To read about the historical development and characteristics of the eight canals SRP manages, see our canal characteristics page. The Hohokam Archaeologists believe the Hohokam Indians were peaceful farmers who inhabited the Salt River Valley for about a thousand years, from A.D. 300 to 1450. They are most noted for constructing irrigation ditches with stone hoes. The Hohokam canal system traversed nearly 500 miles and may have served as many as 50,000 people at a time. The Indians lived here for more than 1,000 years, but left the Valley by about A.D. 1450.
Nobody knows exactly why they left.
The Hohokam set the groundwork for today's major canal system, which follows many of the same paths. The precise locations of all the Hohokam canals are unknown. During the past 100 years, ruined Hohokam villages were plowed under or paved over on both sides of the Salt River from Mesa to Tolleson. By 1920, archaeologists had identified 150 miles of ancient canals, most of which have been destroyed by land development. Even so, steps have been taken to preserve some Hohokam history.