the users and historical and current uses of canals that run through urbanizing cities. Survey findings indicate that two-thirds of the canal way users are male. Sixty percent of the respondents are in the 30- to 49-year old age group. The most frequent activity noted on the canal path is bicycling, accounting for approximately four-fifths of all activity, while other activities observed on the canal paths include walking, jogging, and horseback riding. Statistical analysis suggests that the gender of the respondent is directly related to his or her safety concerns, regardless of the activity involvement, with almost four times as many women being concerned about personal safety as men. A key finding of the survey was that almost 60% of the canal users have resided in the same dwelling for more than ten years, suggesting the opportunity to involve these long-term residents in canal planning activities. The historical picture offered in this study, along with data about present canal uses and users, can provide planners with a clearer picture of the urban system that surrounds these irrigation canals. Their potential as an amenity for urban communities can be better realized if planners take into account their history and their present uses.