Phasing out urban flood irrigation is a bad idea
For over 50 years, homeowners in our neighborhood knocked on neighbors’ doors to have them voluntarily donate funds for the flood irrigation system.
Our neighbors gave funds because of the awareness of the benefits of a flood irrigated neighborhood, such as lush green grass, mature trees, shady streets and urban wildlife.
In his April 26 Viewpoints essay, “Don't flinch from the truth. Wave it like a flag to get solutions,” Terry Goddard states “City planners must be bold, perhaps by requiring shade from every building and phasing out flood irrigation.”
Phasing out flood irrigation must be challenged.
Our north-central Phoenix neighborhood could not be replicated today and without flood irrigation the landscape would look and feel much different. Our stately shade trees were established on flood irrigation and their over 50-year-old deep roots would not adapt well to other methods of irrigation.
As has happened in other areas (including Phoenix’s beloved Encanto Park several years ago), a switch away from flood irrigation leaves the trees stressed and likely to topple over in the next big windstorm.
Drive into any flood-irrigated neighborhood in the summer and enjoy the immediate drop in temperature provided by these trees, true champions in the effort to reduce the heat-island effect and increase sustainability. Killing trees reduces shade and increases the cost of cooling homes.
Although flood irrigation may appear to be “wasting” water, well-operated systems are surprisingly efficient and more sustainable than the plasticrich drip- and sprinkler-irrigation systems. Ask a farmer with a laser-leveled field and the farmer will tell you it is both efficient and low tech.
Flood irrigation is so important to the character and quality of life of our neighborhood that we formed an irrigation water delivery district as provided for under Arizona law.
This requires every homeowner in the district to pay, through taxes collected by the county, to ensure the ongoing maintenance and operation of our flood irrigation system. Our neighborhood enthusiastically supported this additional layer of government along with the additional taxes.
Does any politician really want to start a legal fight with homeowners who have legal rights to water? And why would any mayor or City Council member want to destroy the landscape in these flood-irrigated, often historic, neighborhoods. These neighborhoods will never be replicated. The attention on flood irrigation would be better spent supporting this sustainable irrigation approach.
We understand water conservation. We pay our city bill every month like everyone in Phoenix. In addition to our monthly water bill from the city, we pay SRP for the delivery of our irrigation water. We will not, however, willingly give up our rights to water on our lands to accommodate future growth in Phoenix.
We agree that water shortage is a serious issue and deserves attention, but the suggestion to eliminate flood irrigation does not take into account the reality or the complexity of the issue and is an extremely poor choice as the starting point for addressing water issues. Karen Williams is president of Sun View Estates II Property Owners Association. Wendy Wonderley is a board member of Sun View Estates II Irrigation Water Delivery District No. 54.