benefits of hetch hetchy dam. [2] The dam contains 675,000cuyd (516,000m3) of concrete. Exactly how San Francisco won the right to transform the bucolic valley into a [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. Hetch Hetchy Valley Analysis - 1299 Words | Internet Public Library Dbq Hetchy Project - 663 Words | Internet Public Library Hetch Hetchy Water & Power plans five-year $140M Mountain Tunnel A Dam Removal in Progress. The Hetch Hetchy Valley is about 8 miles (13 km) from Yosemite Valley. In contrast to the utilitarian view, the preservationist approach denied the assumption that the natural world existed solely to serve mans purposes. Congress would decide the fate of the Hetchy Hetchy Valley. Third, dams alter natural habitats and change the ways in which rivers function. As surely as forests provided timber, so did they provide beauty, inspiration, and the renewal of over-citified spirits. [21] Miwok names are still used for features, including Tueeulala Fall, Wapama Fall, and Kolana Rock. The privately owned Spring Valley Water Company had required its customers to pay exorbitant rates for years. 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. [74] A 2019 study commissioned by Restore Hetch Hetchy argued that draining the reservoir and equipping the valley with a tourism infrastructure comparable to that of Yosemite Valley (which receives around 100 times as many visitors annually as Hetch Hetchy's 44,000) could result in a "recreational value" of up to $178 million per year, or possibly an overall economic value of up to $100 billion. Yosemite's Secret Valley - Hetch Hetchy - YouTube It would be almost impossible to build a new dam there today. [59] The water quality is high because of the unique geology of the upper Tuolumne River drainage basin, which consists mostly of bare granite; as a result, the rivers feeding Hetch Hetchy Reservoir have extremely low loads of sediments and nutrients. The Engineer as Lobbyist - JSTOR The law authorizing the dam passed Congress on December 7, 1913. Environment Quiz 1 Chapters 1-3 Flashcards | Quizlet This can lead to algal blooms and decreased oxygen levels. Put another way, if Congress denied the city of San Francisco the Hetch Hetchy Valley, the California Progressive leaders suspected that it would only be a matter of time before the emerging Pacific Gas and Electric Company would grab the area. 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 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. Hetch Hetchy doesn't require permit, you need just regular National park pass. As well dam for water-tanks the people's cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been . They poured an estimated total of more than 398,000 cubic yards (304,000 cubic meters) of concrete to form the dam. 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. 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. For your last day, enjoy a short hike on the shores of the beautiful Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. 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. the Hetch Hetchy Dam (1910-13) Abstract The damming of Hetch Hetchy in Yosemite National Park is a watershed event in environmental history, a presumed travesty that brought anguish to John Muir and his many sup porters throughout the United States. For functional purposes, Hetch Hetchy was a promising solution to San Francisco's serious water shortages. [5] Chief Tenaya of the Yosemite Valley's Ahwaneechee tribe claimed that Hetch Hetchy was Miwok for "Valley of the Two Trees", referring to a pair of yellow pines that once stood at the head of Hetch Hetchy. It is part of our More than Just Parks Environmental Heroes series. ", "Three Square Miles of Open Space: Is It Enough? 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. Stand on OShaughnessy Dam and feel the cool updraft. San Francisco Hetch Hetchy Reservoir Initiative, Proposition F 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. 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 city must pay a lease of $30,000 per year for the use of Hetch Hetchy, which sits on federal land. The O'Shaughnessy Dam was completed in 1923 and, after the . [53], As completed, O'Shaughnessy Dam is 910 feet (280m) long, spanning the valley at its narrow outlet. The reservoir supplies water for the city of San Francisco, so there is no recreational boating or swimming allowed. In this unmanaged scenario, where nature is left to take hold in the valley, eventually a forest would grow, rather than the meadow being restored. It is the primary water source for about 2.5 million residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. Enjoy elegant touches like wrap-around porches, and fresh-baked cookies served daily. Application Opening: February 10, 2023 Application Filing Deadline: March 3, 2023 Hourly Compensation: $27.3125 Recruitment ID: RTF0131751-01138303 (131752) APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary Exempt: This position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process and shall serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer. The grassroots organization of environmental activism, established by John Muir and his supporters, became a model for future environmentalists. In 1987, President Reagans Secretary of the Interior, Donald Hodel, proposed that Hetch Hetchy be restored. It is 13 miles from the Yosemite National Park border and twice as close to the park than the town of Groveland. Consider one project in progress that involves re-routing an entire river . Furthermore, they provided a place for the wild plants and creatures to live out their own lives, according to their purposes. The glacially-carved U-shaped valley floor maximizes the amount of water stored in the reservoir. Next to John Muir, the most vocal defender of the Hetch Hetchy Valley was Harriet Monroe. . [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. Hetch Hetchy Valley is a treasure worth visiting. 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. . The Dam Rent Is Too Low - PERC As well dam for water-tanks the peoples cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man . [3] Kolana Rock, at 5,772ft (1,759m), is a massive rock spire on the south side of the Hetch Hetchy Valley. [54] An additional hydroelectric system comprising Cherry Lake, Lake Eleanor and the Holm Powerhouse is also part of the Hetch Hetchy Project, adding another 169 megawatts of generating capacity. From 1901 - 1913, John Muir led the Sierra Club in a campaign to protect the Hetch Hetchy Valley, a part of Yosemite National Park, from being filled by a reservoir. San Francisco had its eyes on this water source early on and repeatedly tried to acquire water rights to the Tuolumne River. San Francisco Hetch Hetchy Dam Almost Failed and Could - Breitbart In an effort to build this support, he published his bookThe Yosemitein 1912. View of the OShaughnessy Dam and the Hetchy Hetchy Road and parking. Coming from the San Francisco Bay Area youll pass right through Buck Meadows on Highway 120. In 1923, the O'Shaughnessy Dam was completed on the Tuolumne River, flooding the entire valley under the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. It pitted a powerful city against a dedicated group of conservationists. An anthropocentrist would agree with building the dam in the park without taking into consideration what the dam would do to the already existing ecosystem due to not caring about the established animals and plants. [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. [42] They claimed the valley was not unique and would be even more beautiful with a lake. The trail to Wapama Falls is one of the most popular trails in the Hetch Hetchy area for a good reason. 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. 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). 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. He was opposed by then Mayor Diane Feinstein who argued that the dam was San Franciscans birthright. The proposed study would also have been required to identify potential replacements for the water storage capacity and hydroelectric power production.[87][88]. 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. It is spectacular: a miles-long placid blue lake nested within towering granite cliffs, from which waterfalls cascade. [57] Pipelines 3 and 4 end at the Pulgas Water Temple, a small park that contains classical architectural elements which celebrate the water delivery. 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. Hetch Hetchy Water's Epic Journey, From Mountains to Tap [64] Peter Byrne of SF Weekly has stated that "the plain language of the Raker Act itself and experts who are familiar with the act (and have no stake in city politics) all agree: The city of San Francisco is not in violation of the Raker Act. DWRs meta-study found a range of costs from $3 billion to $10 billion for restoration and replacement of water and power sources. Slow-moving reservoirs heat up, resulting in abnormal temperature fluctuations which can affect sensitive species. The imputed motive was to divide the environmental movement: to see residents of the strongly Democratic city of San Francisco coming out against an environmental issue. Impounded by O'Shaughnessy Dam, Hetch Hetchy Reservoir water passes through hydroelectric powerhouses before it enters the San Joaquin Pipelines, the Tesla Ultraviolet Treatment Facility, and the Coast Range Tunnel on its journey to the Bay Area. The openings in the Taft administration led to the eventual success of the Raker Act. He discovered it a few of years later. I will agree to take down Hetch Hetchy, when we first replace it with a bigger new reservoir such as a bigger taller Yosemite Valley dam at El Capitan. Use good judgment and stay safe. 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. [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". history. An advantage which Phelan, Pinchot and other supporters of the dam project enjoyed was a divided opposition. 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. Tom Philp of The Sacramento Bee - The Pulitzer Prizes Hetch Hetchy water serves residents in four Bay Area counties, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Southern Alameda. Restore Hetch Hetchy Valley, Vote Yes! on Proposition F "[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. Specialty pricing may require . 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 maximum that the city has put away is 570,000 acre-feet of water. As Hetch Hetchy Reservoir Fills, Environmentalists Still Dream of
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benefits of hetch hetchy dam