Arizona Dam - Mesa, AZ
Posted by: 
Azbarite
N 33° 32.050 W 111° 40.263
12S E 437692 N 3710708
An abandoned dam on the Salt River originally used to divert water into Phoenix's northern canals. Completed around 1890, washed out in 1905 and replaced with the Granite Reef Dam 2 miles downstream.
Waymark Code: WMQ62X
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 12/27/2015
Views: 11
According to a history of the Arizona Canal written by Shelley C. Dudley for the Salt River Project, the Arizona Dam was built to divert water into the original Arizona Canal. The Arizona Canal was planned in 1883 to provide irrigation water for the Phoenix area. The Arizona Dam was completed around 1891 after several previous attempts had been washed out by flooding. The dam was built of masonry, stone and timber. It was washed out in a large flood in 1905 and replaced with the Granite Reef Dam 2 miles downstream.
What's left of the dam is a stone and masonry canal headgate on the west side of the river covered with modern day spray painted pictographs.
Reference:
(
visit link)
To locate:
Drive north on Power Rd. from East Mesa, Power Rd. turns into Bush Hwy. in the Tonto National Forest, Salt River Recreation Area.
1) Park along Bush Highway south of the dam site coordinates and follow a well traveled horse trail to the site.
2) Continue on Bush Hwy. and turn left onto Phon D. Sutton Rd. and park along road just north of power line crossing. Cross stock fence (be careful of barbed wire) and follow horse trails west to near river and then south (avoiding thick brush) to dam coordinates.
3) There are roads to the site on the west side of the river but they are restricted access due to their location on the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community. Permissions would be required.
Salt Cedar brush is very heavy in some locations along the river. Look for horse trails or abandoned roads for access to the river through the brush.