Photo By Robert DeDeaux | The Gila River Indian Community and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles...... read more read more
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District, in partnership with the Gila River Indian Community, celebrated the completion of the district’s first solar-over-canal project during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Dec. 11 at the Gila River Indian Reservation in Arizona.
“The Gila River Indian Community is the first tribe in the U.S. to partner with USACE through the Tribal Partnership Program with the project,” said Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Roe Lewis.
During the ceremony, Col. Andrew Baker, LA District commander, highlighted the importance of partnership in completing innovative projects that provide renewable energy to community members:
• This is the first USACE Los Angeles District Tribal Partnership Program project to reach active construction.
• This was the first solar-over-canal project to start construction in the U.S.
• This community was the first to implement this technology, resulting in significant reduction in water loss and reducing greenhouse gas emissions generated by electrical power production.
“This completion of this project represents broader community impact, nearly net-zero carbon neutral renewable energy production, and a strong partnership among USACE and the Gila River Indian Community,” Baker said.
Phase I of the project covers about 1,000 feet of canal, a small portion of a larger project that includes additional miles of the community’s irrigation system, which is one of the most comprehensive irrigation systems in Arizona.
“I oversee all planning, design and construction of the P-MIP system, including the solar projects,” said David H. DeJong, director of the Pima-Maricopa Irrigation Project, in a written statement. “It was scheduled to be the first in the Western Hemisphere, but our Phase 2 Casa Blanca Solar over Canal project actually was completed first.”
The estimated cost of Phase I of the project is $6.7 million. It is expected to produce about 1,000 kilowatts of renewable energy to offset energy needs and costs for tribal farmers.
“USACE is a very unique federal agency and is very methodical,” said DeJong. “It is fitting that this project is in Indian Country and that indigenous people can lead the way in developing culturally compatible energy.”
Construction of the project includes solar panels placed over a portion of the community’s canal to conserve water and generate renewable energy for tribal irrigation facilities.
“Working with tribal partners is a special responsibility,” said Robert “Drew” Savage, project manager with the LA District. “Developing a project and acquisition strategy, we knew we wanted to work with a company that was tribal owned so we could be partner with a company that could relate to the Gila River Indian Community’s vision for the project. Numunu, a Comanche Nation-owned company, fit perfectly.”
This is the first LA District Tribal Partnership Program project to reach active construction.
| Date Taken: | 12.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.22.2025 14:05 |
| Story ID: | 555174 |
| Location: | GILA RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY , ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 11 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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