Waterfalls in Arizona are a rare treat. Most of these happen to be seasonal, so you have to be in the right place at the right time to chance seeing a waterfall in action. Finding one in an urban area? That's even more rare if it's not installed at the entrance of a commercial or residential complex. That is, I think, what makes finding one in a park perfect because it is unexpected and appreciated just a little bit more. Today, we're going to take a look at one urban waterfall right here in Arizona that creates a unique atmosphere out of some unique circumstances.
Welcome to Waterworks at Arizona Falls.
Located in east Phoenix, Waterworks at Arizona Falls is an award-winning public art installation that created a new space for the public to use once again. When you walk through this unassuming entrance for the first time, you get a feel for just how uniquely industrial this spot will be, something a little unexpected for an urban park.
Arizona Falls, it seems, has always been a man-made spot. In the 1880s, when crews were in the middle of reconstructing the Arizona Canal, a solid piece of hard rock posed a complication in their work. Instead of attempting to blast it away, they instead just let the water flow over it, creating a waterfall. Initially, the land was naturally developed into a little oasis. Trees and grasses were planted in the area and locals began using it as a picnicking area.
However, in 1900 a campaign began to install power plants along the canal, including right in this newly created Arizona Falls.
A hydroelectric power plant was installed right over Arizona Falls in 1902, the first of its kind to be built in Phoenix. But things didn't initially work out for the plant. Within three years, flood waters destroyed the new plant and a new one was constructed in 1913 when the Salt River Valley Water Users Association assisted in rebuilding efforts (it is now known simply as the Salt River Project).
The falls were covered up entirely until 1950 when the plant was shut down. It sat an eyesore to the area and the original waterfall was forgotten to new residents until an idea came about to restore the area into something the public could use once again.
In 2003, the City of Phoenix and SRP unveiled the Waterworks at Arizona Canal project, which sought to revitalize the waterfall and create a new public use area. The end result? A new location used by pedestrians, joggers, cyclists, and photographers.
Here's a video that shows off the park's beauty and peaceful side in action. It shows that even in our blazing hot summers (when the video was filmed), at least part of Phoenix can seem like an oasis.
Details: Waterworks at Arizona Falls is located on Indian School Road just east of 56th Street in Phoenix. Parking is available in the small park next to the waterfall.
Have you ever visited Arizona Falls? What was your impression of the art installation?
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