John Muir, the first president of the Sierra Club, condemned plans to build the dam, saying, "Dam Hetch Hetchy! Gifford Pinchot: A 2021 Lesson From Americas First Forester, Meet The Real Life Batman & Robin Of The National Parks, Natural Rivals: John Muir, Gifford Pinchot, and the Creation of Americas Public Lands, Gifford Pinchot and the Making of Modern Environmentalism, Son of the Wilderness: The Life of John Muir, General Sherman Tree: Everything You Need to Know About The Largest Tree in the World, 11 BEST National Parks Near San Francisco to Visit (Expert Guide), 7 EPIC National Parks Near Santa Ana Youll Love (Photos + Guide). The battle over the Hetch Hetchy, in part, was a fight over public versus private ownership of vital resources such as water. The trail includes spectacular views of Tueeulala and Wapama Falls. [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). He was opposed by then Mayor Diane Feinstein who argued that the dam was San Franciscans birthright. 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. As a 13.4-mile (21.4 km) round-trip hike, Rancheria Falls gets fewer day-hikers than Wapama Falls but is a popular backpacking stop. There, he met the same Indian chief and his wives. [85] Hetch Hetchy is dammed by the 430-foot-tall OShaughnessy Dam and has a storage capacity of 360,360 acre-feet. 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. [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. 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). Fourth, dams alter water quality. 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. This 1910 view shows Kolana Rock and Tueeulala Falls in the background. These clean and comfortable rooms also enjoy access to the pool, spa and other facilities at Yosemite Westgate Lodge. So the idea of planning for new water supplies need not be on the ballot. Construction of O'Shaughnessy Dam began in 1919 and was finished in 1923, with the reservoir first filling in May of that year. [14] At maximum extent, Tioga Glacier may have been 60mi (97km) long and up to 4,000ft (1,200m) thick, filling Hetch Hetchy Valley to the brim and spilling over the sides, carving out the present rugged plateau country to the north and southwest. It's dumb, dumb, dumb. Hetch Hetchy: Pros and Cons of Restoration - Yosemite Tales Muir and other defenders of Hetch Hetchy believe the fight revolved around two central issues. As well dam for water-tanks the peoples cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man . "Dam Hetch Hetchy!" - I Take History Dam shame / It's time that San Francisco let go of Hetch Hetchy - SFGATE As the battle lines were drawn, the different methods employed by each side in presenting their case spoke to some of their basic assumptions about the nature of the issue. As a consequence, visitors came to experience it for themselves. The Tuolumne River originates in the peaks above Tuolumne Meadows and is the major drainage system for the northern part of Yosemite. The valley floor consisted of roughly 1,200 acres (490ha) of meadows fringed by pine forest, through which meandered the Tuolumne River and numerous tributary streams. history. To visit the waterfalls or Yosemites northern backcountry, you walk across OShaughnessy Dam. It is spectacular: a miles-long placid blue lake nested within towering granite cliffs, from which waterfalls cascade. Located at 3,900 feet, Hetch Hetchy boasts one of the longest hiking seasons in the park and is an ideal place for thundering spring waterfalls and wildflower displays. 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? Indeed, Hetch Hetchy today[when?] [2] The dam contains 675,000cuyd (516,000m3) of concrete. Her poetic descriptions of Hetch hetchy won her the attention of powerful members of Congress. "[65] Harold L. Ickes, Secretary of the Interior in the late 1930s, said there was a violation of the Raker Act, but he and the city reached an agreement in 1945. But Hetch Hetchy was a federally protected as part of Yosemite National Park. Download the official NPS app before your next visit. No BS! William Howard Taft became president in 1909. If the nation set aside some natural places as especially sacred, how far beyond their borders should a sense of the sacred extend? 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" Dbq Hetchy Project - 663 Words | Internet Public Library Hetch Hetchy Valley was once home to a richly diverse ecosystem, surrounded by towering cliffs and waterfalls similar to those in neighboring Yosemite Valley. 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. The Fight for Hetch Hetchy | Environment & Society Portal 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 . 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. 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. Although there are relatively few visitors to Hetch Hetchy, youll find most of them along the trail to Wapama Fall. Some years later, water began flowing to San Francisco. 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. They would light upon a man's blue shirt and turn it brown, and were voracious as mosquitoes would be. It pitted a powerful city against a dedicated group of conservationists. Miners did not stay in the area for long, however, as richer deposits occurred further south along the Merced River and in the Big Oak Flat area. Many are vital pieces of infrastructure that provide reliable water supplies, hydropower, flood control, and recreation. The second concept is preservation. The larger issues at stake would frame environmental debates for years to come. It then cascades on its westward descent through the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, and enters the eastern end of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. August 14 Hetch Hetchy Began Producing Power (1925) - Today in Restore Hetch Hetchy Valley, Vote Yes! on Proposition F Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Water System 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). Gifford Pinchot wanted the U.S Forest Service to control the parks, but after his support to dam Hetchy Hetchy, Congress voted in 1916 to to establish the National Park Service whose sole purpose was "to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the . On a national stage, Hetch Hetchy became caught in the cross fire between the interests of private utilities ownership and those of municipal ownership. [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. can you smoke on royal caribbean cruise ships benefits of hetch hetchy dam. We would be trading flooded acres in one place for flooded acres in another. 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. [31], During this time, the upper Tuolumne River, including Hetch Hetchy Valley, was visited by prospectors attracted by the California Gold Rush. (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.) Have you been to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite? Most people turn around here anyway. The exploitation of Californias natural resources continued unabated in the years leading up to Hetch Hetchy. 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. The idea of punching a hole in or removing the dam and allowing the valley to be restored to its pre-development conditions has been around since the late 1980s. "[61][62], The battle over Hetch Hetchy Valley continues today[when?] [8], While its cousin Yosemite Valley to the south had permanent Miwok settlements,[25] Hetch Hetchy was only seasonally inhabited. John Muir once described Hetch Hetchy Valley as, a grand landscape garden, one of Natures rarest and most precious mountain temples.. 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.. Rancheria Falls itself is a series of whitewater cascades that crashes through a narrow canyon on its way to the reservoir. Slow-moving reservoirs heat up, resulting in abnormal temperature fluctuations which can affect sensitive species. It's a big job to open the tunnel and close it again. The battle for the Hetch Hetchy Valleys future was not simply preservation versus conservation. He was a firm believer in utilitarian conservation. The falls roar in spring and early summer. Third, dams alter natural habitats and change the ways in which rivers function. Although Hetch Hetchy is included within the boundaries of Yosemite National Park, the entrance is separate from the rest of the park. [63] The city justified this as a temporary measure, but no attempt to follow through with completing the municipal grid was ever made. 2 Existing Regional Water System - San Francisco 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. Required fields are marked *. 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. They poured an estimated total of more than 398,000 cubic yards (304,000 cubic meters) of concrete to form the dam. HETCH HETCHY: The Epic Enviro Battle That Changed America Congress, confronted with rising public opposition, refused to act on the measure. On returning home, he asked an Indian chief the name of the valley. Expect delicious meals and hearty portions to fuel your adventure or beat that post-hiking hunger. . Hetch Hetchy and many others were built by . Located at 3,900 feet, Hetch Hetchy boasts one of the longest hiking seasons in the park and is an ideal place for thundering spring waterfalls and wildflower displays. 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. National opinion divided between giving San Francisco the right to dam the valley and preserving the valley from development. At the time, neither side understood the long-range consequences of human actions to manage the environment. Your email address will not be published. The dam was then 227 feet (69m) high; its present height of 312 feet (95m) was achieved only later, in 1938. The other route begins at the entrance station and is 16 miles round-trip with 3,300 feet of elevation gain. This is a place considered by John Muir to be equal in beauty to Yose. While youre at it, plan to add to the historic flavor of this route with a stop the Northern Mariposa County History Center. This is also a place imbued with history: San Franciscos congressional delegation won the right to build the dam in 1913, to secure a reliable source of water in the wake of the 1906 earthquake. This option favors building a dam in the Hetch Hetchy Valley to provide hundreds of thou- sands of San Francisco residents with water and electricitybasic necessities for health and well-being, as well as urban development and economic growth. The valley provided an escape from the summer heat of the lowlands. The controversy over damming Hetch Hetchy became mired in the political issues of the day. 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. Environment Quiz 1 Chapters 1-3 Flashcards | Quizlet [42] They claimed the valley was not unique and would be even more beautiful with a lake. Yet it also highlighted the division within the conservation movement over two fundamental principles: utilitarian conservation versus preservation. First, they block rivers which prevents fish from migrating. The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir itself store 85% of the City's overall drinking water supply, the remaining 15% is stored in the system's 5 other reservoirs. Youll just need to see them for yourself. For thousands of years, Native Americans subjected the valley to controlled bushfires, which prevented forest from taking over the valley meadows. ", "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. Pinchot was Americas Forester. He served as the first head of the United States Forest Service. In 1923, the O'Shaughnessy Dam was completed on the Tuolumne River, flooding the entire valley under the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. The . Hetch Hetchy, unlike other water storage facilities in California, is relatively buffered from near-term climate change because of its high elevation. There are four fundamental ways in which dams damage rivers. [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. The Hetch Hetchy dam is upstream on the Tuolumne River from a reservoir nearly six times as large. 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. [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. [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.

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