SRP stocks thousands of white amur fish to curb weed growth in Phoenix-area canals

Thousands of fish added to keep water moving through Valley canals

Salt River Project (SRP) has begun stocking white amur fish in Phoenix-area canals as part of an annual effort to control aquatic vegetation that can impede water delivery. On Friday, Feb. 13, SRP crews released about 2,500 fish into the canal network, with additional deliveries scheduled through the rest of February.

SRP expects to stock roughly 12,000 white amur this year across the Valley. The fish are introduced to supplement an existing population that SRP maintains as a biological method of reducing weeds and algae in canals used to move water across the metro area.

Why canal vegetation matters for water operations

Aquatic vegetation can accumulate in canal channels, slowing flows, reducing conveyance efficiency and increasing the maintenance required to keep water moving reliably. SRP operates a large canal system that supports municipal and other water deliveries in the Phoenix metropolitan area. When vegetation grows heavily, it can contribute to blockages and force more frequent mechanical clearing or other interventions.

White amur, a plant-eating carp species used in controlled settings for vegetation management, consume large quantities of aquatic plants and algae. By relying on fish as a continuous, in-water control method, SRP reduces the need for more labor-intensive approaches used in the past, including scraping canal beds, physically removing vegetation with equipment, and applying herbicides.

How the white amur program works

SRP launched its White Amur Fish Program in 1989 and has continued periodic restocking to maintain the population. The fish used for canal stocking are subject to state regulatory requirements governing possession, transport and stocking, including controls designed to limit ecological risks and ensure the fish remain contained within defined systems.

• Stocking events are conducted under state licensing rules for white amur.
• White amur in the SRP canal system are designated for catch-and-release; they must be returned to the water if caught.
• Removal of white amur from SRP canals is prohibited, and violations can be reported to state wildlife authorities.

Operational coordination during maintenance season

The stocking effort coincides with the period when SRP also conducts annual canal maintenance in selected stretches. During canal “dry-ups,” portions of canals may be temporarily drained to allow crews to perform repairs and remove debris. In those cases, SRP workers relocate white amur from dewatered sections to wet canal areas and return them when maintenance is complete.

White amur are used as an ongoing vegetation-control tool in SRP canals, helping keep waterways clear while reducing reliance on chemical or heavy mechanical removal methods.

SRP’s February stocking is intended to bolster that system-wide approach: keeping vegetation in check, maintaining canal performance and supporting steady water movement through Phoenix-area infrastructure.