The Gila River Indian Community said it has signed an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to install solar panels on irrigation canals on its property south of Phoenix, Arizona.

The first phase of the project will cover approximately 1,000 feet (304.8 meters) of irrigation canals to reduce water loss through evaporation. The project is expected to demonstrate the feasibility of solar canopy irrigation canals, with the potential to add additional construction length to community solar canopy canals in subsequent phases. The Army Corps of Engineers expects to complete construction on the first phase of the project in 2025.

The investment cost of the first phase of the project is US$6.744 million, which will add 1 MW of solar power generation while reducing water evaporation in the irrigation canals. The project received US$517,000 in funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and construction funds for the second phase of the project are also expected to come from the Bureau of Reclamation. The bureau is implementing a grant program established by Congress to pilot solar-powered irrigation canals.