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Us too! Even if we could obtain the several billion dollars necessary to carry out this endeavor (neither private nor public sources have yet been identified) some of the tasks involved may not even be possible. The regional water system provides water to 2.4 million people in San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda and San Mateo counties. [54][55], After passing through the powerhouses, Hetch Hetchy water flows into the 167mi (269km) Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct which travels across the Central Valley. Many examples of red-barked manzanita can be seen along the Hetch Hetchy Road. Your email address will not be published. The exploitation of Californias natural resources continued unabated in the years leading up to Hetch Hetchy. Spring and early summer bring wildflowers including lupine, wallflower, monkey flower, and buttercup. Following a fierce nationwide debate led by John Muir and Will Colby of the Sierra Club, the City of San Francisco was authorized by the U.S. Congress, in the Raker Act of 1913, to construct a dam and reservoir on the Tuolumne River in Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park. But tearing OShaughnessy Dam down now in order to restore Hetch Hetchy Valley would be a disaster. As in Yosemite, the sublime rocks of its walls seem to glow with life . The Tuolumne River, the source of. So the idea of planning for new water supplies need not be on the ballot. For thousands of years, Native Americans subjected the valley to controlled bushfires, which prevented forest from taking over the valley meadows. As the Hetch Hetchy Valley was part of Yosemite National Park, Hitchcock preferred to protect the park's natural wonders. . Hetch Hetchy was the first major battle of the environmental movement. Slow-moving reservoirs heat up, resulting in abnormal temperature fluctuations which can affect sensitive species. He said, So we come now face to face with the perfectly clean question of what is the best use to which this water that flows out of the Sierras can be put. Secretary of the Interior, Ethan Allen Hitchcock, refused to give San Francisco a permit to build the dam. O'Shaughnessey Dam Facts. Divide the class into four small groups. . The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, which lies within the Yosemite National Park, supplies 85% of the water needs of San Francisco and surrounding counties. Here are just some of the hurdles we would need to cross: Identify water supplies to meet about 18 percent of the regions water demand in dry years (which occur about 20 percent of the time), Permit and build 40 to 90 megawatts of renewable power to supply almost all municipal demand in San Francisco, Build and operate a water-filtration plant, because water stored further downstream than Hetch Hetchy will have to be filtered, Engineer and design a series of expensive and complicated infrastructure projects to re-engineer major components of the regional water system, then get those changes through the environmental review process, Somehow convince senior water-right holders like the Modesto and Turlock Irrigation Districts on the Tuolumne River to let us store our drinking water in their reservoirs. . For John Muir, it was about preserving a natural wonder which could be enjoyed by generations to come. As the grazing of livestock damaged native plants in the Hetch Hetchy Valley, mountaineer and naturalist John Muir pressed for the protection of both valleys under a single national park. Since the valley was within Yosemite National Park, an act of Congress was needed to authorize the project. As the Hetch Hetchy Valley was part of Yosemite National Park, Hitchcock preferred to protect the parks natural wonders. This time it was in favor those who wanted to preserve the valley for generations yet to come. [67], Those in opposition of dam removal state that demolishing O'Shaughnessy Dam would take away a valuable source of clean, renewable hydroelectric power in the Kirkwood and Moccasin powerhouses; even if measures such as seasonal water diversion into the powerhouses were employed, it would only make up for a fraction of the original power production. By 1908, a different Interior Secretary, James R. Garfield, sided with the utilitarian conservationists and issued a permit for the Hetch Hetchy project. To begin the trail, cross the dam and pass through the tunnel. Should nature be left alone so that flora and fauna flourish while people enjoy its primal wonders? Impounded by O'Shaughnessy Dam, Hetch Hetchy Reservoir water passes through hydroelectric powerhouses before it enters the San Joaquin Pipelines, the Tesla Ultraviolet Treatment Facility, and the Coast Range Tunnel on its journey to the Bay Area. Over the last 35 years, the idea has been studied by the Environmental Defense Fund, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park Service, UC Davis, and several state agencies. Hetch Hetchy's restoration, after all, will benefit national . Located 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas, the dam captures water from the . The valley provided an escape from the summer heat of the lowlands. [30] After the valley's native inhabitants were driven out by the newcomers, it was used by ranchers, many of whom were former miners, to graze livestock. This limits their ability to access spawning habitat, seek out food resources, and escape predation. [8], While its cousin Yosemite Valley to the south had permanent Miwok settlements,[25] Hetch Hetchy was only seasonally inhabited. But what about when the lake dries? Above all, one's behavior Argument Against The Hetchy Dam 587 Words | 3 Pages Those who did visit it were enchanted by its scenery, but encountered difficulties with the primitive conditions and, in summertime, swarms of mosquitoes. To visit the waterfalls or Yosemites northern backcountry, you walk across OShaughnessy Dam. RELATED: Meet The Real Life Batman & Robin Of The National Parks. Park entry (as needed). [24] Screech reported that the valley was bitterly disputed between the "Pah Utah Indians" (Paiute) and "Big Creek Indians" (Miwok), and witnessed several fights in which the Paiute appeared to be the dominant tribe. In 2019, Restore Hetch Hetchy commissioned another study that found enormous recreational value from removing the dam. [50] The project is operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. [14] At maximum extent, Tioga Glacier may have been 60mi (97km) long and up to 4,000ft (1,200m) thick, filling Hetch Hetchy Valley to the brim and spilling over the sides, carving out the present rugged plateau country to the north and southwest. Even a short stroll from the car gives a magnificent view of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir from the OShaughnessy Dam. As we all know, there is no use of water that is higher than the domestic use., He went on to say, We come straight to the question of whether the advantage of leaving this valley in a state of nature is greater than the advantage of using it for the benefit of the city of San Francisco.. while birds, bees, and butterflies help the river and waterfalls to stir all the air into music. [28][29] About 1853, his brother, Joseph Screech (credited in some accounts for the original discovery of the valley)[27] blazed the first trail from Big Oak Flat, a mining camp near present-day Lake Don Pedro,[30] for 38mi (61km) northeast to Hetch Hetchy Valley. Due to large cataracts on the Tuolumne River upstream, Hetch Hetchy Valley may have been in the uppermost range for native rainbow trout in the river. Garfield was responding to critics who believed that the federal governments primary responsibility was to use the nations public resources for development in the service for the greatest number of people. The first is utilitarian conservation. Pinchot was recognized as a leader of the conservation movement. We would be trading flooded acres in one place for flooded acres in another. The report cited other dam projects in making the argument that this project would increase tourism. At the time, neither side understood the long-range consequences of human actions to manage the environment. Albright, along with Stephen Mather, became instrumental players in the creation of a national park system three years after Congress decided the issue of Hetch Hetchy. A) 5 billion B . According to a local legend, Nate spotted a valley to the east that was too far to visit. Located at 3,900 feet, Hetch Hetchy boasts one of the longest hiking seasons in the park and is an ideal place for thundering spring waterfalls and wildflower displays. We have historic photographs to remind us of what Hetch Hetchy Valley looked like before the dam was built. As the battle lines were drawn, the different methods employed by each side in presenting their case spoke to some of their basic assumptions about the nature of the issue. Building the Dam. The terminus of the incomplete line was "conveniently located next to a PG&E substation", which connected to PG&E's private line which in turn bridged the gap to San Francisco. As surely as forests provided timber, so did they provide beauty, inspiration, and the renewal of over-citified spirits. For most of the year the waterfall offers a refreshing shower or cooling mist along with an amazing view. By 1908, a different Interior Secretary, James R. Garfield, sided with the utilitarian conservationists and issued a permit for the Hetch Hetchy project. Pinchot argued that applying the principle of the greatest good for the greatest number, meant the benefits accrued to the people of San Francisco from having the dam far outweighed leaving the valley in its current state. The waterfall on the Tuolumne is now submerged under Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Although Hetch Hetchy is included within the boundaries of Yosemite National Park, the entrance is separate from the rest of the park. Expect delicious meals and hearty portions to fuel your adventure or beat that post-hiking hunger. Healthy fish populations - by releasing sufficient instream flows for spawning and rearing downstream - sometimes to mitigate for the loss of spawning habitat caused by their construction, and California needed secure, reliable access to drinking water for their burgeoning populations. Building a dam there was off the table. The Tuolumne River continues through Tuolumne Meadows and the associated park developments at an elevation of 8,600 feet. [21] Miwok names are still used for features, including Tueeulala Fall, Wapama Fall, and Kolana Rock. The Hetch Hetchy Valley is a part of Yosemite National Park. It is definitely worth to visit Hetch Hetchy area especially in 2021 when main Yosemite area requires booking permits in advance. Consider one project in progress that involves re-routing an entire river . Its a a wonderful place to see spring waterfalls and wildflower displays. Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite Valley are so similar because they were created by the same sequences of geological activity. . Hetch Hetchy Valley is a treasure worth visiting. From our petition "The cost of replacing water storage in Hetch Hetchy Valley to maintain the current levels of water service and electrical power production by CCSF would be approximately 2 billion dollars, including 199 million dollars for additional interties, 372 million dollars for water supply, 387 million dollars for water treatment, 669 Before damming, the high granite formations produced a valley with an average depth of 1,800ft (550m) and a maximum depth of over 3,000ft (910m); the length of the valley was 3mi (4.8km) with a width ranging from .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}18 to 12 mile (660 to 2,640ft; 200 to 800m). The O'Shaughnessy Dam is 430-foot (131 m) high made of concrete and it is named after engineer Michael O'Shaughnessy, who oversaw the entire construction. ", "Three Square Miles of Open Space: Is It Enough? National opinion divided between giving San Francisco the right to dam the valley and preserving the valley from development. Use good judgment and stay safe. Other trails also continue to Lake Vernon. Looking up at Wapama Falls from the footbridge on the hiking trail. High temperatures prevail in summer months, but that is a small price to pay for the reward of vast wilderness filled with stunning peaks, hidden canyons, and remote lakes. As Muir famously protested: Dam Hetch Hetchy? [2] From Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, the water flows through the Canyon and Mountain Tunnels to Kirkwood and Moccasin Powerhouses, which have capacities of 124 and 110 megawatts, respectively. Rancheria Falls itself is a series of whitewater cascades that crashes through a narrow canyon on its way to the reservoir. [42] They claimed the valley was not unique and would be even more beautiful with a lake. The Sites Reservoir a $4.4 billion project to add dams and store more water that'll be sent south is still years away from completion. [12] During the last glacial period, the Tioga Glacier[13] formed from extensive icefields in the upper Tuolumne River watershed; between 110,000 and 10,000 years ago Hetch Hetchy Valley was sculpted into its present shape by repeated advance and retreat of the ice, which also removed extensive talus deposits that may have accumulated in the valley since the Sherwin period. Have you been to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite? [54] An additional hydroelectric system comprising Cherry Lake, Lake Eleanor and the Holm Powerhouse is also part of the Hetch Hetchy Project, adding another 169 megawatts of generating capacity. Each switchback reveals scenic overlooks of the reservoir and Kolana Rock. "[81] Hodel, now retired, is still[when?] If youre up for a driving adventure, try taking a little extra time to retrace parts of the route John Muir described in his book, My First Summer in the Sierra. Spring snowmelt runs down the Tuolumne River and fills Hetch Hetchy, the largest reservoir in our water system. [59] The water quality is high because of the unique geology of the upper Tuolumne River drainage basin, which consists mostly of bare granite; as a result, the rivers feeding Hetch Hetchy Reservoir have extremely low loads of sediments and nutrients. It pitted Gifford Pinchot, Americas first forester, against John Muir, Americas legendary conservationist. In this unmanaged scenario, where nature is left to take hold in the valley, eventually a forest would grow, rather than the meadow being restored. DWRs meta-study found a range of costs from $3 billion to $10 billion for restoration and replacement of water and power sources. The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir itself store 85% of the City's overall drinking water supply, the remaining 15% is stored in the system's 5 other reservoirs. On returning home, he asked an Indian chief the name of the valley. Slow down and spend the day at Tenaya Lake a beautiful and easy-to-get-to alpine lake cupped by granite domes. It pitted a powerful city against a dedicated group of conservationists. Gravel, logs, and other important food and habitat features can become trapped. Sign up for the email list and join an active community of monthly readers. This was likely because of Hetch Hetchy's narrow outlet, which in years of heavy snowmelt created a bottleneck in the Tuolumne River and the subsequent flooding of the valley floor. Formerly called Buck Meadows Restaurant and Bar, the new caf crosses rustic-mountain flair with roadside cafe friendliness. But the reservoir has spared it some of the indignities of Yosemite Valley", "San Francisco Department of Elections, November 2012 Results", "San Francisco vote to study draining Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is defeated", "Hetch Hetchy Water and the Bay Area Economy", "Thesis: Water Supply Implications of Removing O'Shaughnessy Dam", "New Irvington Tunnel latest in Hetch Hetchy water system improvements", Current Conditions, Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, California Department of Water Resources, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission: Hetch Hetchy Water and Power, California Resources Agency Hetch Hetchy Restoration Study, Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency on Hetch Hetchy dam, National Register of Historic Places in Yosemite National Park, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hetch_Hetchy&oldid=1131920349, History of the Sierra Nevada (United States), Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the National Park Service, Articles with dead external links from May 2019, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2022, Infobox mapframe without OSM relation ID on Wikidata, Pages using infobox bridge with empty coordinates parameter, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Vague or ambiguous time from October 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 6 January 2023, at 11:49. Located at 3,900 feet, it boasts one of the longest hiking seasons in the park. Show More. The Hetch Hetchy dam would still be as naturally beautiful as it was before when it was preserved, and along with that, the construction of the dam will benefit the greatest number of. Congress has set aside the Yosemite Valley as a state park in 1864, established a national park around it in 1890, and then reclaimed the valley as part of the national park in 1903. The network goes from the Sierra Nevada mountains, across the Central Valley and out to the coast, and serves 2.5 million Californians in 30 cities across four counties. The Blackberry Inn Bed and Breakfast is just one of many welcoming businesses located on the way to Hetch Hetchy. This ballot measure is so problematic that SPUR has taken early action to oppose it. The dam is a small portion of the overall Tuolumne River/San Francisco storage system that benefits the Bay Area. Then, well need to weigh our options for other new large water supplies, all of which will have enormous environmental tradeoffs: think of building a desalination plant, fighting with Los Angeles over the Sacramento Delta, building a peripheral canal or siting new large dams in presently undammed Sierra mountains and foothills. The O'Shaughnessy Dam is near Yosemite's western boundary, but the long, narrow, fingerlike reservoir stretches eastward for about 8 miles (13 km). This option favors building a dam in the Hetch Hetchy Valley to provide hundreds of thou- sands of San Francisco residents with water and electricitybasic necessities for health and well-being, as well as urban development and economic growth. Historians of the American conservation movement regard Pinchot as the foremost exemplar of the utilitarian approach to conservation, according to which man has a right to use natural resources, but also an obligation to use them wisely and efficientlyor as the classic criterion put it, the greatest good for the greatest number over the long run. As applied to forests and espoused by Pinchot, this meant that the nations forest reserves ought not to be maintained as inviolate sanctuaries, but opened to enlightened management.. These are called Bay Division Pipelines (BDPL) 1, 2, 3, and 4, with nominal pipeline diameters of 60, 66, 78, and 96 inches (1.5, 1.7, 2.0 and 2.4m, respectively). The deciding factor was whether or not the land in question had access to water. In Yosemite National Park, the Hetch Hetchy reservoir relies on the annual snowmelt to stay full. The restoration of Hetch Hetchy would be a simple task compared to some dam removal efforts. Photo: Herbert W. Gleason courtesy of the Sierra Club. Before they could break ground at the OShaughnessy Dam, more infrastructure was required. Albert Bierstadt was known for his sweeping landscapes of the American West. These clean and comfortable rooms also enjoy access to the pool, spa and other facilities at Yosemite Westgate Lodge. The Hetch Hetchy watershed, an area located in Yosemite National Park, is the major source of water for all of San Francisco's water needs. On December 19, 1913, Congress passed and President Wilson signed the Raker Act which permitted the building of the OShaughnessy Dam and the flooding of the Hetch Hethcy Valley in Yosemite National Park. In: Educational Resources, History, National Parks, Your email address will not be published.

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