"Hetch Hetchy is a grand landscape garden, one of nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples. [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. Us too! Most people turn around here anyway. As a result, San Francisco secured a reliable and . Through the manipulation of water, the company also had the power to determine which real estate became valuable and which languished. (Source: American Rivers, How Dams Damage Rivers). . 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. Dam Hetch Hetchy! 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? 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. No spam. . Start by hiking across the OShaughnessy Dam then turn east along the shore of the reservoir. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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.. This is a place considered by John Muir to be equal in beauty to Yose. Indeed, Hetch Hetchy today[when?] 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. The trail continues to climb for 1.8 miles (2.8 km) above the trail intersection, but you can turn around any time. The first people, outside of Native Americans, to see the Hetch Hetchy Valley were Joseph, Nate and William Screechin 1850. Secretary of the Interior, Ethan Allen Hitchcock, refused to give San Francisco a permit to build the dam. DWR also found that the planning studies necessary to refine the costs and benefits of restoration would cost $65 million alone. The exploitation of Californias natural resources continued unabated in the years leading up to Hetch Hetchy. Hetch Hetchy and many others were built by . Photo: Chris Migeon. The reservoir provides water to a large portion of the Bay Area through a 160 mile delivery. Second, dams slow rivers. This trail is 13 miles round-trip with 3,700 feet elevation gain. 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. 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. 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. 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). While John Muir led the fight against building the dam, the opposition was supported by Gifford Pinchot. It has two trailhead options. . [48], The Early Intake (Lower Cherry) Powerhouse began commercial operation five years before the O'Shaughnessy Dam was completed. Franklin Lane served as the attorney for the city of San Francisco in 1903. An adjacent building contains another five suites with vaulted ceilings, forest views and soaking tubs. 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. Could you imagine building a dam inside a national park today? In an effort to build this support, he published his bookThe Yosemitein 1912. 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. 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. 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. "[19], People have lived in Hetch Hetchy Valley for over 6,000 years. What should be the fate of prairies, wetlands, or coastal marshes? The dam also provides flood control, irrigation, and water storage along the Colorado River. There is no Starbucks here no daily parade of tour buses and RVs. Camping included, if needed; limited sites are shared among all the . If the nation set aside some natural places as especially sacred, how far beyond their borders should a sense of the sacred extend? [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. Finally, with the railroad complete, teams broke ground on the OShaughnessy Dam on August 1, 1919. 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. A) 5 billion B . In 1913, Woodrow Wilson appointed Lane his Secretary of the Interior. RELATED: Meet The Real Life Batman & Robin Of The National Parks. Progressive political leaders, of whom Mayor Phelan was one, believed it was time to take this power away from the private interests and turn it over to the people. 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 gently rolling terrain has excellent views of the water and eye-catching Kolana Rock, which towers roughly 2,000 feet above. 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. The history of Californias growth is inextricably linked to the search for water. He was opposed by then Mayor Diane Feinstein who argued that the dam was San Franciscans birthright. ", "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? We can't help it either. [57] Pipelines 3 and 4 end at the Pulgas Water Temple, a small park that contains classical architectural elements which celebrate the water delivery. Assign each group to analyze one or more . He had journeyed to Washington to lobby the federal government on behalf of the project. Friday, enjoy an evening about bats starting at 7 pm. And today there is even an organization, Restore Hetch Hetchy, which is committed to doing just that. The Hetch Hetchy Dam in the Yosemite Valley, receives the bulk of it's water from the sierra snow pack miles above the reservoir. 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. Animals were principally driven along Joseph Screech's trail from Big Oak Flat to Hetch Hetchy. Photo: Herbert W. Gleason courtesy of the Sierra Club. The Hetch Hetchy Dam is destroying a piece of land that is the homes of multiple types of animals. 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. By 1908, a different Interior Secretary, James R. Garfield, sided with the utilitarian conservationists and issued a permit for the Hetch Hetchy project. [59] The water quality is high because of the unique geology of the upper Tuolumne River drainage basin, which consists mostly of bare granite; as a result, the rivers feeding Hetch Hetchy Reservoir have extremely low loads of sediments and nutrients. RELATED: A Woman Started The Environmental Movement (Can It Continue?). a strong proponent of restoring Hetch Hetchy Valley and Senator Feinstein is still[when?] 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. The waterfall on the Tuolumne is now submerged under Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. For your last day, enjoy a short hike on the shores of the beautiful Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. In Yosemite National Park, the Hetch Hetchy reservoir relies on the annual snowmelt to stay full. About one million years ago, the extensive Sherwin glaciation widened, deepened and straightened river valleys along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, including Hetch Hetchy, Yosemite Valley, and Kings Canyon farther to the south. 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. Second, the sanctity of the national parks which they believed should not be violated. 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. [82] Dianne Feinstein opposed this allocation, saying, "I will do all I can to make sure it isn't included in the final bill. [70] Hodel called for a study of the effect of tearing down the dam. She says the water first leaves Hetch Hetchy through the O'Shaughnessy Dam. Have you been to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite? OPTION 3Give control to the local people of Hetch Hetchy Yes, the plan to drain Hetch Hetchy involves causing new ecological damage. San Francisco had its eyes on this water source early on and repeatedly tried to acquire water rights to the Tuolumne River. [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. The water shunted through them about 218 million gallons a day arrives in most city taps by gravity alone. 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. 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. In the northwest corner of Yosemite National Park you can find the Hetch Hetchy Valley. 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. This valley was isolated and remote, twenty miles northwest of the original. A national debate ensued between the preservationist and conservationist factions of the young environmental movement. They would light upon a man's blue shirt and turn it brown, and were voracious as mosquitoes would be. 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. It is the source of water for the city of San Francisco. 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. 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. It pitted a powerful city against a dedicated group of conservationists. [2] Formerly called Buck Meadows Restaurant and Bar, the new caf crosses rustic-mountain flair with roadside cafe friendliness. You could then scuba ElCapitan down to the valley floor. One route begins six miles beyond the entrance station. Wapama and Rancheria Falls Looking up at Wapama Falls from the footbridge on the hiking trail. John Muir once described Hetch Hetchy Valley as, a grand landscape garden, one of Natures rarest and most precious mountain temples.. California needed secure, reliable access to drinking water for their burgeoning populations. No picture of the giant sequoia trees in Yosemite National Park manages to fully capture their immense size and majesty. 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? The deciding factor was whether or not the land in question had access to water. It would be almost impossible to build a new dam there today. Stand on OShaughnessy Dam and feel the cool updraft. Hetch Hetchy Valley, far from being a plain, common, rock-bound meadow, as many who have not seen it seem to suppose, is a grand landscape garden, one of Nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples. In continuance, water has a personality and the presence of it can change moods and help people feel better. "[61][62], The battle over Hetch Hetchy Valley continues today[when?] Glaciers followed these low-points, leaving their own marks in particular carving out the characteristic U-shaped valley with steep sides and wide floor. San Francisco could flood the valley and work began the following year. Located at 3,900 feet, it boasts one of the longest hiking seasons in the park. Park entry (as needed). [31], During this time, the upper Tuolumne River, including Hetch Hetchy Valley, was visited by prospectors attracted by the California Gold Rush. The water is transported from the reservoir by the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct which is made up of 170 miles of gravity-driven pipelines, dams, and other reservoirs. The . Building the Dam. To do so, it would either have to buy out the private monopoly at an exorbitant price or outmaneuver or outbid Spring Valley for a potential new reservoir., (Source: Natural Rivals: John Muir, Gifford Pinchot, and the Creation of Americas Public Lands, John Clayton). The Hetch Hetchy Valley is a part of Yosemite National Park. [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. You may take easy hike to Wapama falls ( around 6 miles) or even more challenging hike to Rancheria falls ( around 14 miles). The Hetch Hetchy dam is upstream on the Tuolumne River from a reservoir nearly six times as large. Native American cultures were prominent before the 1850s when the first settlers from the United States arrived in the Sierra Nevada. 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. 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. San Francisco Mayor James Phelan led the fight to build a dam at Hetch Hetchy. Get SPUR news and events delivered straight to your email inbox. In contrast to the utilitarian view, the preservationist approach denied the assumption that the natural world existed solely to serve mans purposes. [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. Should nature be left alone so that flora and fauna flourish while people enjoy its primal wonders? OShaughnessy Dam and the waterworks that connect it to the Bay Area are a marvel of engineering. Five country-chic rooms in the main building include en suite bathrooms, free WiFi and electric fireplaces. The larger issues at stake would frame environmental debates for years to come. But during peak spring flow, the thundering waterfall can wash over the bridge making it dangerous to cross. 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. It's a big job to open the tunnel and close it again. If you delight in getting off the well-beaten path, or if you are looking for a peaceful natural retreat, its perfection. 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. Bierstadt described the valley as "smaller than the more famous valley but it presents many of the same features in his scenery and is quite as beautiful. [50] The project is operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. The regional water system provides water to 2.4 million people in San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda and San Mateo counties. There are many places to stop and enjoy views of the rushing water before turning around to return to your car. 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. This limits their ability to access spawning habitat, seek out food resources, and escape predation. 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. . 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. 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. San Francisco was able to accomplish this in 1925 by claiming it had run out of funds to extend the Hetch Hetchy transmission line all the way to the city. Valley, reservoir, and aqueduct in California, USA, sfn error: no target: CITEREFMatthes1930 (, sfn error: no target: CITEREFWohlforth2004 (, sfn error: no target: CITEREFWhitney1874 (, sfn error: no target: CITEREFGlennon2009 (, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Hetch Hetchy, List of dams and reservoirs in California, List of the tallest dams in the United States, "Alternatives for Restoration of Hetch Hetchy Valley Following Removal of the Dam and Reservoir", "Hetch Hetchy Reclaimed: Drain it, then what? Required fields are marked *. 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. Dams, including this one, dont last forever, and perhaps in a few generations the conversation about a different future for the Hetch Hetchy Valley may be worthwhile. Watershed Worker (Summer, 2023) - Hetch Hetchy Water & Power (Moccasin) - SFPUC (7542) Job at City and County of San Francisco in Moccasin. while birds, bees, and butterflies help the river and waterfalls to stir all the air into music. 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. It has not been demonstrated that Hetch Hetchy is the only available source, but only that it might be the cheapest. For instance, the WET company helps people see the beauty of water through magnificent water fountains. Mirror Lakes famous spring-time reflections capture the eye and mind. Richard Ballinger was appointed his Interior Secretary. Day 6: Hetch Hetchy Reservoir to San Francisco. Expect delicious meals and hearty portions to fuel your adventure or beat that post-hiking hunger. Slow down and spend the day at Tenaya Lake a beautiful and easy-to-get-to alpine lake cupped by granite domes. The extensive amount of storage, which is designed to benefit the Bay Area as droughts become more severe with climate. Call 209-372-0200 for the latest road and weather conditions, Hetch Hetchy Road Daily Hours: 8 am to 5 pm. Related. [54][55], After passing through the powerhouses, Hetch Hetchy water flows into the 167mi (269km) Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct which travels across the Central Valley. [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. [8], While its cousin Yosemite Valley to the south had permanent Miwok settlements,[25] Hetch Hetchy was only seasonally inhabited. In 1987, President Reagans Secretary of the Interior, Donald Hodel, proposed that Hetch Hetchy be restored. Above all, one's behavior Argument Against The Hetchy Dam 587 Words | 3 Pages [4] A broad, low rocky outcrop situated between Kolana Rock and Hetch Hetchy Dome divided the former meadow in two distinct sections. Hetch Hetchy, located at 3,900 feet in Yosemite National Park, is one of the park's most popular hiking . The OShaughnessy Dam was completed in 1938 and is 430-feet tall. Appreciate what nature created and what the city built there long ago. The Hetch Hetchy Valley was within Yosemite National Park and protected by the federal government, leaving it up to Congress to decide the valley's fate. What part should mountains, rivers, natural meadows or wild creatures play in American life? [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. But what about when the lake dries? [40] By the 1880s, San Francisco was looking to Hetch Hetchy water as a fix for its outdated and unreliable water system. Only a tiny proportion of Yosemites visitors explore this out-of-the-way corner of the national park. [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. 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. Earn $27.3125 per hour. 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. O'Shaughnessey Dam Facts. [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. . For John Muir, it was about preserving a natural wonder which could be enjoyed by generations to come. Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite Valley are so similar because they were created by the same sequences of geological activity. 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 falls roar in spring and early summer. A recent report evaluates the economic benefits of restoring Hetch Hetchy Valley. [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). First, the beauty of the valley which they felt should not be sacrificed to build a dam. 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). But if you still have energy, continue past the bridge to Rancheria Falls. This ballot measure is so problematic that SPUR has taken early action to oppose it. Sign up for the email list and join an active community of monthly readers. He discovered it a few of years later. You can expect one (short) email per month. Yet it also highlighted the division within the conservation movement over two fundamental principles: utilitarian conservation versus preservation.
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