Today the 117-billion-gallon reservoir supplies drinking water to about 2.5 million San Francisco Bay Area residents and hydro-electric power generated by two plants downstream. This can be very disorienting to fish and disrupt their migrations as they depend on steady streams and flows to guide them. A recent report evaluates the economic benefits of restoring Hetch Hetchy Valley. [36] Muir's friend Robert Underwood Johnson of the politically influential Century Magazine and several other prominent figures were inspired by Muir's work and helped to get Yosemite National Park established by October 1, 1890. In the future, we will certainly need diverse supplies to rely on in a prolonged drought, but we will also need Hetch Hetchy more than ever. In 1923, the O'Shaughnessy Dam was completed on the Tuolumne River, flooding the entire valley under the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Back in the early nineteen hundreds, when the debate start about The Hetch Hetchy dam being built a large majority of people did not realize or care how valuable nature is. For functional purposes, Hetch Hetchy was a promising solution to San Francisco's serious water shortages. History - Hetch Hetchy - Sierra Club The extensive amount of storage, which is designed to benefit the Bay Area as droughts become more severe with climate. The water shunted through them about 218 million gallons a day arrives in most city taps by gravity alone. [8], While its cousin Yosemite Valley to the south had permanent Miwok settlements,[25] Hetch Hetchy was only seasonally inhabited. [37][38] However, ranchers who had previously owned land in the new park continued their use of Hetch Hetchy Valley a "sheep-grazing free-for-all [that] threatened to denude the High Sierra meadows"[37] before disputes over state and private properties in respect to national park boundaries were finally settled in the early 1900s. [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. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like The 1987 UN Commission on Sustainability first introduced the concept of ________ as a necessary focus for maintaining sustainability. As Muir famously protested: Dam Hetch Hetchy? He produced at least four oil paintings of the valley one of which is prominently displayed in Mount Holyoke Colleges art museum. 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 He discovered it a few of years later. Hiking in Yosemite National Park | AAA Ohio First, they block rivers which prevents fish from migrating. Standing upon it will give you the chance to appreciate the sublimity of both nature and human achievement. Photo: Herbert W. Gleason courtesy of the Sierra Club. Amid a worsening drought, water supplies at one important reservoir are Muir predicted that this lake would create an unsightly "bathtub ring" around its perimeter, caused by the water's destruction of lichen growth on the canyon walls,[44] which would inevitably be visible at low lake levels. The Valley Below | The Verge If you love that insider feeling of discovering an often-overlooked gem, plan a stop at Buck Meadows on your way to or from Hetch Hetchy. And in a larger sense, the waters of California served as the converting agents. The gently rolling terrain has excellent views of the water and eye-catching Kolana Rock, which towers roughly 2,000 feet above. It's a big job to open the tunnel and close it again. Hetch Hetchy, for the time being, was safe, and it would not be inundated during Roosevelts watch.. [20] They hunted, and gathered seeds and edible plants to furnish themselves winter food, trade items, and materials for art and ceremonial objects. 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. Hetch Hetchy water serves residents in four Bay Area counties, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Southern Alameda. [77][78], The economic wisdom of removing the dam has been frequently questioned. Hetch Hetchy is an iconic, rare and spectacular landscape, Hetch Hetchy is part of Yosemite National Park and its damming and flooding is by far the worst destruction of our national parks have ever experienced Restoration would not only make Yosemite whole once again it would inspire people that we don't need to live with mistakes of the past" 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. 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. The National Park Service concluded that two years after draining the valley, grasses would cover most of its floor and within 10 years, clumps of cone-bearing trees and some oaks would take root. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This is interesting from an ideological perspective. What Happens When You Remove a Dam? - Hetch Hetchy Reservoir The water winds between granite features like Kolana Rock and Hetch Hetchy Dome. The Hetch Hetchy Valley underwent a monumental transformation when the City Of San Francisco received the approval of Congress in 1913 to build a dam in the Hetch Hetchy Valley, thus storing the water of the Tuolumne River and flooding the valley to a height of over 350 feet. August 14 Hetch Hetchy Began Producing Power (1925) - Today in Some years later, water began flowing to San Francisco. Utilizing its superior resources, the city produced a detailed report which made a compelling case that, far from damaging the beauty of Yosemite, the dam would actually enhance it. [4] A broad, low rocky outcrop situated between Kolana Rock and Hetch Hetchy Dome divided the former meadow in two distinct sections. Looking up at Wapama Falls from the footbridge on the hiking trail. There is no Starbucks here no daily parade of tour buses and RVs. The chief replied, There is no valley. The construction of the Hetch Hetchy Railroad took place from 1915 to 1918. It is the source of water for the city of San Francisco. The National Park Service conducted research to determine what would happen if the dam were removed, and people have repeatedly proposed costly studies to further understand the consequences of removing the dam. [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. Animals were principally driven along Joseph Screech's trail from Big Oak Flat to Hetch Hetchy. GROVELAND,CA San Francisco may be required to pay more rent to the federal government for water from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir or even tear down the O'Shaughnessy Dam. "[22], The valley's name may be derived from a Miwok word earlier anglicized as hatchhatchie, which means "edible grasses"[8][23] or "magpie". These clean and comfortable rooms also enjoy access to the pool, spa and other facilities at Yosemite Westgate Lodge. Eighty-five percent of the water comes from Sierra Nevada snowmelt stored in the Hetch Hetchy reservoir situated on the Tuolumne River in Yosemite National Park. Even a short stroll from the car gives a magnificent view of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir from the OShaughnessy Dam. Hetch Hetchy is the incredible story of Americas most controversial dam and the birth of the environmental movement. The battle for the Hetch Hetchy Valleys future was not simply preservation versus conservation. Second, dams slow rivers. The dam was then 227 feet (69m) high; its present height of 312 feet (95m) was achieved only later, in 1938. There is a third concept, too, though it was little understood at the time. Water System | SFPUC Hoover Dam. Another popular trail crosses the OShaughnessy Dam and then takes a left turn to climb steeply out of the Hetch Hetchy valley. (In fact partially because it is so difficult and destructive to build large dams, we are running out of new supplies of water in California.) Swimming and boating are prohibited in Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in order to maintain a clean source of drinking water. [6][7], Upstream from the valley lies the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, while the smaller Poopenaut Valley is directly downstream from O'Shaughnessy Dam. Many examples of red-barked manzanita can be seen along the Hetch Hetchy Road. 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. Congress, confronted with rising public opposition, refused to act on the measure. Consequences - Hetch Hetchy: The Valley of Broken Promises [21][33] Albert Bierstadt, Charles Dorman Robinson and William Keith were known for their landscapes that drew tourists to the Hetch Hetchy Valley. 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. Prominent sponsors of the dam proposal, particularly (by then former) Mayor James Phelan and city engineer Marsdon Manson (and later his successor, Michael OShaughnessy), quietly lobbied key figures in the government, trusting that the appeal of municipal water and power would easily win supporters amid the prevailing progressive political climate. [46], Work on the Hetch Hetchy Project began in 1914. Everyone who drinks water or takes a shower in San Francisco should go. A large part of today's incentive for restoration is that when the dam and the Hetch Hetchy reservoir were authorized by President Woodrow Wilson in 1913, as the Raker Act, the Hetch Hetchy Valley . The fundamental issue involved two concepts. You may take easy hike to Wapama falls ( around 6 miles) or even more challenging hike to Rancheria falls ( around 14 miles). Furthermore, they provided a place for the wild plants and creatures to live out their own lives, according to their purposes. High temperatures prevail in summer months, but its a small price to pay for the reward of vast wilderness filled with stunning peaks, hidden canyons, and remote lakes. Hetch Hetchy's restoration, after all, will benefit national . Appreciate what nature created and what the city built there long ago. Since then, the "Hetch Hetchy System" has continued to grow, now including nine impoundments . [69], In 1987, the idea of razing the O'Shaughnessy Dam gained an adherent in Don Hodel, Secretary of the Department of the Interior under President Ronald Reagan. [50] The removal of the dam would be extremely costly, at least $310 billion,[76] and the transport of the demolished material away from the dam site along the narrow, winding Hetch Hetchy Road would be a logistical nightmare with possible environmental impacts. Indeed, the battle over Hetch Hetchy may have been a little-known contributor to the permanent alignment of American politics it was the tension between Ballinger and Pinchot that set in motion the events that lead to the split mentioned above. The battle over the Hetch Hetchy, in part, was a fight over public versus private ownership of vital resources such as water. [72] The water storage provided at Hetch Hetchy could be transferred into Lake Don Pedro lower on the Tuolumne River by raising the New Don Pedro Dam 30ft (9.1m). Through the manipulation of water, the company also had the power to determine which real estate became valuable and which languished. Consider one project in progress that involves re-routing an entire river . Like Muir, he was totally transfixed by the Hetch Hetchy Valley. The battle for Hetch Hetchy was perhaps the first effort at what is now known as "grassroots lobbying," getting individual citizens to contact elected officials in support . The Hetch Hetchy Valley is about 8 miles (13 km) from Yosemite Valley. Hoffman observed a meadow "well timbered and affording good grazing", and noted the valley had a milder climate than Yosemite Valley, hence the abundance of ponderosa pine and gray pine. Finally, with the railroad complete, teams broke ground on the OShaughnessy Dam on August 1, 1919. Surrounding the water are a few waterfalls, the most prominent being Tueeulala and Wapama Falls, and countless rock features. Winter weather conditions may cause road closures. 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. 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. Hetch Hetchy, unlike other water storage facilities in California, is relatively buffered from near-term climate change because of its high elevation. The Tuolumne River originates in the peaks above Tuolumne Meadows and is the major drainage system for the northern part of Yosemite. 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. [5] Local legend attributes the modern name Hetch Hetchy to Screech's initial arrival in the valley, during which he observed the Native Americans "cooking a variety of grass covered with edible seeds", which they called "hatch hatchy" or "hatchhatchie". The openings in the Taft administration led to the eventual success of the Raker Act. The falls roar in spring and early summer. [47] On October 28, 1934 twenty years after the beginning of construction on the Hetch Hetchy project a crowd of 20,000 San Franciscans gathered to celebrate the arrival of the first Hetch Hetchy water in the city. Argument Against The Hetchy Dam - 587 Words - Internet Public Library Hetch Hetchy is unique because of its small holding capacity in comparison to the vast watershed feeding it. Hours: Year-round, but only accessible by car when the Hetch Hetchy Road is open. 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.. [54][55], After passing through the powerhouses, Hetch Hetchy water flows into the 167mi (269km) Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct which travels across the Central Valley. benefits of hetch hetchy dam. Upcountry and the Bay Area. The grassroots organization of environmental activism, established by John Muir and his supporters, became a model for future environmentalists. 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. "Dam Hetch Hetchy!" - I Take History 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. [26], In the early 1850s, a mountain man by the name of Nathan Screech[27] became the first non-Native American to enter the valley. Wapama and Rancheria Falls Looking up at Wapama Falls from the footbridge on the hiking trail. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (Yosemite National Park) - Tripadvisor As the Hetch Hetchy Valley was part of Yosemite National Park, Hitchcock preferred to protect the parks natural wonders. . Hetch Valley Measure Pits Bay Area Against Environmentalists - The New Hetch Hetchy - Wikipedia If you delight in getting off the well-beaten path, or if you are looking for a peaceful natural retreat, its perfection. The watershed is also strictly protected, so swimming and boating are prohibited at the reservoir (although fishing is permitted at the reservoir and in the rivers which feed it),[60] a measure which is considered unusual for US lakes outside the region. The privately owned Spring Valley Water Company had required its customers to pay exorbitant rates for years. Download the official NPS app before your next visit. This 1910 view shows Kolana Rock and Tueeulala Falls in the background. O'Shaughnessy Dam is a 430-foot (131 m) high concrete arch-gravity dam in Tuolumne County, California, United States.It impounds the Tuolumne River, forming the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir at the lower end of Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park, about 160 miles (260 km) east of San Francisco. ", "Three Square Miles of Open Space: Is It Enough? Instead, it was a more complicated battle which pitted public interests against private interests. Call 209-372-0200 for the latest road and weather conditions, Hetch Hetchy Road Daily Hours: 8 am to 5 pm. San Francisco Hetch Hetchy Reservoir Initiative, Proposition F Day 6: Hetch Hetchy Reservoir to San Francisco. They would light upon a man's blue shirt and turn it brown, and were voracious as mosquitoes would be. The locations of these two formations roughly correspond with those of Cathedral Rocks and El Capitan seen from Tunnel View in Yosemite Valley. [24] It is likely that the edible grass was blue dicks. Hetch Hetchy: Time to Redeem a Historic Mistake - Sierra Club Teams completed the OShaughnessy Dam in 1923 and the reservoir filled for the first time in May of that year. Hetch Hetchy - Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service) The SFPUC and other Hetch Hetchy users are currently implementing plans to meet this demand through recycled water, groundwater and conservation. remains the least visited area of the park. National opinion divided between giving San Francisco the right to dam the valley and preserving the valley from development. First, the beauty of the valley which they felt should not be sacrificed to build a dam. [41], In 1906, after a major earthquake and subsequent fire that devastated San Francisco, the inadequacy of the city's water system was made tragically clear. It marks the first catchment in a 160-mile long water system that brings high quality, superb-tasting water to 2.6 million residents of the Bay Area every day. Ultimately, San Francisco sold hydropower from the dam to the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), which led to decades of legal wrangling and controversy over terms in the Raker Act. Hetch Hetchy Valley Analysis - 1299 Words | Internet Public Library The new 68-mile (109 km) railroad wound its way up the narrow canyon of the Tuolumne River past sharp curves and up steep 4% grades. During summer, people of the Miwok and Paiute came to Hetch Hetchy from the Central Valley in the west and the Great Basin in the east. In terms of quality, Hetch Hetchy water is so pristine that it is one of only a handful of water supplies in the country that doesn't need to be filtered, a process that is expensive and energy intensive. Water could be diverted into the Kirkwood and Moccasin Powerhouses using lower-impact diversion dams, providing power generation on a seasonal basis, and the enlarged height at Don Pedro would also increase power generation there. Although there are relatively few visitors to Hetch Hetchy, youll find most of them along the trail to Wapama Fall. Plus, the granite walls converge into a narrow outlet at the bottom of the valley the perfect location for a dam. Sign up for the email list and join an active community of monthly readers. Hetch Hetchy, located at 3,900 feet in Yosemite National Park, is one of the park's most popular hiking . Yosemite Westgate Lodge offers newly-remodeled and well-appointed modern accommodation. If you want to follow the old railroad line today, the Hetch Hetchy Road and most of the Mather Road were built on the old railroad bed and are beautiful scenic drives as well. Would there be any room in an acquisitive society for wildness, or for non material spiritual values?. Why We Need Hetch Hetchy More Than Ever | SPUR Dam the Hetch Hetchy! . The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir also serves to provide energy in the form of hydroelectricity, with a capacity of over 200 megawatts a year. Hetch Hetchy | Hetch Hetchy Dam & Reservoir History | Yosemite.com The larger issues at stake would frame environmental debates for years to come. The Hetch Hetchy dam is upstream on the Tuolumne River from a reservoir nearly six times as large. Stand on OShaughnessy Dam and feel the cool updraft. Being one of the biggest hydroelectric facilities in the United States and a National Landmark, Hoover Dam generates power to serve more than 1.3 million people. If youre especially in the mood to relax and let yourself be taken care of, The Blackberry Inn is a luxury bed and breakfast situated on 36 acres and surrounded by National Forest land. 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). Earn $27.3125 per hour. Hetch Hetchy and many others were built by . You could then scuba ElCapitan down to the valley floor. Indeed, Hetch Hetchy today[when?] [5] The valley was slowly becoming known for its natural beauty, but it was never a popular tourist destination because of extremely poor access and the location of the famous Yosemite Valley just twenty miles to the south. The entire valley is now flooded under an average 300ft (91m) of water behind the dam, although it occasionally reemerges in droughts, as it did in 1955, 1977, and 1991. California O Shaughnessy Dam Analysis 1428 Words | 6 Pages. Subsequent proposals for development in our national parks have been defeated by citizen activists inspired by calls to remember Hetch Hetchy. 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 reservoir is fed by the Tuolumne River. [71], The dam would not have to be completely removed; rather, it would only be necessary to cut a hole through the base in order to drain the water and restore natural flows of the Tuolumne River. Us too! Building a dam there was off the table. "Hetch Hetchy is a grand landscape garden, one of nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples. And Hetch Hetchy's damming has inspired generations of conservationists to protect our natural heritage and to commit to safeguarding our protected areas. During the late 19th century, the valley was renowned for its natural beauty often compared to that of Yosemite Valley but also targeted for the development of water supply for irrigation and municipal interests. But during peak spring flow, the thundering waterfall can wash over the bridge making it dangerous to cross. Camping included, if needed; limited sites are shared among all the . In an effort to build this support, he published his bookThe Yosemitein 1912. The O'Shaughnessy Dam was completed in 1923 and, after the . It is the primary water source for about 2.5 million residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. A Trip to Hetch Hetchy and the O'Shaughnessy Dam [40] By the 1880s, San Francisco was looking to Hetch Hetchy water as a fix for its outdated and unreliable water system. It is definitely worth to visit Hetch Hetchy area especially in 2021 when main Yosemite area requires booking permits in advance. Most of the dam would remain in place, both to avoid the enormous costs of demolition and removal, and to serve as a monument for the workers who built it. It is part of our More than Just Parks Environmental Heroes series. Hetch Hetchy Valley was once home to a richly diverse ecosystem, surrounded by towering cliffs and waterfalls similar to those in neighboring Yosemite Valley. A) 5 billion B . You can expect one (short) email per month. Had it been, the Sierra Clubs members would have presented a united front in opposition to its development. In the 21st century, Ken Brower, son of the renown environmentalist David Brower, wrote a fascinating account of the failed campaign to save Hetch Hetchy and the modern effort to Reverse an American Mistake, complete with speculation about how the rebirth of a wild valley might evolve. A) human well-being B) renewable energy C) environmental sustainability D) cultural services E) human population growth, The current total world population has just passed ________. Those in favor of dam removal have pointed out that many actions by San Francisco since 1913 have been in violation of the Raker Act, which explicitly stated that power and water from Hetch Hetchy could not be sold to private interests.
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