Though the project is managed and operated by the Parks and Recreation Department, the Phoenix Rio Salado Project would not have been possible without partnerships. The project is a unique collaboration that involves partners on both the federal and local level.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in cooperation with the City of Phoenix, designed the project and prepared engineering plans for construction. Overall, the federal government will contribute two-thirds of the total project cost of $100 million (funding authorized by Congress in 1997).

The Flood Control District of Maricopa County also has been a key partner. The county’s Board of Supervisors approved $18 million for construction of the low-flow channel in the river bottom. The channel, completed in the spring of 2002, will maintain the riverbed’s flood capacity once vegetation enhances the banks and terraces.

The support of the The Arizona Water Protection Fund also has played a key role in Rio Salado's development. The fund was created in 1994 to restore, maintain and enhance riparian areas throughout the state. Money for the fund comes from State of Arizona general tax revenues.

There has been other key local support as well. Phoenix voters showed their support for the project with their March 2001 approval of $16 million in bond funding to continue clean up of the riverbed and begin habitat restoration. The Phoenix Parks and Preserve Initative, a voter-approved sales-tax initiative, provided $1.5 million. A $1 million grant from the Arizona Water Protection Fund and $250,000 Heritage Fund grant also helped pay for construction.

The Rio Salado Citizen Advisory Committee also has been a crucial local voice in helping to shape the project. They advise staff on all aspects of the redevelopment efforts in the Rio Salado Interim Overlay District, an area that surrounds the restoration project in the river corridor.

For more information on the Beyond the Banks Area Plan, please visit the City of Phoenix Planning Department - Beyond the Banks Area Plan.