[5] Local legend attributes the modern name Hetch Hetchy to Screech's initial arrival in the valley, during which he observed the Native Americans "cooking a variety of grass covered with edible seeds", which they called "hatch hatchy" or "hatchhatchie". Over the next decade, he produced fifteen large oils that transformed the valley into a dreamland unlike anything that ever met mortal eye.. This trail is 13 miles round-trip with 3,700 feet elevation gain. [8], Before damming, the valley floor contained abundant stands of black oaks, live oak, Ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, and silver fir bordering the meadows, with alder, willow, poplar and dogwood in the riparian zone along the Tuolumne River. [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. Copyright © 2023 More Than Just Parks | This post may contain affiliate links - read our Standards, Corrections, & Privacy Policy. 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 ________. Get SPUR news and events delivered straight to your email inbox. And Hetch Hetchy's damming has inspired generations of conservationists to protect our natural heritage and to commit to safeguarding our protected areas. Hetch Hetchy Valley: Battle To Restore, History & Recreation [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. This valley was isolated and remote, twenty miles northwest of the original. 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. 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. While John Muir led the fight against building the dam, the opposition was supported by Gifford Pinchot. First, they block rivers which prevents fish from migrating. 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. [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. [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 Reservoir, which lies within the Yosemite National Park, supplies 85% of the water needs of San Francisco and surrounding counties. The Hetch Hetchy Valley is about 8 miles (13 km) from Yosemite Valley. Then, in 1906, a devastating earthquake caused a series of fires in San Francisco that destroyed 25,000 buildings across 490 city blocks. He was opposed by then Mayor Diane Feinstein who argued that the dam was San Franciscans birthright. Hetch Hetchy Dome, at 6,197ft (1,889m), lies directly north of it. Three strikes for San Francisco | Restore Hetch Hetchy Earn $27.3125 per hour. [48], The Early Intake (Lower Cherry) Powerhouse began commercial operation five years before the O'Shaughnessy Dam was completed. [73] Furthermore, the removal of O'Shaughnessy Dam would not require costly sediment control measures, as would be typical on most dam removal projects, because of the high quality of the Tuolumne River water in the first 90 years since its construction, only around 2in (5.1cm) of sediment had been deposited in Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, much less than most other dams. Some of these studies determined that the idea of draining the reservoir was technically feasible but incredibly costly. 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. The controversy over damming Hetch Hetchy became mired in the political issues of the day. Hetch Hetchy is unique because of its small holding capacity in comparison to the vast watershed feeding it. Franklin Lane served as the attorney for the city of San Francisco in 1903. [82] Dianne Feinstein opposed this allocation, saying, "I will do all I can to make sure it isn't included in the final bill. The entire valley is now flooded under an average 300ft (91m) of water behind the dam, although it occasionally reemerges in droughts, as it did in 1955, 1977, and 1991. Hidden in Yosemite National Parks peaceful northwest corner, Hetch Hetchy Valley is a treasure worth visiting in all seasons. The San Francisco Bulletin printed a Dec. 1, 1913, story calling the bills opponents a crowd ofnature lovers and fakers, who are waging a sentimental campaign to preserve the Hetch Hetchy Valley as a public playground, a purpose for which it has never been used.. 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. 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" A Dam Removal in Progress. strongly against restoration. It has two trailhead options. Have all students read the debate overview and page one of the HR 7207, the "Raker Bill". Teams completed the OShaughnessy Dam in 1923 and the reservoir filled for the first time in May of that year. Day 6: Hetch Hetchy Reservoir to San Francisco. Start by hiking across the OShaughnessy Dam then turn east along the shore of the reservoir. Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite Valley are so similar because they were created by the same sequences of geological activity. 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. 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. Hetch Hetchy was the first major battle of the environmental movement. Spring snowmelt runs down the Tuolumne River and fills Hetch Hetchy, the largest reservoir in our water system. For instance, the WET company helps people see the beauty of water through magnificent water fountains. 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. So the idea of planning for new water supplies need not be on the ballot. 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. The first is utilitarian conservation. Some years later, water began flowing to San Francisco. 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. Since then, the "Hetch Hetchy System" has continued to grow, now including nine impoundments . Five country-chic rooms in the main building include en suite bathrooms, free WiFi and electric fireplaces. [13], Hetch Hetchy is home to a diverse array of plants and animals. benefits of hetch hetchy dam - Lindon CPA's San Francisco Mayor James Phelan led the fight to build a dam at 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. But Hetch Hetchy was a federally protected as part of Yosemite National Park. The Hetch Hetchy Road drops into the valley at the dam, but all points east of there are roadless, and accessible only to hikers and equestrians. This reservoir on the Sacramento River has been planned for decades The battle over Hetch Hetchy was a fight to determine whether a beautiful valley would remain in its natural state or service the growing city of San Franciscos water needs. Winter storms fill Hetch Hetchy, renew debate about reservoir's future Located 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas, the dam captures water from the . "Dam Hetch Hetchy!" - I Take History 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. [67], Those in opposition of dam removal state that demolishing O'Shaughnessy Dam would take away a valuable source of clean, renewable hydroelectric power in the Kirkwood and Moccasin powerhouses; even if measures such as seasonal water diversion into the powerhouses were employed, it would only make up for a fraction of the original power production. The dam and reservoir, combined with a series of aqueducts, tunnels, and hydroelectric plants as well as eight other storage dams, comprise a system known as the Hetch Hetchy Project, which provides 80% of the water supply for 2.6 million people. It would be almost impossible to build a new dam there today. By Posted student houses falmouth 2021 In jw marriott panama concierge lounge An adjacent building contains another five suites with vaulted ceilings, forest views and soaking tubs. Bierstadts paintings and Muirs writings began to publicize the beauty of the Hetch Hetchy Valley. Watershed Worker (Summer, 2023) - Hetch Hetchy Water & Power (Moccasin [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. Hetch Hetchy water travels 160 miles via gravity from . But how did the dam get to be here? As John Clayton writes, At the height of Progressivism, Phelan and other good-government types believed that the city should administer its own utilities. 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. Consider one project in progress that involves re-routing an entire river . The gently rolling terrain has excellent views of the water and eye-catching Kolana Rock, which towers roughly 2,000 feet above. 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.. Everyone who drinks water or takes a shower in San Francisco should go. 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. The glacially-carved U-shaped valley floor maximizes the amount of water stored in the reservoir. [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. Some hydro-power dams withhold and then release water to generate power for peak demand periods, which is particularly disruptive to migrating fish. The glacial Hetch Hetchy Valley lies in the northwestern part of Yosemite National Park and is drained by the Tuolumne River. [3] Kolana Rock, at 5,772ft (1,759m), is a massive rock spire on the south side of the Hetch Hetchy Valley. Gray pine, incense-cedar, and California black oak grow in abundance. It then cascades on its westward descent through the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, and enters the eastern end of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. As well dam for . "[83], Opponents of dam removal have pointed out that the flooding of the Hetch Hetchy Valley has also deterred the crowds that overrun other areas of Yosemite National Park. Environment Quiz 1 Chapters 1-3 Flashcards | Quizlet The OShaughnessy Dam was completed in 1938 and is 430-feet tall. It pitted a powerful city against a dedicated group of conservationists. Hetch Valley Measure Pits Bay Area Against Environmentalists - The New 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. The trail includes spectacular views of Tueeulala and Wapama Falls. The battle over the Hetch Hetchy, in part, was a fight over public versus private ownership of vital resources such as water. The Hetch Hetchy Dam in the Yosemite Valley, receives the bulk of it's water from the sierra snow pack miles above the reservoir. 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. First, the beauty of the valley which they felt should not be sacrificed to build a dam. 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. Hetch Hetchy Valley was once home to a richly diverse ecosystem, surrounded by towering cliffs and waterfalls similar to those in neighboring Yosemite Valley. Including additions made between 1934 and 1938, the dam currently stands 430 feet (131 m) above the bedrock below. Hetch Hetchy doesn't require permit, you need just regular National park pass. National opinion divided between giving San Francisco the right to dam the valley and preserving the valley from development. As we learned from Rachel Carsons Silent Spring, humankind can damage the environment while attempting to control it. In some cases, however, including the Klamath and Hetch Hetchy, the benefits of restoration clearly outweigh the benefits provided by the dams. More Than Just Parks | National Parks Guides. (Read SPURs analysis of this plan.) 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. [85] Indeed, the battle over Hetch Hetchy may have been a little-known contributor to the permanent alignment of American politics it was the tension between Ballinger and Pinchot that set in motion the events that lead to the split mentioned above. 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. It involved the unintended consequences of efforts to shape the environment to meet human needs. "[19], People have lived in Hetch Hetchy Valley for over 6,000 years. The Poopenaut Trail begins at a signed trailhead four miles past the entrance station. This can be very disorienting to fish and disrupt their migrations as they depend on steady streams and flows to guide them. And in a larger sense, the waters of California served as the converting agents. The Hetch Hetchy Valley is a part of Yosemite National Park. 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). benefits of hetch hetchy dam. Like Muir, he was totally transfixed by the Hetch Hetchy Valley. This time, in favor of those who wanted to build the dam. [57] Pipelines 3 and 4 end at the Pulgas Water Temple, a small park that contains classical architectural elements which celebrate the water delivery. San Francisco applied once again for rights to Hetch Hetchy in 1908. [61] In 2018, the Department of the Interior of the Trump administration began to consider a proposal to allow limited boating on the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir for the first time, supported by the advocacy group Restore Hetch Hetchy which argued that "San Francisco received [Hetch Hetchy's] benefits long ago, but the American people have not. California Rep. John E. Raker submitted a bill to Congress granting the city of San Francisco the right to dam the Hetchy Hetchy Valley as a reservoir and also provide the city the right of municipalized electricity as well. Fortunately, that time has not yet come, so this November, vote no on the Water Sustainability and Environmental Restoration Planning Act of 2012. Lets keep Hetch Hetchy around for the forseeable future. 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. 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. Would there be any room in an acquisitive society for wildness, or for non material spiritual values?. 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. Building the Dam. Native American cultures were prominent before the 1850s when the first settlers from the United States arrived in the Sierra Nevada. . [28][29] About 1853, his brother, Joseph Screech (credited in some accounts for the original discovery of the valley)[27] blazed the first trail from Big Oak Flat, a mining camp near present-day Lake Don Pedro,[30] for 38mi (61km) northeast to Hetch Hetchy Valley. [54] The entire system produces about 1.7 billion kilowatt hours per year, enough to meet 20% of San Francisco's electricity needs. The city must pay a lease of $30,000 per year for the use of Hetch Hetchy, which sits on federal land. For functional purposes, Hetch Hetchy was a promising solution to San Francisco's serious water shortages. 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. It's dumb, dumb, dumb. [63] The city justified this as a temporary measure, but no attempt to follow through with completing the municipal grid was ever made. Richard Ballinger was a conservative who was one of the main characters who was responsible for the progressive-conservative split in the GOP in 1912 (leading to the creation of the Bull Moose party), which is the factor that determined the GOP would be on the right side of the political spectrum (and therefore ensuring the Democrats would be on the left side of the spectrum). 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. The same features that make Hetch Hetchy Valley so spectacular also make it an ideal location for a dam. 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.. As a consequence, visitors came to experience it for themselves. By 1908, a different Interior Secretary, James R. Garfield, sided with the utilitarian conservationists and issued a permit for the Hetch Hetchy project. Hetch-22 | Ethics: Climate Change - Galen Hiltbrand This can lead to algal blooms and decreased oxygen levels. Construction of O'Shaughnessy Dam began in 1919 and was finished in 1923, with the reservoir first filling in May of that year. 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 terminus of the incomplete line was "conveniently located next to a PG&E substation", which connected to PG&E's private line which in turn bridged the gap to San Francisco. Back in the early nineteen hundreds, when the debate start about The Hetch Hetchy dam being built a large majority of people did not realize or care how valuable nature is. Albert Bierstadt was known for his sweeping landscapes of the American West. Yosemite Westgate Lodge offers newly-remodeled and well-appointed modern accommodation. "[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. A full breakfast is served in the dining room. 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. 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 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. By 1908, a different Interior Secretary, James R. Garfield, sided with the utilitarian conservationists and issued a permit for the Hetch Hetchy project. California needed secure, reliable access to drinking water for their burgeoning populations. [41], In 1906, after a major earthquake and subsequent fire that devastated San Francisco, the inadequacy of the city's water system was made tragically clear. [2] The dam contains 675,000cuyd (516,000m3) of concrete. Furthermore, they provided a place for the wild plants and creatures to live out their own lives, according to their purposes. The exploitation of Californias natural resources continued unabated in the years leading up to Hetch Hetchy. Congress, confronted with rising public opposition, refused to act on the measure. [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. 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. Horace Albright, the second director of the National Park Service, wrote that Franklin Lanes appointment to the cabinet was made specifically for the purpose of pushing this [Hetch Hetchy project], the so-called Raker-Pittman Bill. (Source: The Battle Over Hetch Hetchy, Robert W. Righter). History - Hetch Hetchy - Sierra Club Off Deadline: Is 'Restore Hetch Hetchy' a pipe dream or a living vision Sign up for helpful guides, beautiful videos, and insider tips on the national parks. [18], Due to its abundant wetlands and stream pools, Hetch Hetchy was notorious among early travelers for becoming infested with mosquitoes in the summertime. [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. The Fight for Hetch Hetchy | Environment & Society Portal Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Water System 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. Hetch Hetchy ushered in a new era for the national parks. "[32], In 1867, Charles F. Hoffman of the California Geological Survey conducted the first survey of the valley. Rancheria Falls itself is a series of whitewater cascades that crashes through a narrow canyon on its way to the reservoir. [42] This provoked a seven-year environmental struggle with the environmental group Sierra Club, led by John Muir. On returning home, he asked an Indian chief the name of the valley. Should natural resources be used to serve the greatest good for the greatest number? Muir observed:[3]. The grassroots organization of environmental activism, established by John Muir and his supporters, became a model for future environmentalists. They were both initially carved by rivers flowing down the Sierras relatively gentle western slope. They poured an estimated total of more than 398,000 cubic yards (304,000 cubic meters) of concrete to form the dam.