The Salt River Project (SRP) said last week that parts of the Crosscut, Arizona and Grand canals north of the Salt River are being drained for annual maintenance, affecting the water supply and restricting recreational canal access through Feb. 8 for Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria and north Tempe.

Crews will be removing mud and debris, repairing concrete and relocating weed-eating fish in the three canals. The canals will be off limits to recreational activity during the maintenance and water supply may be interrupted for short periods of time.

This is the third year of SRP’s seven-year canal dry-up plan. The canal system dry-up is conducted in order to allow SRP, along with other utility companies and local jurisdictions, to use the maintenance period to perform construction projects and canal inspections.

Grand Canal, where most of the major construction work is scheduled to be performed, will be dry between Thomas and McKellips roads and from 43rd to 75th avenue. A construction project already begun in December during the south side dry-up, involving pipe installation at 99th and Missouri avenues, is expected to be completed by early February.