[21] Periodic clearing of the valley provided ample space for the growth of the grasses and shrubs they relied on, as well as additional room for large game animals such as deer to browse. It carried workers and materials for the dam, as well as tourists, postage and other amenities. This is why environmental impact statements, which were not required prior to 1969, are so important today. Then, in 1906, a devastating earthquake caused a series of fires in San Francisco that destroyed 25,000 buildings across 490 city blocks. ", "Three Square Miles of Open Space: Is It Enough? And, as you might imagine, it produces some of the cleanest municipal water in the United States. As we learned from Rachel Carsons Silent Spring, humankind can damage the environment while attempting to control it. Second, dams slow rivers. The Hetch Hetchy Dam in the Yosemite Valley, receives the bulk of it's water from the sierra snow pack miles above the reservoir. Even before it was finished, the massive . The SFPUC tests its quality more than 100,000 times a year to ensure that it exceeds all safe drinking water standards. As well dam for water-tanks the peoples cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man . [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. The main power facility in the system, the Moccasin Powerhouse, began commercial operation on August 14, 1925. 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. [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. 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. [17] The valley's abundant plants provided nourishment for mule deer, black bears and bighorn sheep. . But if you still have energy, continue past the bridge to Rancheria Falls. The Poopenaut Trail begins at a signed trailhead four miles past the entrance station. Yosemite's Secret Valley - Hetch Hetchy - YouTube The exploitation of Californias natural resources continued unabated in the years leading up to Hetch Hetchy. So visit Hetch Hetchy. [75] The remaining deficit would likely have to be replaced by polluting fossil fuel generation. [45], The controversy over Hetch Hetchy was in the context of other political scandals and controversies, especially prevalent in the Taft administration. There are many places to stop and enjoy views of the rushing water before turning around to return to your car. The deciding factor was whether or not the land in question had access to water. Yosemite's Hetch Hetchy Water Wars - Yosemite National Park Trips National opinion divided between giving San Francisco the right to dam the valley and preserving the valley from development. The grassroots organization of environmental activism, established by John Muir and his supporters, became a model for future environmentalists. In the foreground, the deep still water of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir reflects sunshine, clouds and the proud shadows of the surrounding mountains. While the dialogue around the West's water wars has been concentrated on the Colorado River and the alarming decline of Lake Powell and Lake Mead, watersheds across the Western United States are feeling the effects of a rapidly aridifying landscape due to climate change. Environment Quiz 1 Chapters 1-3 Flashcards | Quizlet 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 ________. Many are vital pieces of infrastructure that provide reliable water supplies, hydropower, flood control, and recreation. What one Secretary of the Interior giveth, another taketh away. Proponents of the dam replied that out of multiple sites considered by San Francisco, Hetch Hetchy had the "perfect architecture for a reservoir",[43] with pristine water, lack of development or private property, a steep-sided and flat-floored profile that would maximize the amount of water stored, and a narrow outlet ideal for placement of a dam. Photo: Kim Lawson. 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. These benefits include: Reservoir-based recreation - swimming, fishing, camping etc. Hoover Dam. 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. DWRs meta-study found a range of costs from $3 billion to $10 billion for restoration and replacement of water and power sources. 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. [48], The Early Intake (Lower Cherry) Powerhouse began commercial operation five years before the O'Shaughnessy Dam was completed. As well dam for water-tanks the people's cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man. Related. (Read SPURs analysis of this plan.) ", "Fall in the Main Tuolumne River at the Head of Hetch Hetchy Valley", "Fly Fishing Poopenaut Valley Tuolumne River", "Screech Brothers Find Hetch Hetchy Valley", "Big Oak Flat (No. A full breakfast is served in the dining room. Like Muir, he was totally transfixed by the Hetch Hetchy Valley. ", "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. The dam and reservoir are the source for the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct, which provides water for over . . Youll just need to see them for yourself. We can't help it either. [citation needed], The Hetch Hetchy Valley began as a V-shaped river canyon cut out by the ancestral Tuolumne River. This strenuous 2.5-mile, round-trip hike to the Tuolumne River has 1,229 feet of elevation gain. 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). Hetch Hetchy Dome, at 6,197ft (1,889m), lies directly north of it. Not only does it supply 85 percent of the water for 2.6 million people in San Francisco, controlled releases via the O'Shaughnessy Dam are helping preserve downstream specieseven in dry years. . When changes are made there are unintended consequences. San Francisco Mayor James Phelan led the fight to build a dam at Hetch Hetchy. The U.S. Congress passed and President Woodrow Wilson signed the Raker Act in 1913, which permitted the flooding of the valley under the conditions that power and water derived from the river could only be used for public interests. 2023 Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau, Yosemite Itineraries: What to Do in Yosemite. When youre standing at the shore overlooking what appears to be a lake, picture yourself looking down into a verdant valley filled with the tall native grasses that give the valley its name. For thousands of years, Native Americans subjected the valley to controlled bushfires, which prevented forest from taking over the valley meadows. Gravel, logs, and other important food and habitat features can become trapped. John Muir knew that without public support, the Hetch Hetchy Valley would be lost. 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. [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. In 1967 the Robert C. Kirkwood Powerhouse started commercial operation followed by a New Moccasin Powerhouse in 1969 when the Old Moccasin Powerhouse was taken out of service. Richard Ballinger was appointed his Interior Secretary. While opponents of the dam were hard pressed for financial support, the city of San Franciscos campaign was well financed. The new. Hetch-22 | Ethics: Climate Change - Galen Hiltbrand What part should mountains, rivers, natural meadows or wild creatures play in American life? As well dam for water-tanks the people's cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been . Dbq Hetchy Project - 663 Words | Internet Public Library The most prominent preservationist spokesman was John Muir.. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Water System 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. An anthropocentrist would agree with building the dam in the park without taking into consideration what the dam would do to the already existing ecosystem due to not caring about the established animals and plants. That's about twice the amount of power lost when Hetch Hetchy will be restored. The maximum that the city has put away is 570,000 acre-feet of water. 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 dam also provides flood control, irrigation, and water storage along the Colorado River. People have died after being swept off the bridge and onto the rocks below. He was opposed by then Mayor Diane Feinstein who argued that the dam was San Franciscans birthright. As well dam for water-tanks the peoples cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man.. [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. ", "The Hetch Hetchy Story, Part II: PG&E and the Raker Act", "The Forbidden Water: San Francisco and Hetch Hetchy Valley", "Idyllic Pulgas Water Temple still offers comfort for weary wanderers", "Chronology of San Francisco's Water Development", "Frequently Asked Questions About Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and the Regional Water & Power System", "Water From Yosemite Is Still Cheap, for Now", "Serving 2.6 million residential, commercial and industrial customers", "Hetch Hetchy water goes through ultraviolet rinse", "A historic bid for limited boating at Hetch Hetchy Reservoir", "Trump team reassigns Yosemite National Park superintendent; timing raises questions", "Western Water Wars: Efforts to Take Over San Francisco's Hetch Hetchy Systems", "Hetch Hetchy Power Debacle: Continuing Yosemite Threat", "Could Hetch Hetchy Valley be worth $100 billion? On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. DWR also found that the planning studies necessary to refine the costs and benefits of restoration would cost $65 million alone. He discovered it a few of years later. Controversy continues to swirl around the Hetch Hetchy Dam even now. [63] The city justified this as a temporary measure, but no attempt to follow through with completing the municipal grid was ever made. 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. HETCH HETCHY: The Epic Enviro Battle That Changed America 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. [3] Kolana Rock, at 5,772ft (1,759m), is a massive rock spire on the south side of the Hetch Hetchy Valley. The Fight for Hetch Hetchy | Environment & Society Portal . Fourth, dams alter water quality. Third, dams alter natural habitats and change the ways in which rivers function. [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. Consequences - Hetch Hetchy: The Valley of Broken Promises [citation needed] The George W. Bush administration proposed allocating $7 million to studying the removal of the dam in the 2007 National Park Service budget. Photo: Kim Lawson. He produced at least four oil paintings of the valley one of which is prominently displayed in Mount Holyoke Colleges art museum. This reservoir on the Sacramento River has been planned for decades 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). There have been lawsuits over whether San Francisco violated the agreements of the Raker Act. RELATED: A Woman Started The Environmental Movement (Can It Continue?). From the turn-off, the road winds for 16.5 miles up the old Hetch Hetchy railroad grade (26.5 km) to the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, passing many lonely trails along the way. And today there is even an organization, Restore Hetch Hetchy, which is committed to doing just that. [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. OShaughnessy Dam and the waterworks that connect it to the Bay Area are a marvel of engineering. 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" [42] They claimed the valley was not unique and would be even more beautiful with a lake. Not to be outdone by Los Angeles, San Francisco had a greater feat in mind: dam the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park and pipe the water into San Francisco. Although there are relatively few visitors to Hetch Hetchy, youll find most of them along the trail to Wapama Fall. Congress would decide the fate of the Hetchy Hetchy Valley. To visit the waterfalls or Yosemites northern backcountry, you walk across OShaughnessy Dam. The reservoir is eight miles long and the largest single body of water in Yosemite. It has not been demonstrated that Hetch Hetchy is the only available source, but only that it might be the cheapest. This limits their ability to access spawning habitat, seek out food resources, and escape predation. "[19], People have lived in Hetch Hetchy Valley for over 6,000 years. This valley was isolated and remote, twenty miles northwest of the original. Why we must restore Hetch Hetchy - SFGATE Hetch Hetchy's restoration, after all, will benefit national . The battle over the Hetch Hetchy, in part, was a fight over public versus private ownership of vital resources such as water. [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. strongly against restoration. 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. They poured an estimated total of more than 398,000 cubic yards (304,000 cubic meters) of concrete to form the dam. "Dam Hetch Hetchy!": John Muir Contests the Hetch-Hetchy Dam San Francisco Hetch Hetchy Reservoir Initiative, Proposition F Building the Hetch Hetchy dam in such a remote location was an enormous project. The first Moccasin Powerhouse in Moccasin, California began commercial operation in 1925 followed by the Holm Powerhouse in 1960 (the same month the Early Intake Powerhouse was taken out of service). He had journeyed to Washington to lobby the federal government on behalf of the project. Plus, they needed a way to bring supplies and workers into the mountains. The trail includes spectacular views of Tueeulala and Wapama Falls. You could miss this small mountain community if you blink at the wrong time, but it is home to a few remarkable small businesses. 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. [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. 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. Denouncing dam proponents as greedy, he wrote, These temple destroyers, devotees of ravaging commercialism, seem to have a perfect contempt for Nature, and instead of lifting their eyes to the God of the Mountains, life them to the Almighty Dollar. If, on the other hand, San Francisco gained control, it would signal in important victory for public power resulting in lower rates for the people. For functional purposes, Hetch Hetchy was a promising solution to San Francisco's serious water shortages. Within 50 years, vegetative cover would be complete except for exposed rocky areas. [2] Indeed, Hetch Hetchy today[when?] San Francisco assumed from the outset that there would not be significant opposition to using the Hetch Hetchy Valley, even if it was in a national park, for the high and noble purpose of providing water to one of the nations great and growing metropolises, so their efforts in Washington, DC, were conducted discreetly. Finally, with the railroad complete, teams broke ground on the OShaughnessy Dam on August 1, 1919. The chief began packing up and, when Nate asked him why, he replied, The valley is yours now., Far below them, the river cascaded into a peaceful valley floor, a heavenly setting similar to that of the main Yosemite Valley. 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. In the Bay Area, Hetch Hetchy water is stored in local facilities including Calaveras Reservoir, Crystal Springs Reservoir, and San Antonio Reservoir. History - Hetch Hetchy - Sierra Club [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. View of the OShaughnessy Dam and the Hetchy Hetchy Road and parking. 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. The spacious rooms include access to a heated swimming pool, spa, playground, and laundry facilities. 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). The main problem with the measure is that in spite of appearing to be about studying best options or planning for future water supplies, it has pre-determined the solution: draining Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. This ballot measure is so problematic that SPUR has taken early action to oppose it. 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 . Consider one project in progress that involves re-routing an entire river . 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. SPUR wholeheartedly agrees that planning for water quality and reliability is important. 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. 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? In the autumn of 1871, John Muir visited Hetch Hetchy for the first time. 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.. Instead, it was a more complicated battle which pitted public interests against private interests. 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. John Muir, the first president of the Sierra Club, condemned plans to build the dam, saying, "Dam Hetch Hetchy! Muir famously said, Dam 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. Stand on OShaughnessy Dam and feel the cool updraft. 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. [24] It is likely that the edible grass was blue dicks. Yes, the plan to drain Hetch Hetchy involves causing new ecological damage. Now San Francisco wanted to dam one of the two principal watersheds in the park, the Hetch Hetchy valley through which ran the Tuolumne River, to create a reservoir for its water supply. The OShaughnessy Dam was completed in 1938 and is 430-feet tall. Download the official NPS app before your next visit. It pitted a powerful city against a dedicated group of conservationists. 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. A national debate ensued between the preservationist and conservationist factions of the young environmental movement. But Hetch Hetchy was a federally protected as part of Yosemite National Park. 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. But Hetch Hetchy, one of nature's perfect . [58], Water from Hetch Hetchy is some of the cleanest municipal water in the United States; San Francisco is one of six U.S. cities not required by law to filter its tap water, although the water is disinfected by ozonation and, since 2011, exposure to UV. remains the least visited area of the park. [8] Rancheria Falls is located farther southeast, on Rancheria Creek. SPUR Urban Center, 654 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-4015 | (415) 781-8726 | [emailprotected], 2023 SPUR Privacy Policy 501(C)(3) Non-Profit Tax Identification: 94-1498232, a member-supported nonprofit organization. [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. In 2007, in approving the environmental impact report for the Water System Improvement Program an investment of more than $4 billion to shore up the seismic reliability of the Hetch Hetchy water system the SFPUC gave itself, and its wholesale customers on the peninsula, ten years to develop a plan that would identify reliable alternative sources of water to meet the regions future growth in demand, rather than diverting more water from the Tuolumne River. After Hetch Hetchy, many realized the National Parks needed more protection. Although Hetch Hetchy is included within the boundaries of Yosemite National Park, the entrance is separate from the rest of the park. The view in Hetch Hetchy Valley As you know by now, the hike is 90% along the reservoir so you always get to see the most beautiful blue water in all of California. Klamath Dam Removal Applauded by Newsom, Haaland et al., How About (Source: American Rivers, How Dams Damage Rivers). [82] Dianne Feinstein opposed this allocation, saying, "I will do all I can to make sure it isn't included in the final bill. Learn what to expect from Mirror Lake in various seasons. Exactly how San Francisco won the right to transform the bucolic valley into a San Francisco could flood the valley and work began the following year. Plus, the granite walls converge into a narrow outlet at the bottom of the valley the perfect location for a dam. By Posted student houses falmouth 2021 In jw marriott panama concierge lounge From this work, we have concluded that it is not wise to reduce water storage facilities considering the realities of a growing population and climate change. [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. The report cited other dam projects in making the argument that this project would increase tourism. 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.. 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.