A Dam Removal in Progress. Dam shame / It's time that San Francisco let go of Hetch Hetchy - SFGATE Each switchback reveals scenic overlooks of the reservoir and Kolana Rock. 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. Residents drink it in 26 cities and water districts from San. [8], While its cousin Yosemite Valley to the south had permanent Miwok settlements,[25] Hetch Hetchy was only seasonally inhabited. Gravel, logs, and other important food and habitat features can become trapped. Copyright © 2023 More Than Just Parks | This post may contain affiliate links - read our Standards, Corrections, & Privacy Policy. And, as you might imagine, it produces some of the cleanest municipal water in the United States. We would be trading flooded acres in one place for flooded acres in another. After 2.5 miles (4.0 km), youll reach the Wapama Falls Bridge with an up-close view of the lowest section of Wapama Falls. Spring and early summer bring wildflowers including lupine, wallflower, monkey flower, and buttercup. Activity 1: Analysis. Some of these studies determined that the idea of draining the reservoir was technically feasible but incredibly costly. It pitted a powerful city against a dedicated group of conservationists. The Tuolumne River, the source of. Her poetic descriptions of Hetch hetchy won her the attention of powerful members of Congress. 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. As well dam for . The OShaughnessy Dam was completed in 1938 and is 430-feet tall. Let the dam at Hetch Hetchy stand - sfchronicle.com Argument Against The Hetchy Dam - 587 Words - Internet Public Library 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. 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. But during peak spring flow, the thundering waterfall can wash over the bridge making it dangerous to cross. If youre especially in the mood to relax and let yourself be taken care of, The Blackberry Inn is a luxury bed and breakfast situated on 36 acres and surrounded by National Forest land. Dbq Hetchy Project - 663 Words | Internet Public Library 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. The inadequacy of the citys existing water supply came into sharp focus. 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. The restoration of Hetch Hetchy would be a simple task compared to some dam removal efforts. [24] Screech reported that the valley was bitterly disputed between the "Pah Utah Indians" (Paiute) and "Big Creek Indians" (Miwok), and witnessed several fights in which the Paiute appeared to be the dominant tribe. Had it been, the Sierra Clubs members would have presented a united front in opposition to its development. Hetch Hetchy - Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service) A large part of today's incentive for restoration is that when the dam and the Hetch Hetchy reservoir were authorized by President Woodrow Wilson in 1913, as the Raker Act, the Hetch Hetchy Valley . Pipelines 1 and 2 cross the San Francisco Bay to the south of the Dumbarton Bridge, while pipelines 3 and 4 run to the south of the bay. The water shunted through them about 218 million gallons a day arrives in most city taps by gravity alone. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir - O'Shaugnessy Dam - National Park Service Why We Need Hetch Hetchy More Than Ever | SPUR [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. Related. 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. Muir and other defenders of Hetch Hetchy believe the fight revolved around two central issues. Photo: Herbert W. Gleason courtesy of the Sierra Club. The glacially-carved U-shaped valley floor maximizes the amount of water stored in the reservoir. . Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Water System remains the least visited area of the park. 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. a strong proponent of restoring Hetch Hetchy Valley and Senator Feinstein is still[when?] The reservoir is fed by the Tuolumne River. Then, well need to weigh our options for other new large water supplies, all of which will have enormous environmental tradeoffs: think of building a desalination plant, fighting with Los Angeles over the Sacramento Delta, building a peripheral canal or siting new large dams in presently undammed Sierra mountains and foothills. Camping included, if needed; limited sites are shared among all the . The battle over the Hetch Hetchy, in part, was a fight over public versus private ownership of vital resources such as water. Another Iconic Valley In Yosemite? Report Estimates Tourism Benefits Of The gently rolling terrain has excellent views of the water and eye-catching Kolana Rock, which towers roughly 2,000 feet above. It involved the unintended consequences of efforts to shape the environment to meet human needs. San Francisco applied once again for rights to Hetch Hetchy in 1908. Although Hetch Hetchy is included within the boundaries of Yosemite National Park, the entrance is separate from the rest of the park. In spite of Muirs eloquent and heated objections, the Raker Act was signed into law in December of 1913. 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. [72] The water storage provided at Hetch Hetchy could be transferred into Lake Don Pedro lower on the Tuolumne River by raising the New Don Pedro Dam 30ft (9.1m). A national debate ensued between the preservationist and conservationist factions of the young environmental movement. Photo: Chris Migeon. A full breakfast is served in the dining room. The valley provided an escape from the summer heat of the lowlands. This trail is 13 miles round-trip with 3,700 feet elevation gain. ", "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. "[85] However, she does support breaching the dam once it has reached the end of its lifespan, and not replacing it. This was likely because of Hetch Hetchy's narrow outlet, which in years of heavy snowmelt created a bottleneck in the Tuolumne River and the subsequent flooding of the valley floor. O'Shaughnessy Dam is a 430-foot (131 m) high concrete arch-gravity dam in Tuolumne County, California, United States.It impounds the Tuolumne River, forming the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir at the lower end of Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park, about 160 miles (260 km) east of San Francisco. [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. By 1908, a different Interior Secretary, James R. Garfield, sided with the utilitarian conservationists and issued a permit for the Hetch Hetchy project. The first people, outside of Native Americans, to see the Hetch Hetchy Valley were Joseph, Nate and William Screechin 1850. SPUR wholeheartedly agrees that planning for water quality and reliability is important. Yet environmentalists have dreamed of restoring the dramatic valley along the Tuolumne River, which was filled in by the lake when the dam was built in 1938 under the New Deal. Hetch Hetchy is unique because of its small holding capacity in comparison to the vast watershed feeding it. California needed secure, reliable access to drinking water for their burgeoning populations. 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. 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. 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. The deciding factor was whether or not the land in question had access to water. No picture of the giant sequoia trees in Yosemite National Park manages to fully capture their immense size and majesty. Being one of the biggest hydroelectric facilities in the United States and a National Landmark, Hoover Dam generates power to serve more than 1.3 million people. The Hetch Hetchy Dam is destroying a piece of land that is the homes of multiple types of animals. 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. Watershed Worker (Summer, 2023) - Hetch Hetchy Water & Power (Moccasin) - SFPUC (7542) Job at City and County of San Francisco in Moccasin. These are called Bay Division Pipelines (BDPL) 1, 2, 3, and 4, with nominal pipeline diameters of 60, 66, 78, and 96 inches (1.5, 1.7, 2.0 and 2.4m, respectively). Within 50 years, vegetative cover would be complete except for exposed rocky areas. [2] 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. The Tuolumne River originates in the peaks above Tuolumne Meadows and is the major drainage system for the northern part of Yosemite. [5], The valley is fed by the Tuolumne River, Falls Creek, Tiltill Creek, Rancheria Creek, and numerous smaller streams which collectively drain a watershed of 459sqmi (1,190km2). 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.