West Resthaven Cemetery Park
Glendale, AZ
Merit Award: Parks & Recreational Fields
SUBMITTED BY
Andrew Chase, The Davey Institute
PROJECT OVERVIEW
- West Resthaven Park Cemetery is a historic 54-acre memorial park in Glendale, Arizona, developed since 1947
- Features diverse burial types, monuments, and mausoleums creating complex microclimates
- Heat-retaining stone markers require careful irrigation to prevent thermal cracking
- Serves a diverse community and hosts cultural events, including Día de Los Muertos
- Site relies on a mixed water system (SRP canal water, groundwater, and potable), regulated under Arizona’s 5th Management Plan
- Water use limited to 4.43 acre-feet per irrigated acre due to groundwater availability
- Existing irrigation system was in severe decline, with major leaks, failing infrastructure, and 95% manual operation
- Soil compaction, disturbance, and inconsistent watering led to poor infiltration and unreliable performance
- Project required full system modernization while maintaining uninterrupted cemetery operations
ROLE OF THE IRRIGATION CONSULTANT
- Provided advanced troubleshooting and design across a complex, multi-source irrigation system
- Performed hydraulic modeling and flow analysis for mixed-material infrastructure
- Led electrical diagnostics and two-wire system implementation, including field training
- Optimized sprinkler performance (spacing, nozzle selection, pressure balance)
- Configured central control systems, including hydrozones, soil-moisture integration, and wireless components
- Evaluated water quality, cistern operations, and SRP/well interaction strategies
- Trained staff on pump stations, controllers, and irrigation best practices
SPECIAL FACTORS
- Active cemetery operations required flexible scheduling and continuous coordination
- Work constrained by burial activity, narrow aisles, varied plot sizes, and depth limitations
- Limited or outdated utility mapping required field verification and adaptive design
- On-site redesign of irrigation layout and components was frequently required to maintain performance
- Complex microclimates from monuments, mausoleums, and canopy required tailored irrigation strategies
- All work maintained uninterrupted operations while preserving visitor experience and cultural sensitivity
