hohokam

The question is if the Hohokam petroglyph is depicting that phenomenon.

Now the problem is that the Hohokam petroglyph displays a scorpion.

Point of correction, it's the Hohokam and not the Mogollons that are known for their massive canal systems.

For instance, many suburbs in Chandler, AZ were directly built on bulldozed Hohokam pueblos in the 50s-80s.

Most archaeologists would also have some quibbles with describing Hohokam irrigation as truly decentralized, particularly in e.g.

The Hohokam tribe lived there for at least 2000 years and westerners have been established there for over 150 years.

The Hohokam people brought water in by digging canals by hand 600 years ago.

The modern incarnation largely follows the old Hohokam canal system, though some of the newest, most expensive parts carefully deviate from it.

The canals in Phoenix were originally dug by the Hohokam 1,400+ years ago.

Huge population centers consuming substantially more water than is brought to them naturally is a very recent phenomenon, Roman aqueducts and Hohokam irrigation notwithstanding.

I used to live near a suburban neighborhood built atop an old Hohokam village where thousands of cremations had been recovered.

I see that wikipedia has got a nice article on the Hohokam people, and the large scale network of irrigation canals they built.

For example, the book "Centuries of Decline during the Hohokam Classic Period of Pueblo Grande" shows a mean lifespan of 20.1 years at Pueblo Grande, but 40.9 years if you make it to 18.

Check out the “Hohokam Canals” in Tucson, AZ.

Hohokam and the O'odham are related in much the same way the US is related to the British empire.

Somewhat earlier than the Hohokam, the Romans were infamous for their aqueducts, the longest of which stretched over 250 miles.

SRP modernized/expanded the Hohokam's ancient canals.