benefits of hetch hetchy dam

Its a a wonderful place to see spring waterfalls and wildflower displays. 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. Hetch Hetchy, located at 3,900 feet in Yosemite National Park, is one of the park's most popular hiking . Enjoy elegant touches like wrap-around porches, and fresh-baked cookies served daily. A bigger population will increase demand, meanwhile climate change could significantly reduce supply through drought and hydrological cycle changes. Restore Hetch Hetchy and the Environmental Defense Funds own studies support a lower cost estimate, ranging from $1 billion to $2 billion. As well dam for water tanks the peoples cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man.'. But tearing OShaughnessy Dam down now in order to restore Hetch Hetchy Valley would be a disaster. 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. Hetch Hetchy's restoration, after all, will benefit national . The new. 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. The reservoir supplies water for the city of San Francisco, so there is no recreational boating or swimming allowed. Building a dam there was off the table. Your email address will not be published. [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. [63] The city justified this as a temporary measure, but no attempt to follow through with completing the municipal grid was ever made. [54][55], After passing through the powerhouses, Hetch Hetchy water flows into the 167mi (269km) Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct which travels across the Central Valley. Consider one project in progress that involves re-routing an entire river . 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. This ballot measure is so problematic that SPUR has taken early action to oppose it. The walls of both are of gray granite, rise abruptly out of the flowery grass and groves are sculptured in the same style, and in both every rock is a glacial monument., (Source: Journal of Sierra Nevada History & Biography, Hetch-Hetchy, Natural History Before The Dam, Joe Medeiros), In defense of Hetch Hetchy, Muir crafted some of his most famous prose. Other trails also continue to Lake Vernon. The OShaughnessy Dam was completed in 1938 and is 430-feet tall. . Hetch Hetchy Valley is a treasure worth visiting. Expect delicious meals and hearty portions to fuel your adventure or beat that post-hiking hunger. And today there is even an organization, Restore Hetch Hetchy, which is committed to doing just that. 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. As well dam for water-tanks the people's cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been . In 2019, Restore Hetch Hetchy commissioned another study that found enormous recreational value from removing the dam. The surface of the water hides an additional 300 feet of granite cliffs and once-upon-a-time waterfalls within its depths. 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). Had it been, the Sierra Clubs members would have presented a united front in opposition to its development. The openings in the Taft administration led to the eventual success of the Raker Act. Yet it also highlighted the division within the conservation movement over two fundamental principles: utilitarian conservation versus preservation. Watershed Worker (Summer, 2023) - Hetch Hetchy Water & Power (Moccasin) - SFPUC (7542) Job at City and County of San Francisco in Moccasin. 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.. Muir famously said, Dam Hetch Hetchy! The larger issues at stake would frame environmental debates for years to come. The Tuolumne River, the source of. 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. [58], Water from Hetch Hetchy is some of the cleanest municipal water in the United States; San Francisco is one of six U.S. cities not required by law to filter its tap water, although the water is disinfected by ozonation and, since 2011, exposure to UV. As well dam for water-tanks the peoples cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man . The reservoir is fed by the Tuolumne River. 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. A) 5 billion B . 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 . 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. 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. Wapama and Rancheria Falls Looking up at Wapama Falls from the footbridge on the hiking trail. Mirror Lakes famous spring-time reflections capture the eye and mind. Due to its high-altitude location at 3,900 feet above sea level and its snowmelt-fed water supply, water from Hetch Hetchy Reservoir behind O'Shaughnessy Dam does not require filtration. 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 Hetch Hetchy Reservoir created by the dam has a capacity of 360,400acreft (0.4445km3), with a maximum area of 1,972 acres (798ha) and a maximum depth of 306 feet (93m). 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, a glacially carved valley situated in the northern end of the park, was flooded and dammed in the early 1900s in order to serve as the primary drinking water source for parts of San Francisco and the Bay Area. On a national stage, Hetch Hetchy became caught in the cross fire between the interests of private utilities ownership and those of municipal ownership. 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. [citation needed], The Hetch Hetchy Valley began as a V-shaped river canyon cut out by the ancestral Tuolumne River. In the northwest corner of Yosemite National Park you can find the Hetch Hetchy Valley. [50] The project is operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. [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. As the grazing of livestock damaged native plants in the Hetch Hetchy Valley, mountaineer and naturalist John Muir pressed for the protection of both valleys under a single national park. 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 ________. The inadequacy of the citys existing water supply came into sharp focus. In the foreground, the deep still water of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir reflects sunshine, clouds and the proud shadows of the surrounding mountains. Instead, the magnificence of a valley often described as Yosemite Valleys slightly smaller twin takes center stage. . OPTION 3Give control to the local people of Hetch Hetchy 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. This trail is 13 miles round-trip with 3,700 feet elevation gain. Should natural resources be used to serve the greatest good for the greatest number? 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. The O'Shaughnessy Dam is 430-foot (131 m) high made of concrete and it is named after engineer Michael O'Shaughnessy, who oversaw the entire construction. To visit the waterfalls or Yosemites northern backcountry, you walk across OShaughnessy Dam. Spring snowmelt runs down the Tuolumne River and fills Hetch Hetchy, the largest reservoir in our water system. In terms of quality, Hetch Hetchy water is so pristine that it is one of only a handful of water supplies in the country that doesn't need to be filtered, a process that is expensive and energy intensive. RELATED: Meet The Real Life Batman & Robin Of The National Parks. 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). "[19], People have lived in Hetch Hetchy Valley for over 6,000 years. 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? Said San Francisco resident William Denman in 1918, "The first time I went into the Hetch Hetchy the mosquitoes were intolerable. As the Hetch Hetchy Valley was part of Yosemite National Park, Hitchcock preferred to protect the park's natural wonders. An adjacent building contains another five suites with vaulted ceilings, forest views and soaking tubs. They would light upon a man's blue shirt and turn it brown, and were voracious as mosquitoes would be. No picture of the giant sequoia trees in Yosemite National Park manages to fully capture their immense size and majesty. Spring and early summer bring wildflowers including lupine, wallflower, monkey flower, and buttercup. John Muir knew that without public support, the Hetch Hetchy Valley would be lost. Residents drink it in 26 cities and water districts from San. This is because the Tuolumne catchment basin above Hetch Hetchy is almost three times as large as the catchment area of the Merced River above Yosemite, allowing a greater volume of ice to form. 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. 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. He wrote, I have always called it the Tuolumne Yosemite, for it is a wonderfully exact counterpart of the great Yosemite, not only in its crystal river and sublime rocks and waterfalls, but in the gardens, groves, and meadows of its flowery park-like floor. For thousands of years, Native Americans subjected the valley to controlled bushfires, which prevented forest from taking over the valley meadows. 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 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. Glaciers followed these low-points, leaving their own marks in particular carving out the characteristic U-shaped valley with steep sides and wide floor. But how did the dam get to be here? Smith Peak (7,751 feet) is the highest point in the area and offers outstanding views. Should nature be left alone so that flora and fauna flourish while people enjoy its primal wonders? Rancheria Falls itself is a series of whitewater cascades that crashes through a narrow canyon on its way to the reservoir. 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. 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. By 1908, a different Interior Secretary, James R. Garfield, sided with the utilitarian conservationists and issued a permit for the Hetch Hetchy project. [70] Hodel called for a study of the effect of tearing down the dam. Once again, the political pendulum had swung. Hoover Dam. An advantage which Phelan, Pinchot and other supporters of the dam project enjoyed was a divided opposition. In the distance, long white plumes of water cascade hundreds of feet down from rocky heights. Yes, the plan to drain Hetch Hetchy involves causing new ecological damage. It then cascades on its westward descent through the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, and enters the eastern end of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. 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). The maximum that the city has put away is 570,000 acre-feet of water. The trail includes spectacular views of Tueeulala and Wapama Falls. [2], Wapama Falls, at 1,080ft (330m), and Tueeulala Falls, at 840ft (260m) both among the tallest waterfalls in North America are both located in Hetch Hetchy Valley. If you delight in getting off the well-beaten path, or if you are looking for a peaceful natural retreat, its perfection. 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. Hetch Hetchy is unique because of its small holding capacity in comparison to the vast watershed feeding it. Specialty pricing may require . The Sites Reservoir a $4.4 billion project to add dams and store more water that'll be sent south is still years away from completion. While the debate goes on, Hetch Hetchy remains a relaxing and often-overlooked corner of the park much to the delight of hikers and backpackers who prefer less touristy experiences.

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