[citation needed], The Hetch Hetchy Valley began as a V-shaped river canyon cut out by the ancestral Tuolumne River. By 1908, a different Interior Secretary, James R. Garfield, sided with the utilitarian conservationists and issued a permit for the Hetch Hetchy project. Exactly how San Francisco won the right to transform the bucolic valley into a Hetch Hetchy is unique because of its small holding capacity in comparison to the vast watershed feeding it. 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. Formerly called Buck Meadows Restaurant and Bar, the new caf crosses rustic-mountain flair with roadside cafe friendliness. Could you imagine building a dam inside a national park today? Once again, the political pendulum had swung. More Than Just Parks | National Parks Guides. The Hetch Hetchy dam is upstream on the Tuolumne River from a reservoir nearly six times as large. The SFPUC and other Hetch Hetchy users are currently implementing plans to meet this demand through recycled water, groundwater and conservation. And today there is even an organization, Restore Hetch Hetchy, which is committed to doing just that. Muir concludes his treatise on Hetch Hetchy with the now familiar words, "Dam Hetch Hetchy! A national debate ensued between the preservationist and conservationist factions of the young environmental movement. [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. First, the beauty of the valley which they felt should not be sacrificed to build a dam. The dam is a small portion of the overall Tuolumne River/San Francisco storage system that benefits the Bay Area. 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. It also was an early battle of conservatives vs progressives. 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. The second concept is preservation. Plus, they needed a way to bring supplies and workers into the mountains. Assign each group to analyze one or more . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This is interesting from an ideological perspective. As John Clayton writes, At the height of Progressivism, Phelan and other good-government types believed that the city should administer its own utilities. 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. 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. At full capacity, the reservoir stretches eight miles (13 km) upstream of the OShaughnessy Dam. Spring and early summer bring wildflowers including lupine, wallflower, monkey flower, and buttercup. In 2006, the California State Department of Water Resources (DWR) and Department of Parks and Recreation evaluated the cost estimates of multiple feasibility studies conducted between 1988 and 2005. 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. [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. The first people, outside of Native Americans, to see the Hetch Hetchy Valley were Joseph, Nate and William Screechin 1850. [46], Work on the Hetch Hetchy Project began in 1914. OPTION 3Give control to the local people of Hetch Hetchy The reservoir supplies water for the city of San Francisco, so there is no recreational boating or swimming allowed. Through the manipulation of water, the company also had the power to determine which real estate became valuable and which languished. For functional purposes, Hetch Hetchy was a promising solution to San Francisco's serious water shortages. DWR also found that the planning studies necessary to refine the costs and benefits of restoration would cost $65 million alone. John Muir, the first president of the Sierra Club, condemned plans to build the dam, saying, "Dam Hetch Hetchy! Five country-chic rooms in the main building include en suite bathrooms, free WiFi and electric fireplaces. You could miss this small mountain community if you blink at the wrong time, but it is home to a few remarkable small businesses. [8], While its cousin Yosemite Valley to the south had permanent Miwok settlements,[25] Hetch Hetchy was only seasonally inhabited. The Tuolumne River continues through Tuolumne Meadows and the associated park developments at an elevation of 8,600 feet. "[34], When Yosemite Valley became part of a state park in 1864, Hetch Hetchy received no such designation. 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. Not to be outdone by Los Angeles, San Francisco had a greater feat in mind: dam the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park and pipe the water into San Francisco. 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. 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. 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. Indeed, Hetch Hetchy today[when?] 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. There is a third concept, too, though it was little understood at the time. There are thousands of dams in the United States. As in Yosemite, the sublime rocks of its walls seem to glow with life . Like Muir, she felt the beauty of the valley was a national treasure which ought to be preserved. [48], The Early Intake (Lower Cherry) Powerhouse began commercial operation five years before the O'Shaughnessy Dam was completed. He had journeyed to Washington to lobby the federal government on behalf of the project. 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 reservoir provides water to a large portion of the Bay Area through a 160 mile delivery. Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite Valley are so similar because they were created by the same sequences of geological activity. Pinchot was Americas Forester. He served as the first head of the United States Forest Service. Principally, dam removal on the Klamath will require annual replacement of 696 gigawatt hours of electricity by other means. [4] A broad, low rocky outcrop situated between Kolana Rock and Hetch Hetchy Dome divided the former meadow in two distinct sections. [54] The entire system produces about 1.7 billion kilowatt hours per year, enough to meet 20% of San Francisco's electricity needs. Here are just some of the hurdles we would need to cross: Identify water supplies to meet about 18 percent of the regions water demand in dry years (which occur about 20 percent of the time), Permit and build 40 to 90 megawatts of renewable power to supply almost all municipal demand in San Francisco, Build and operate a water-filtration plant, because water stored further downstream than Hetch Hetchy will have to be filtered, Engineer and design a series of expensive and complicated infrastructure projects to re-engineer major components of the regional water system, then get those changes through the environmental review process, Somehow convince senior water-right holders like the Modesto and Turlock Irrigation Districts on the Tuolumne River to let us store our drinking water in their reservoirs. 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. Her poetic descriptions of Hetch hetchy won her the attention of powerful members of Congress. We have historic photographs to remind us of what Hetch Hetchy Valley looked like before the dam was built. 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. This strenuous 2.5-mile, round-trip hike to the Tuolumne River has 1,229 feet of elevation gain. 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. In an effort to build this support, he published his bookThe Yosemitein 1912. Winter weather conditions may cause road closures. But what about when the lake dries? Right next to the Lucky Buck Cafe, youll find the Yosemite Westgate Lodge and Buck Meadows Lodge. Albert Bierstadt was known for his sweeping landscapes of the American West. Photo: Chris Migeon He discovered it a few of years later. Second, the sanctity of the national parks which they believed should not be violated. Teams completed the OShaughnessy Dam in 1923 and the reservoir filled for the first time in May of that year. The SFPUC tests its quality more than 100,000 times a year to ensure that it exceeds all safe drinking water standards. It is definitely worth to visit Hetch Hetchy area especially in 2021 when main Yosemite area requires booking permits in advance. His path roughly follows the John Muir Highway State Highway 132 that runs from Highway 49 in Coulterville up through Greeley Hill before connecting back into Highway 120 before Buck Meadows and the turn-off to Hetch Hetchy. Pinchot was recognized as a leader of the conservation movement. A bigger population will increase demand, meanwhile climate change could significantly reduce supply through drought and hydrological cycle changes. Photo: Kim Lawson. In spite of Muirs eloquent and heated objections, the Raker Act was signed into law in December of 1913. The restoration of Hetch Hetchy would be a simple task compared to some dam removal efforts. In some cases, however, including the Klamath and Hetch Hetchy, the benefits of restoration clearly outweigh the benefits provided by the dams. 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. [40] By the 1880s, San Francisco was looking to Hetch Hetchy water as a fix for its outdated and unreliable water system. At the time, neither side understood the long-range consequences of human actions to manage the environment. Specialty pricing may require . Over the last 35 years, the idea has been studied by the Environmental Defense Fund, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park Service, UC Davis, and several state agencies. 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. history. San Francisco could flood the valley and work began the following year. [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. What one Secretary of the Interior giveth, another taketh away. Hetch Hetchy and many others were built by . Upcountry and the Bay Area. She says the water first leaves Hetch Hetchy through the O'Shaughnessy Dam. Use good judgment and stay safe. 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). Copyright © 2023 More Than Just Parks | This post may contain affiliate links - read our Standards, Corrections, & Privacy Policy. In the sum of American economic expansion the intrusion might have seemed a minor, obscure matter, but to [John] Muir immense issues were involved: why had the nation preserved that pure wildness in the first place? The trail to Wapama Falls is one of the most popular trails in the Hetch Hetchy area for a good reason. "[85] However, she does support breaching the dam once it has reached the end of its lifespan, and not replacing it. The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, which lies within the Yosemite National Park, supplies 85% of the water needs of San Francisco and surrounding counties. An adjacent building contains another five suites with vaulted ceilings, forest views and soaking tubs. 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. It pitted Gifford Pinchot, Americas first forester, against John Muir, Americas legendary conservationist. 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. [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. [51][52] The aqueduct delivers an average of 265,000acreft (327,000,000m3) of water each year, or 31,900,000cuft (900,000m3) per day, to residents of San Francisco and San Mateo, Santa Clara and Alameda Counties. ", "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. It is part of our More than Just Parks Environmental Heroes series. [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. strongly against restoration. 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 main power facility in the system, the Moccasin Powerhouse, began commercial operation on August 14, 1925. The upcountry portion of the System begins with Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park. In the 19th century, the first white visitors to the valley did not realize that Hetch Hetchy's extensive meadows were the product of millennia of management by Native Americans; instead they believed "the valley was purely a product of ancient geological forces (or divine intervention) this was fundamental to its allure as a destination and subject. Show More. [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. [8], Meadow plants unavailable in the lowlands were particularly valuable resources to these tribes. [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. 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. Hoover Dam. Even before it was finished, the massive . Most importantly, San Francisco would lose its source of high-quality mountain water, and would have to depend on lower-quality water from other reservoirs which would require costly filtration and re-engineering of the aqueduct system to meet its needs. Congress would decide the fate of the Hetchy Hetchy Valley. Friday, enjoy an evening about bats starting at 7 pm. There, he met the same Indian chief and his wives. Wapama and Rancheria Falls Looking up at Wapama Falls from the footbridge on the hiking trail. Next to John Muir, the most vocal defender of the Hetch Hetchy Valley was Harriet Monroe. Finally, in 1988, a third generator was added to the Kirkwood Powerhouse. Restore Hetch Hetchy and the Environmental Defense Funds own studies support a lower cost estimate, ranging from $1 billion to $2 billion. San Francisco applied to the United States Department of the Interior to gain water rights to Hetch Hetchy, and in 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt's Secretary of the Interior, James R. Garfield, granted San Francisco the rights to development of the Tuolumne River. Franklin Lane served as the attorney for the city of San Francisco in 1903. The spacious rooms include access to a heated swimming pool, spa, playground, and laundry facilities. remains the least visited area of the park. California O Shaughnessy Dam Analysis 1428 Words | 6 Pages. There are four fundamental ways in which dams damage rivers. The regional water system provides water to 2.4 million people in San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda and San Mateo counties. It is the primary water source for about 2.5 million residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. [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. Photo: Chris Migeon. 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. The new. Hetch Hetchy doesn't require permit, you need just regular National park pass. [2] The dam and reservoir are the centerpiece of the Hetch Hetchy Project, which in 1934 began to deliver water 167 miles (269km) west to San Francisco and its client municipalities in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Call 209-372-0200 for the latest road and weather conditions, Hetch Hetchy Road Daily Hours: 8 am to 5 pm. 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). "[32], In 1867, Charles F. Hoffman of the California Geological Survey conducted the first survey of the valley. 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 proposed study would also have been required to identify potential replacements for the water storage capacity and hydroelectric power production.[87][88]. [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. Today the 117-billion-gallon reservoir supplies drinking water to about 2.5 million San Francisco Bay Area residents and hydro-electric power generated by two plants downstream. Since the valley was within Yosemite National Park, an act of Congress was needed to authorize the project. Proponents of the dam replied that out of multiple sites considered by San Francisco, Hetch Hetchy had the "perfect architecture for a reservoir",[43] with pristine water, lack of development or private property, a steep-sided and flat-floored profile that would maximize the amount of water stored, and a narrow outlet ideal for placement of a dam. [50] The project is operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Even in the summer when Yosemite Valley is being explored by visitors from around the world, Hetch Hetchy remains an oasis of relative calm. This effort was famously and vociferously fought by John Muir and was the subject of a national debate for years; the loss later galvanized the Sierra Club to successfully oppose large dams in Dinosaur National Monument and Grand Canyon National Park. 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). 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. 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.

Taifa Tips Sportpesa Jackpot Predictions, Rail Staff Travel Caledonian Sleeper, Habitat Non Examples, Articles B