. The dam and reservoir are the source for the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct, which provides water for over . 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 . Principally, dam removal on the Klamath will require annual replacement of 696 gigawatt hours of electricity by other means. Then it travels through a series of mountain tunnels. Fourth, dams alter water quality. Would there be any room in an acquisitive society for wildness, or for non material spiritual values?. The 68mi (109km) Hetch Hetchy Railroad was constructed to link the Sierra Railway with Hetch Hetchy Valley, allowing for direct rail shipment of construction materials from San Francisco to the dam site. This reservoir on the Sacramento River has been planned for decades benefits of hetch hetchy dam - Lindon CPA's Hetch Hetchy is a valley, a reservoir, and a water system in California in the United States. It involved the unintended consequences of efforts to shape the environment to meet human needs. The Blackberry Inn Bed and Breakfast is just one of many welcoming businesses located on the way to Hetch Hetchy. 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. Should nature be left alone so that flora and fauna flourish while people enjoy its primal wonders? [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. 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.. 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. Hours: Year-round, but only accessible by car when the Hetch Hetchy Road is open. 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. Why we must restore Hetch Hetchy - SFGATE Visitors might still need chains to get down Evergreen Road this time of year, but a trip to Hetch Hetchy reveals an example of the potent storms, and a reservoir of controversy for 100 years. The trail includes spectacular views of Tueeulala and Wapama Falls. They suggest that draining the reservoir and turning Hetch Hetchy Valley into a tourist center similar to Yosemite Valley could be worth up to $178 million per year. Through the manipulation of water, the company also had the power to determine which real estate became valuable and which languished. [46], Work on the Hetch Hetchy Project began in 1914. It is the primary water source for about 2.5 million residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. Had it been, the Sierra Clubs members would have presented a united front in opposition to its development. 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. No spam. Only a tiny proportion of Yosemites visitors explore this out-of-the-way corner of the national park. 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. Fortunately, that time has not yet come, so this November, vote no on the Water Sustainability and Environmental Restoration Planning Act of 2012. Lets keep Hetch Hetchy around for the forseeable future. Shasta, Oroville, Hetch Hetchy and many others were built by damming large rivers. Dianne Feinstein, the mayor of San Francisco at the time, said in a Los Angeles Times story in 1987: "All this is for an expanded campground? And Hetch Hetchy's damming has inspired generations of conservationists to protect our natural heritage and to commit to safeguarding our protected areas. In 2019, Restore Hetch Hetchy commissioned another study that found enormous recreational value from removing the dam. Learn what to expect from Mirror Lake in various seasons. Surrounding the water are a few waterfalls, the most prominent being Tueeulala and Wapama Falls, and countless rock features. As well dam for water-tanks the peoples cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man . [citation needed], The Hetch Hetchy Valley began as a V-shaped river canyon cut out by the ancestral Tuolumne River. The Dam flooded about nine miles of the river, including the Hetch Hetchy valley. The landscape painter Bierstadt, who brought his German Romantic training to the valley in 1862, gave the world an even larger portrait, and one in extravagant color, that photographers could not match on any scale. The SFPUC tests its quality more than 100,000 times a year to ensure that it exceeds all safe drinking water standards. Second, the sanctity of the national parks which they believed should not be violated. [50] The project is operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Animals were principally driven along Joseph Screech's trail from Big Oak Flat to Hetch Hetchy. Like Muir, he was totally transfixed by the Hetch Hetchy Valley. Show More. These benefits include: Reservoir-based recreation - swimming, fishing, camping etc. 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. [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 history of Californias growth is inextricably linked to the search for water. The Hetch Hetchy Valley: A Reservoir In The Sierra Nevada Mountains Of 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 trail to Wapama Falls is one of the most popular trails in the Hetch Hetchy area for a good reason. 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. Start by hiking across the OShaughnessy Dam then turn east along the shore of the reservoir. 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. [8], Meadow plants unavailable in the lowlands were particularly valuable resources to these tribes. Mirror Lakes famous spring-time reflections capture the eye and mind. There, he met the same Indian chief and his wives. Hetch Hetchy, a glacially carved valley situated in the northern end of the park, was flooded and dammed in the early 1900s in order to serve as the primary drinking water source for parts of San Francisco and the Bay Area. In spite of Muirs eloquent and heated objections, the Raker Act was signed into law in December of 1913. Muir famously said, Dam Hetch Hetchy! The bustling metropolis of Los Angeles could not have become the city it did without the water which flowed from the Owens Valley hundreds of miles away. benefits of hetch hetchy dam. It is the source of water for the city of San Francisco. The Tuolumne River originates in the peaks above Tuolumne Meadows and is the major drainage system for the northern part of Yosemite. 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. The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, which lies within the Yosemite National Park, supplies 85% of the water needs of San Francisco and surrounding counties. Topic: Hoover Dam - Water Education Foundation First, the beauty of the valley which they felt should not be sacrificed to build a dam. Application Opening: February 10, 2023 Application Filing Deadline: March 3, 2023 Hourly Compensation: $27.3125 Recruitment ID: RTF0131751-01138303 (131752) APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary Exempt: This position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process and shall serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer. For your last day, enjoy a short hike on the shores of the beautiful Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. He was opposed by then Mayor Diane Feinstein who argued that the dam was San Franciscans birthright. 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. Other trails also continue to Lake Vernon. [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. Above all, one's behavior Argument Against The Hetchy Dam 587 Words | 3 Pages DWRs meta-study found a range of costs from $3 billion to $10 billion for restoration and replacement of water and power sources. 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. The Tuolumne River, the source of. It is only a cut in the hills through which the Tuolumne River runs, but if you think there might be a valley keep looking and if you find such a place I will give it to you., Nate went on looking for the valley. The construction of the Hetch Hetchy Railroad took place from 1915 to 1918. 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 . But Hetch Hetchy was a federally protected as part of Yosemite National Park. Worth a Dam? - Earth Island Journal The glacially-carved U-shaped valley floor maximizes the amount of water stored in the reservoir. Hetch Hetchy - Wikipedia Located 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas, the dam captures water from the . Dam shame / It's time that San Francisco let go of Hetch Hetchy - SFGATE Environment Quiz 1 Chapters 1-3 Flashcards | Quizlet Why We Need Hetch Hetchy More Than Ever | SPUR 2 Existing Regional Water System - San Francisco But the ultra-liberal President Woodrow Wilson signed off in 1913 on the multi-decade construction of a series of dams within Yosemite National Park that flooded Hetch Hetchy Valley to create a massive reservoir, hydroelectric plants, and a 167-mile aqueduct for the sole benefit of the City of San Francisco. The dam and reservoir, combined with a series of aqueducts, tunnels, and hydroelectric plants as well as eight other storage dams, comprise a system known as the Hetch Hetchy Project, which provides 80% of the water supply for 2.6 million people. The SFPUC and other Hetch Hetchy users are currently implementing plans to meet this demand through recycled water, groundwater and conservation. It is definitely worth to visit Hetch Hetchy area especially in 2021 when main Yosemite area requires booking permits in advance. As in Yosemite, the sublime rocks of its walls seem to glow with life . Your email address will not be published. What Happens When You Remove a Dam? - Hetch Hetchy Reservoir Photo: Herbert W. Gleason courtesy of the Sierra Club. The imputed motive was to divide the environmental movement: to see residents of the strongly Democratic city of San Francisco coming out against an environmental issue. Coming from the San Francisco Bay Area youll pass right through Buck Meadows on Highway 120. 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. The gently rolling terrain has excellent views of the water and eye-catching Kolana Rock, which towers roughly 2,000 feet above. Photo: Kim Lawson. [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. Her poetic descriptions of Hetch hetchy won her the attention of powerful members of Congress. Then, in 1906, a devastating earthquake caused a series of fires in San Francisco that destroyed 25,000 buildings across 490 city blocks. The reservoir is eight miles long and the largest single body of water in Yosemite. Assign each group to analyze one or more . Construction of O'Shaughnessy Dam began in 1919 and was finished in 1923, with the reservoir first filling in May of that year. Hydroelectric power generated from the Hetch Hetchy project is largely sold to Bay Area customers through a private power company, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). 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. John Muir knew that without public support, the Hetch Hetchy Valley would be lost. [42] They claimed the valley was not unique and would be even more beautiful with a lake. 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. Albert Bierstadt was known for his sweeping landscapes of the American West. While youre at it, plan to add to the historic flavor of this route with a stop the Northern Mariposa County History Center. Hetch Hetchy: Congress and the Environment | National Archives This 1910 view shows Kolana Rock and Tueeulala Falls in the background. [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. Forests might provide for the material well-being of human beings, but they did not exist for this reason alone. Pinchot was Americas Forester. He served as the first head of the United States Forest Service. OShaughnessy Dam and the waterworks that connect it to the Bay Area are a marvel of engineering. [40] By the 1880s, San Francisco was looking to Hetch Hetchy water as a fix for its outdated and unreliable water system. The new. 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? And it is the largest single source of water supply for the Bay Area. In an effort to build this support, he published his bookThe Yosemitein 1912. . Note: you may use the handout or navigate to our feature on the Hetch Hetchy Environmental Debates to access the overview and copy of the Raker Bill. More Than Just Parks | National Parks Guides. Hetch Hetchy and Ackerson Meadow: Wildflowers and Bats Even in the summer when Yosemite Valley is being explored by visitors from around the world, Hetch Hetchy remains an oasis of relative calm. In 2006, the California State Department of Water Resources (DWR) and Department of Parks and Recreation evaluated the cost estimates of multiple feasibility studies conducted between 1988 and 2005. The walls of both are of gray granite, rise abruptly out of the flowery grass and groves are sculptured in the same style, and in both every rock is a glacial monument., (Source: Journal of Sierra Nevada History & Biography, Hetch-Hetchy, Natural History Before The Dam, Joe Medeiros), In defense of Hetch Hetchy, Muir crafted some of his most famous prose. The grassroots organization of environmental activism, established by John Muir and his supporters, became a model for future environmentalists. In the autumn of 1871, John Muir visited Hetch Hetchy for the first time. The falls roar in spring and early summer. Most people called it Hetch Hetchy, a mispronunciation of a Central Mohawk word for a plant that indigenous people were harvesting there when the first white man came along.. 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. OPTION 3Give control to the local people of Hetch Hetchy 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. "[32], In 1867, Charles F. Hoffman of the California Geological Survey conducted the first survey of the valley. 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. Included with your registration: Two-day guided experience in Yosemite; one day at Hetch Hetchy and one day in Ackerson Meadow (Saturday, May 11, at 8 am, through Sunday, May 12, until about 3 pm). A full breakfast is served in the dining room. Such new supplies are not guaranteed to have the low greenhouse gas emissions profile that Hetch Hetchy water and power do and they could worsen climate change while increasing our vulnerability to it. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This is interesting from an ideological perspective. Earn $27.3125 per hour. The surface of the water hides an additional 300 feet of granite cliffs and once-upon-a-time waterfalls within its depths. [48], The Early Intake (Lower Cherry) Powerhouse began commercial operation five years before the O'Shaughnessy Dam was completed. [21][33] Albert Bierstadt, Charles Dorman Robinson and William Keith were known for their landscapes that drew tourists to the Hetch Hetchy Valley. Us too! Hetch Hetchy Water and Power also wants to remove the giant bulkhead that seals up the tunnel with 40 nuts and bolts, Ritchie said. [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. ", "Hetch Hetchy reclaimed: The dam downstream", "Alternatives for restoration of Hetch Hetchy Valley following removal of the dam and reservoir page 15", "Chapter 9: Impact of restoration on hydropower production and revenues", "Putting Bay Area's Water Sources to a Vote", "Hodel Would Tear Down Dam in Hetch Hetchy", "On Hetch Hetchy, John Muir was wrong: California's revered naturalist wrote a poetic diatribe against the drowning of the great valley. DWR also found that the planning studies necessary to refine the costs and benefits of restoration would cost $65 million alone. National opinion divided between giving San Francisco the right to dam the valley and preserving the valley from development. Including additions made between 1934 and 1938, the dam currently stands 430 feet (131 m) above the bedrock below. San Francisco had its eyes on this water source early on and repeatedly tried to acquire water rights to the Tuolumne River. The privately owned Spring Valley Water Company had required its customers to pay exorbitant rates for years. Hetch Hetchy Valley, Yosemite National Park, California The Greatest You could miss this small mountain community if you blink at the wrong time, but it is home to a few remarkable small businesses. The dam also provides flood control, irrigation, and water storage along the Colorado River. Hetch Hetchy water travels 160 miles via gravity from . John Muir, the first president of the Sierra Club, condemned plans to build the dam, saying, "Dam Hetch Hetchy! "Dam Hetch Hetchy!": John Muir Contests the Hetch-Hetchy Dam Since the valley was within Yosemite National Park, an act of Congress was needed to authorize the project. In some cases, however, including the Klamath and Hetch Hetchy, the benefits of restoration clearly outweigh the benefits provided by the dams. If the nation set aside some natural places as especially sacred, how far beyond their borders should a sense of the sacred extend? [39], Interest in using the valley as a water source or reservoir dates back as far as the 1850s, when the Tuolumne Valley Water Company proposed developing water storage there for irrigation. Next to John Muir, the most vocal defender of the Hetch Hetchy Valley was Harriet Monroe. Muir and other defenders of Hetch Hetchy believe the fight revolved around two central issues. "[81] Hodel, now retired, is still[when?] 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. In the foreground, the deep still water of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir reflects sunshine, clouds and the proud shadows of the surrounding mountains. Finally, in 1988, a third generator was added to the Kirkwood Powerhouse. The battle for Hetch Hetchy wasnt just conservationists vs preservationists. They also remove water needed for healthy in-stream ecosystems. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Water System 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. In the sum of American economic expansion the intrusion might have seemed a minor, obscure matter, but to [John] Muir immense issues were involved: why had the nation preserved that pure wildness in the first place? [57] Pipelines 3 and 4 end at the Pulgas Water Temple, a small park that contains classical architectural elements which celebrate the water delivery. Three strikes for San Francisco | Restore Hetch Hetchy [40] The city would repeatedly try to acquire water rights to Hetch Hetchy, including in 1901, 1903 and 1905, but was continually rebuffed because of conflicts with irrigation districts that had senior water rights on the Tuolumne River, and because of the valley's national park status. [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. A national debate ensued between the preservationist and conservationist factions of the young environmental movement. Let us introduce you to some of the unique giant sequoia groves in the Yosemite Mariposa County area the Merced, Tuolumne, and Mariposa Groves are inside Yosemite National Park, and the Nelder Grove is just outside the park boundary to the south. As Muir famously protested: Dam Hetch Hetchy? The water shunted through them about 218 million gallons a day arrives in most city taps by gravity alone. 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. benefits of hetch hetchy dam. The Dam Rent Is Too Low - PERC Hetch Hetchy: Pros and Cons of Restoration - Yosemite Tales O'Shaughnessy Dam (California) - Wikipedia [3] Kolana Rock, at 5,772ft (1,759m), is a massive rock spire on the south side of the Hetch Hetchy Valley. Before they could break ground at the OShaughnessy Dam, more infrastructure was required. 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. The regional water system provides water to 2.4 million people in San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda and San Mateo counties. The reservoir supplies water for the city of San Francisco, so there is no recreational boating or swimming allowed. Said San Francisco resident William Denman in 1918, "The first time I went into the Hetch Hetchy the mosquitoes were intolerable. Divide the class into four small groups. Let the dam at Hetch Hetchy stand - sfchronicle.com Hetch Hetchy Water's Epic Journey, From Mountains to Tap 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.. The O'Shaughnessy Dam and reservoir, and the series of aqueducts, tunnels, and tunnels as well as 8 other dams make up the entire Hetch Hetchy Project. Winter storms fill Hetch Hetchy, renew debate about reservoir's future Sign up for helpful guides, beautiful videos, and insider tips on the national parks. (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.) [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. [66] In 2015, Restore Hetch Hetchy filed a complaint arguing that the construction of the dam had violated a provision in the constitution of California about water use, but the lawsuit was rejected by an appeals court and later the California State Supreme Court. Instead, the magnificence of a valley often described as Yosemite Valleys slightly smaller twin takes center stage. Day 6: Hetch Hetchy Reservoir to San Francisco. In 1913, Woodrow Wilson appointed Lane his Secretary of the Interior. 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.