benefits of hetch hetchy dam benefits of hetch hetchy dam

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. Park entry (as needed). SPUR wholeheartedly agrees that planning for water quality and reliability is important. The O'Shaughnessy Dam is near Yosemite's western boundary, but the long, narrow, fingerlike reservoir stretches eastward for about 8 miles (13km). Next to John Muir, the most vocal defender of the Hetch Hetchy Valley was Harriet Monroe. The water shunted through them about 218 million gallons a day arrives in most city taps by gravity alone. [42] They claimed the valley was not unique and would be even more beautiful with a lake. Use good judgment and stay safe. 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. [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. If youre up for a driving adventure, try taking a little extra time to retrace parts of the route John Muir described in his book, My First Summer in the Sierra. [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. There is no Starbucks here no daily parade of tour buses and RVs. 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? Hetch Hetchy's restoration, after all, will benefit national . As well dam for water-tanks the peoples cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man . We can't help it either. Us too! In the 19th century, the first white visitors to the valley did not realize that Hetch Hetchy's extensive meadows were the product of millennia of management by Native Americans; instead they believed "the valley was purely a product of ancient geological forces (or divine intervention) this was fundamental to its allure as a destination and subject. By 1908, a different Interior Secretary, James R. Garfield, sided with the utilitarian conservationists and issued a permit for the Hetch Hetchy project. 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. Construction of O'Shaughnessy Dam began in 1919 and was finished in 1923, with the reservoir first filling in May of that year. The inadequacy of the citys existing water supply came into sharp focus. Within three years, Congress had passed the Organic Act, formally defining the parks and creating a new federal agency, the National Park Service, with a mission: to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.. Download the official NPS app before your next visit. Seventeen species of bats inhabit the Hetch Hetchy area, including the largest North American bat, the western mastiff. On December 19, 1913, Congress passed and President Wilson signed the Raker Act which permitted the building of the OShaughnessy Dam and the flooding of the Hetch Hethcy Valley in Yosemite National Park. It spans 900 feet (270 m) with a 17-foot (5.2 m) wide trail across the top that hikers use to cross to the opposite side. 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. Within the ranks of the Sierra Club, there was a split between those San Francisco members who favored the dams municipal use versus those who believed this pristine area should not be tampered with under any circumstances. The Hetch Hetchy Valley is about 8 miles (13 km) from Yosemite Valley. In November 2012, San Francisco voters soundly rejected Proposition F,[86] which would have required the city to conduct an $8 million study on how the flooded valley could be drained and restored to its former state. This is a place considered by John Muir to be equal in beauty to Yose. Once again, the political pendulum would swing. Teams completed the OShaughnessy Dam in 1923 and the reservoir filled for the first time in May of that year. Assign each group to analyze one or more . But if you still have energy, continue past the bridge to Rancheria Falls. [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. Hetch Hetchy is the incredible story of Americas most controversial dam and the birth of the environmental movement. This strenuous 2.5-mile, round-trip hike to the Tuolumne River has 1,229 feet of elevation gain. Photo: Chris Migeon. Friday, enjoy an evening about bats starting at 7 pm. Specialty pricing may require . . Hetch Hetchy, for the time being, was safe, and it would not be inundated during Roosevelts watch.. Hetch Hetchy Water and Power also wants to remove the giant bulkhead that seals up the tunnel with 40 nuts and bolts, Ritchie said. Those who presumed to speak for wealth, much of which flowed to San Francisco, believed they were transforming a pioneer land into a settled, civilized one. The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir also serves to provide energy in the form of hydroelectricity, with a capacity of over 200 megawatts a year. [2] The dam contains 675,000cuyd (516,000m3) of concrete. 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. [84] Karin Klein has described Yosemite Valley as "so crammed that it looks more like a ripstop ghetto than the site of a nature experience. 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. Hetch Hetchy is dammed by the 430-foot-tall OShaughnessy Dam and has a storage capacity of 360,360 acre-feet. 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 maximum that the city has put away is 570,000 acre-feet of water. . Hetch Hetchy is a valley, a reservoir, and a water system in California in the United States. The fundamental issue involved two concepts. They were both initially carved by rivers flowing down the Sierras relatively gentle western slope. Activity 1: Analysis. Guests at these suites receive breakfast on their patios. Instead, the magnificence of a valley often described as Yosemite Valleys slightly smaller twin takes center stage. [56] All four pipelines cross the Hayward fault. In the early 20th century, San Francisco flooded the Hetch Hetchy Valley, destroying "one of nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples." This is why the city can now ban new natural gas. For functional purposes, Hetch Hetchy was a promising solution to San Francisco's serious water shortages. 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. [75] The remaining deficit would likely have to be replaced by polluting fossil fuel generation. In spite of Muirs eloquent and heated objections, the Raker Act was signed into law in December of 1913. Camping included, if needed; limited sites are shared among all the . This effort was famously and vociferously fought by John Muir and was the subject of a national debate for years; the loss later galvanized the Sierra Club to successfully oppose large dams in Dinosaur National Monument and Grand Canyon National Park. At full capacity, the reservoir stretches eight miles (13 km) upstream of the OShaughnessy Dam. A bigger population will increase demand, meanwhile climate change could significantly reduce supply through drought and hydrological cycle changes. Secretary of the Interior, Ethan Allen Hitchcock, refused to give San Francisco a permit to build the dam. We would be trading flooded acres in one place for flooded acres in another. . For John Muir, it was about preserving a natural wonder which could be enjoyed by generations to come. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, encompassing 2,000 acres of federal park land, has clearly been maintained for the benefit of San Francisco with minimal consideration of the wider public whose tax dollarsand, in the case of visitors, entrance feessupport the national park. Five country-chic rooms in the main building include en suite bathrooms, free WiFi and electric fireplaces. 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. 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. 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. [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. Garfield had granted San Franciscos request, but Ballinger ordered the city to show cause as to why Hetch Hetchy should not be deleted from their grant. As well dam for . "[22], The valley's name may be derived from a Miwok word earlier anglicized as hatchhatchie, which means "edible grasses"[8][23] or "magpie". Hetch Hetchy was the first major battle of the environmental movement. John Muir once described Hetch Hetchy Valley as, a grand landscape garden, one of Natures rarest and most precious mountain temples.. 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. It is the primary water source for about 2.5 million residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. This time it was in favor those who wanted to preserve the valley for generations yet to come. [16], Compared with Yosemite Valley, the walls of Hetch Hetchy are smoother and rounder because it was glaciated to a greater extent. The other route begins at the entrance station and is 16 miles round-trip with 3,300 feet of elevation gain. Over the next decade, he produced fifteen large oils that transformed the valley into a dreamland unlike anything that ever met mortal eye.. The falls roar in spring and early summer. [2] However, the same NPS study also finds that with intensive management, an outcome in which "the entire valley would appear much as it did before construction of the reservoir" is feasible. The question Pinchot always asked was, What is the greatest good for the greatest number?, He was famously quoted as saying, Where conflicting interests must be reconciled, the question shall always be answered from the standpoint of the greatest good of the greatest number in the long run., RELATED: Gifford Pinchot: A 2021 Lesson From Americas First Forester, In his congressional testimony, Pinchot argued in favor of building the dam. DWRs meta-study found a range of costs from $3 billion to $10 billion for restoration and replacement of water and power sources. He was opposed by then Mayor Diane Feinstein who argued that the dam was San Franciscans birthright. The water from Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is used to supply system customers as well as to generate hydroelectric power; the reservoir is also operated to provide instream flows to benefit fisheries and other wildlife. As a result, San Francisco secured a reliable and . 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. Building the Hetch Hetchy dam in such a remote location was an enormous project. Put another way, if Congress denied the city of San Francisco the Hetch Hetchy Valley, the California Progressive leaders suspected that it would only be a matter of time before the emerging Pacific Gas and Electric Company would grab the area. The Hetch Hetchy Valley is a part of Yosemite National Park. The regional water system provides water to 2.4 million people in San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda and San Mateo counties. Residents drink it in 26 cities and water districts from San. Building a dam there was off the table. In fact, this is so obviously a good idea that the SFPUC and other end users of Hetch Hetchy water have been doing it for years. You may take easy hike to Wapama falls ( around 6 miles) or even more challenging hike to Rancheria falls ( around 14 miles). If youre excited about a long hike or backpacking trip, you can continue to Laurel Lake for a 14.2-mile (22.9 km) out and back. Hetch Hetchy water travels 160 miles via gravity from . The dam in the Hetch Hetchy valley of Yosemite National Park, first proposed in 1908, was intended to create a reservoir that would provide water and electricity for the burgeoning city of San Francisco. 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. But how did the dam get to be here? 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. San Francisco had its eyes on this water source early on and repeatedly tried to acquire water rights to the Tuolumne River. These benefits include: Reservoir-based recreation - swimming, fishing, camping etc. Muir famously said, Dam Hetch Hetchy! [77][78], The economic wisdom of removing the dam has been frequently questioned. As of 2013, the water storage and hydroelectric power supplied by the Hetch Hetchy Project serviced an estimated 2.6 million people in the San Francisco Bay Area. The main power facility in the system, the Moccasin Powerhouse, began commercial operation on August 14, 1925. ", "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? The surface of the water hides an additional 300 feet of granite cliffs and once-upon-a-time waterfalls within its depths. Day 6: Hetch Hetchy Reservoir to San Francisco. 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. 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. [46], Work on the Hetch Hetchy Project began in 1914.