Browers Hetch Hetchy: Undoing A Great American Mistake, makes a compelling case for restoring the valley to its previous glory. Hetch Hetchy is unique because of its small holding capacity in comparison to the vast watershed feeding it. One route begins six miles beyond the entrance station. Your email address will not be published. The OShaughnessy Dam was completed in 1938 and is 430-feet tall. Even a short stroll from the car gives a magnificent view of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir from the OShaughnessy Dam. . [74] A 2019 study commissioned by Restore Hetch Hetchy argued that draining the reservoir and equipping the valley with a tourism infrastructure comparable to that of Yosemite Valley (which receives around 100 times as many visitors annually as Hetch Hetchy's 44,000) could result in a "recreational value" of up to $178 million per year, or possibly an overall economic value of up to $100 billion. Smith Peak (7,751 feet) is the highest point in the area and offers outstanding views. 406 California Historical Landmark)", "John Muir's Yosemite: The father of the conservation movement found his calling on a visit to the California wilderness", "Timeline of the Ongoing Battle Over Hetch Hetchy", "The Hetch Hetchy Letters: If a Group of Intellectuals Argues in a Forest, and then that Forest is Submerged Under Water, Does Their Argument Matter? Park entry (as needed). [64] Peter Byrne of SF Weekly has stated that "the plain language of the Raker Act itself and experts who are familiar with the act (and have no stake in city politics) all agree: The city of San Francisco is not in violation of the Raker Act. [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. On this point we hold that while we are willing to die for the lives or the health of the citizens of San Francisco, we are not willing to die for their pockets. Without Hetch Hetchy as its primary reservoir, San Francisco will be forced to pump and filter its water for the first time in a century, and lose out on the 726 million kilowatt-hours produced by . [8], While its cousin Yosemite Valley to the south had permanent Miwok settlements,[25] Hetch Hetchy was only seasonally inhabited. Swimming and boating are prohibited in Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in order to maintain a clean source of drinking water. Even in the summer when Yosemite Valley is being explored by visitors from around the world, Hetch Hetchy remains an oasis of relative calm. Hetch Hetchy Valley is a treasure worth visiting. Although there are relatively few visitors to Hetch Hetchy, youll find most of them along the trail to Wapama Fall. Use good judgment and stay safe. [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. 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 city must pay a lease of $30,000 per year for the use of Hetch Hetchy, which sits on federal land. The Hetch Hetchy dam is upstream on the Tuolumne River from a reservoir nearly six times as large. [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. On returning home, he asked an Indian chief the name of the valley. [42] They claimed the valley was not unique and would be even more beautiful with a lake. This fight set the stage for future battles between those who believed natural resources were to be used for the greatest good versus those who believed natural resources were to be preserved for the greatest enjoyment. The trail to Wapama Falls is one of the most popular trails in the Hetch Hetchy area for a good reason. 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). [2] The dam and reservoir are the centerpiece of the Hetch Hetchy Project, which in 1934 began to deliver water 167 miles (269km) west to San Francisco and its client municipalities in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. John Muir knew that without public support, the Hetch Hetchy Valley would be lost. But tearing OShaughnessy Dam down now in order to restore Hetch Hetchy Valley would be a disaster. Dam the Hetch Hetchy! Building a dam there was off the table. [8], Before damming, the valley floor contained abundant stands of black oaks, live oak, Ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, and silver fir bordering the meadows, with alder, willow, poplar and dogwood in the riparian zone along the Tuolumne River. For functional purposes, Hetch Hetchy was a promising solution to San Francisco's serious water shortages. A national debate ensued between the preservationist and conservationist factions of the young environmental movement. The fundamental issue involved two concepts. [45], The controversy over Hetch Hetchy was in the context of other political scandals and controversies, especially prevalent in the Taft administration. They acknowledge that a concerted effort would have to be made to control the introduction of wildlife and tourism back into the valley in order to prevent destabilization of the ecosystem,[68] and that it might be decades or even centuries before the valley could be returned to natural conditions. while birds, bees, and butterflies help the river and waterfalls to stir all the air into music. The reservoir is eight miles long and the largest single body of water in Yosemite. between those who wish to retain the dam and reservoir, and those who wish to drain the reservoir and return Hetch Hetchy Valley to its former state. 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. [15] When the glacier retreated for the final time, sediment-laden meltwater deposited thick layers of silt, forming the flat alluvial floodplain of the valley floor. [35] Muir, who himself had briefly worked as a shepherd in Hetch Hetchy, was known for calling sheep "hoofed locusts" because of their environmental impact. Hidden in Yosemite National Parks peaceful northwest corner, Hetch Hetchy Valley is a treasure worth visiting in all seasons. But Hetch Hetchy was a federally protected as part of Yosemite National Park. Show More. His path roughly follows the John Muir Highway State Highway 132 that runs from Highway 49 in Coulterville up through Greeley Hill before connecting back into Highway 120 before Buck Meadows and the turn-off to Hetch Hetchy. The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, which lies within the Yosemite National Park, supplies 85% of the water needs of San Francisco and surrounding counties. [21] Miwok names are still used for features, including Tueeulala Fall, Wapama Fall, and Kolana Rock. [54] The entire system produces about 1.7 billion kilowatt hours per year, enough to meet 20% of San Francisco's electricity needs. The restoration of Hetch Hetchy would be a simple task compared to some dam removal efforts. For thousands of years before the arrival of settlers from the United States in the 1850s, the valley was inhabited by Native Americans who practiced subsistence hunting-gathering. Next to John Muir, the most vocal defender of the Hetch Hetchy Valley was Harriet Monroe. remains the least visited area of the park. It's a big job to open the tunnel and close it again. [40] By the 1880s, San Francisco was looking to Hetch Hetchy water as a fix for its outdated and unreliable water system. While the debate goes on, Hetch Hetchy remains a relaxing and often-overlooked corner of the park - much to the delight of hikers and backpackers who prefer less touristy experiences. Each switchback reveals scenic overlooks of the reservoir and Kolana Rock. In: Educational Resources, History, National Parks, Your email address will not be published. Controversy continues to swirl around the Hetch Hetchy Dam even now. 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. While opponents of the dam were hard pressed for financial support, the city of San Franciscos campaign was well financed. 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. A) 5 billion B . [2] The dam contains 675,000cuyd (516,000m3) of concrete. [50] The project is operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. The main power facility in the system, the Moccasin Powerhouse, began commercial operation on August 14, 1925. These benefits include: Reservoir-based recreation - swimming, fishing, camping etc. Everyone who drinks water or takes a shower in San Francisco should go. Hetch Hetchy, located at 3,900 feet in Yosemite National Park, is one of the park's most popular hiking . Today, descendants of these people still use milkweed, deergrass, bracken fern, willow, and other plants for a variety of uses including baskets, medicines, and string. And, as you might imagine, it produces some of the cleanest municipal water in the United States. The trail includes spectacular views of Tueeulala and Wapama Falls. As a result, San Francisco secured a reliable and . Some hydro-power dams withhold and then release water to generate power for peak demand periods, which is particularly disruptive to migrating fish. Muir observed:[3]. The SFPUC and other Hetch Hetchy users are currently implementing plans to meet this demand through recycled water, groundwater and conservation. We can't help it either. Learn what to expect from Mirror Lake in various seasons. The Hetch Hetchy system's supporters say it has one of the smallest carbon footprints of any water system in the United States because its water is of such high quality that it requires no. [67], Preservation groups including the Sierra Club and Restore Hetch Hetchy state that draining Hetch Hetchy would open the valley back up to recreation, a right that should be provided to the American people because the reservoir is within the legal boundaries of a national park. Hetch Hetchy and many others were built by . [9] Formerly, a "small but noisy"[10] waterfall and natural pool existed on the Tuolumne River marked the upper entrance to Hetch Hetchy Valley,[11] informally known as Tuolumne Fall (not to be confused with a similarly named waterfall several miles upriver near Tuolumne Meadows). You can expect one (short) email per month. [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. Earn $27.3125 per hour. [73] Furthermore, the removal of O'Shaughnessy Dam would not require costly sediment control measures, as would be typical on most dam removal projects, because of the high quality of the Tuolumne River water in the first 90 years since its construction, only around 2in (5.1cm) of sediment had been deposited in Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, much less than most other dams. Should nature be left alone so that flora and fauna flourish while people enjoy its primal wonders? As of October 2022, Hetch Hetchy was at 77.5% of its capacity. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. No picture of the giant sequoia trees in Yosemite National Park manages to fully capture their immense size and majesty. 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. Like Muir, he was totally transfixed by the Hetch Hetchy Valley. Hetch Hetchy, unlike other water storage facilities in California, is relatively buffered from near-term climate change because of its high elevation. A Dam Removal in Progress. Due to its high-altitude location at 3,900 feet above sea level and its snowmelt-fed water supply, water from Hetch Hetchy Reservoir behind O'Shaughnessy Dam does not require filtration. On a national stage, Hetch Hetchy became caught in the cross fire between the interests of private utilities ownership and those of municipal ownership. Through the manipulation of water, the company also had the power to determine which real estate became valuable and which languished. Photo: Chris Migeon DWRs meta-study found a range of costs from $3 billion to $10 billion for restoration and replacement of water and power sources. The O'Shaughnessy Dam was completed in 1923 and, after the . Public disapproval nationwide with the Raker Act helped to bring about the creation of the National Park Service. Owned by the city of San Francisco, Hetch Hetchy Reservoir provides water to 2.7 million residents and businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area. 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. Gravel, logs, and other important food and habitat features can become trapped. At SPUR, we have done a lot of work on climate change adaptation. 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. The San Francisco Bulletin printed a Dec. 1, 1913, story calling the bills opponents a crowd ofnature lovers and fakers, who are waging a sentimental campaign to preserve the Hetch Hetchy Valley as a public playground, a purpose for which it has never been used.. While John Muir led the fight against building the dam, the opposition was supported by Gifford Pinchot. If the dam were not to be built, it would only benefit the small percentage of Americans who actually visited the site and were concerned about the park's pristine condition. [31] Its meadows provided abundant feed for "thousands of head of sheep and cattle that entered lean and lank in the spring, but left rolling fat and hardly able to negotiate the precipitous and difficult defiles out of the mountains in the fall. The Hetch Hetchy Road drops into the valley at the dam, but all points east of there are roadless, and accessible only to hikers and equestrians. The privately owned Spring Valley Water Company had required its customers to pay exorbitant rates for years. The dam also provides flood control, irrigation, and water storage along the Colorado River. . Five country-chic rooms in the main building include en suite bathrooms, free WiFi and electric fireplaces. The construction of the Hetch Hetchy Railroad took place from 1915 to 1918. In the northwest corner of Yosemite National Park you can find the Hetch Hetchy Valley. In its natural state, the valley floor was marshy and often flooded in the spring when snow melt in the high Sierra cascaded down the Tuolumne River and backed up behind the narrow gorge which is now spanned by O'Shaughnessy Dam. The trail continues to climb for 1.8 miles (2.8 km) above the trail intersection, but you can turn around any time. The Poopenaut Trail begins at a signed trailhead four miles past the entrance station. The Great Alaskan Land Fraud and the Pinchot-Ballinger Controversy caused both Richard A. Ballinger and Gifford Pinchot to resign and be fired respectively. Loss of the reservoir would decrease the Bay Areas water and energy security, requiring new water storage (possibly in reservoirs not owned by San Francisco) and the development of new water and energy supplies. Hetch Hetchy Valley, dammed and flooded in the 1920s despite bitter opposition from Sierra Club founder John Muir, provides drinking water for an estimated 2 million people in the San Francisco . Hetch Hetchy is the incredible story of Americas most controversial dam and the birth of the environmental movement. It pitted a powerful city against a dedicated group of conservationists. The . The regional water system provides water to 2.4 million people in San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda and San Mateo counties. Slow down and spend the day at Tenaya Lake a beautiful and easy-to-get-to alpine lake cupped by granite domes. That trip is a 19.1-mile (22.9 km) out and back, or you can turn the hike into a loop that returns past Rancheria Falls (28.2 miles, 45.4 km). Appreciate what nature created and what the city built there long ago. It's dumb, dumb, dumb. Winter weather conditions may cause road closures. [75] The remaining deficit would likely have to be replaced by polluting fossil fuel generation. [citation needed], The Hetch Hetchy Valley began as a V-shaped river canyon cut out by the ancestral Tuolumne River. 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. The locations of these two formations roughly correspond with those of Cathedral Rocks and El Capitan seen from Tunnel View in Yosemite Valley. As the Hetch Hetchy Valley was part of Yosemite National Park, Hitchcock preferred to protect the park's natural wonders. The proposed study would also have been required to identify potential replacements for the water storage capacity and hydroelectric power production.[87][88]. There is no Starbucks here no daily parade of tour buses and RVs. There, he met the same Indian chief and his wives. They would light upon a man's blue shirt and turn it brown, and were voracious as mosquitoes would be. From 1901 - 1913, John Muir led the Sierra Club in a campaign to protect the Hetch Hetchy Valley, a part of Yosemite National Park, from being filled by a reservoir. Also convince them it would be a good idea to raise the heights of their dams so we can enlarge these reservoirs with our extra water, flooding anew many miles of the Tuolumne River and acres of currently dry land. This is why environmental impact statements, which were not required prior to 1969, are so important today. Some of these studies determined that the idea of draining the reservoir was technically feasible but incredibly costly. The dam and reservoir are the source for the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct, which provides water for over . If their signature-gathering campaign is successful, a small group of environmental advocates, led by Restore Hetch Hetchy, will give you the opportunity this November to vote on a measure that would require the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) to develop a plan to drain Hetch Hetchy Reservoir.
Sweetfin Nutrition Information,
Philippians 4:13 Sunday School Lesson,
Articles B
