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Find answers to these and many other questions about Tempe’s most precious resource in … Oasis in the Valley: The Story of Water in Tempe How to buy this book
Eventually, as the town grew, private wells were unable to provide enough water. Recognizing that the town’s future depended on developing a safer, more reliable water supply, Tempe established its municipal water system in 1902. Today that water system, which was originally designed for a population of less than a thousand persons, serves not only Tempe’s 165,000 residents but also the town of Guadalupe and the thousands of persons who visit Tempe each day to study, work, and play. Through all these changes, the canals have remained. So, too, have other reminders of the city’s agricultural heritage: lawns flooded with irrigation water, and the sound of water rushing through underground canal gates. All are part of the story of Tempe’s transformation from a small farming town into Arizona’s most urbanized city—a story in which water plays a starring role and which is told in this concise (52 pages) and engaging book. About the Author Mark Pry is a historian and preservation consultant who has done research projects on a wide range of topics related to Arizona and the Southwest. He is the author of The Town on the Hassayampa: A History of Wickenburg, Arizona and coauthor of Building the Grand Canyon State: Public Works in Arizona History. He holds a doctorate in American history from Arizona State University and lives in Tempe. |
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Ever since Americans and Mexicans settled Tempe in the late 1860s, water has
been central to the town’s development. Salt River water carried by canals and
ditches watered farm fields and town lots, helping to turn Tempe into an oasis
in the desert. Groundwater from hand-dug wells gave Tempeans the water they
needed for drinking, cooking, and bathing.