benefits of hetch hetchy dam

Sign up for helpful guides, beautiful videos, and insider tips on the national parks. In 2019, Restore Hetch Hetchy commissioned another study that found enormous recreational value from removing the dam. Mirror Lakes famous spring-time reflections capture the eye and mind. Hetch Hetchy is dammed by the 430-foot-tall OShaughnessy Dam and has a storage capacity of 360,360 acre-feet. There have been lawsuits over whether San Francisco violated the agreements of the Raker Act. Within the ranks of the Sierra Club, there was a split between those San Francisco members who favored the dams municipal use versus those who believed this pristine area should not be tampered with under any circumstances. If you love that insider feeling of discovering an often-overlooked gem, plan a stop at Buck Meadows on your way to or from Hetch Hetchy. Secretary of the Interior, Ethan Allen Hitchcock, refused to give San Francisco a permit to build the dam. 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. (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.) Denouncing dam proponents as greedy, he wrote, These temple destroyers, devotees of ravaging commercialism, seem to have a perfect contempt for Nature, and instead of lifting their eyes to the God of the Mountains, life them to the Almighty Dollar. The trail continues to climb for 1.8 miles (2.8 km) above the trail intersection, but you can turn around any time. You can expect one (short) email per month. A recent report evaluates the economic benefits of restoring Hetch Hetchy Valley. Finally, with the railroad complete, teams broke ground on the OShaughnessy Dam on August 1, 1919. It also was an early battle of conservatives vs progressives. Required fields are marked *. The glacial Hetch Hetchy Valley lies in the northwestern part of Yosemite National Park and is drained by the Tuolumne River. It is the source of water for the city of San Francisco. Only a tiny proportion of Yosemites visitors explore this out-of-the-way corner of the national park. While opponents of the dam were hard pressed for financial support, the city of San Franciscos campaign was well financed. As Muir famously protested: Dam Hetch Hetchy? It is 13 miles from the Yosemite National Park border and twice as close to the park than the town of Groveland. The battle for Hetch Hetchy was perhaps the first effort at what is now known as "grassroots lobbying," getting individual citizens to contact elected officials in support . [24] It is likely that the edible grass was blue dicks. San Francisco Mayor James Phelan led the fight to build a dam at Hetch Hetchy. Each switchback reveals scenic overlooks of the reservoir and Kolana Rock. In: Educational Resources, History, National Parks, Your email address will not be published. Would there be any room in an acquisitive society for wildness, or for non material spiritual values?. ", "The Hetch Hetchy Story, Part II: PG&E and the Raker Act", "The Forbidden Water: San Francisco and Hetch Hetchy Valley", "Idyllic Pulgas Water Temple still offers comfort for weary wanderers", "Chronology of San Francisco's Water Development", "Frequently Asked Questions About Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and the Regional Water & Power System", "Water From Yosemite Is Still Cheap, for Now", "Serving 2.6 million residential, commercial and industrial customers", "Hetch Hetchy water goes through ultraviolet rinse", "A historic bid for limited boating at Hetch Hetchy Reservoir", "Trump team reassigns Yosemite National Park superintendent; timing raises questions", "Western Water Wars: Efforts to Take Over San Francisco's Hetch Hetchy Systems", "Hetch Hetchy Power Debacle: Continuing Yosemite Threat", "Could Hetch Hetchy Valley be worth $100 billion? ", "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. Franklin Lane served as the attorney for the city of San Francisco in 1903. [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. A full breakfast is served in the dining room. The Hetch Hetchy system's supporters say it has one of the smallest carbon footprints of any water system in the United States because its water is of such high quality that it requires no. 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. The falls roar in spring and early summer. She says the water first leaves Hetch Hetchy through the O'Shaughnessy Dam. 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. 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. There are many places to stop and enjoy views of the rushing water before turning around to return to your car. [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. 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). Located 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas, the dam captures water from the . [18], Due to its abundant wetlands and stream pools, Hetch Hetchy was notorious among early travelers for becoming infested with mosquitoes in the summertime. 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. [9] Formerly, a "small but noisy"[10] waterfall and natural pool existed on the Tuolumne River marked the upper entrance to Hetch Hetchy Valley,[11] informally known as Tuolumne Fall (not to be confused with a similarly named waterfall several miles upriver near Tuolumne Meadows). It's a big job to open the tunnel and close it again. For thousands of years, Native Americans subjected the valley to controlled bushfires, which prevented forest from taking over the valley meadows. The SFPUC tests its quality more than 100,000 times a year to ensure that it exceeds all safe drinking water standards. [2] The dam contains 675,000cuyd (516,000m3) of concrete. Photo: Theresa Ho, Of course, the proposal was immediately opposed by environmentalists including the Sierra Club and John Muir. The regional water system provides water to 2.4 million people in San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda and San Mateo counties. But Hetch Hetchy was a federally protected as part of Yosemite National Park. All offers, including but not limited to, bonus amenities, upgrades, prices, and group benefits are based on select dates, resorts, room categories, and/or fare codes. High temperatures prevail in summer months, but that is a small price to pay for the reward of vast wilderness filled with stunning peaks, hidden canyons, and remote lakes. [5] The valley was slowly becoming known for its natural beauty, but it was never a popular tourist destination because of extremely poor access and the location of the famous Yosemite Valley just twenty miles to the south. If youre especially in the mood to relax and let yourself be taken care of, The Blackberry Inn is a luxury bed and breakfast situated on 36 acres and surrounded by National Forest land. John Muir once described Hetch Hetchy Valley as, a grand landscape garden, one of Natures rarest and most precious mountain temples.. The Great Alaskan Land Fraud and the Pinchot-Ballinger Controversy caused both Richard A. Ballinger and Gifford Pinchot to resign and be fired respectively. Restore Hetch Hetchy and the Environmental Defense Funds own studies support a lower cost estimate, ranging from $1 billion to $2 billion. Then, in 1906, a devastating earthquake caused a series of fires in San Francisco that destroyed 25,000 buildings across 490 city blocks. 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. The main power facility in the system, the Moccasin Powerhouse, began commercial operation on August 14, 1925. No BS! The fundamental issue involved two concepts. [31], During this time, the upper Tuolumne River, including Hetch Hetchy Valley, was visited by prospectors attracted by the California Gold Rush. 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. The Tuolumne River continues through Tuolumne Meadows and the associated park developments at an elevation of 8,600 feet. [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. Pinchot was Americas Forester. He served as the first head of the United States Forest Service. Most people turn around here anyway. [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. Many examples of red-barked manzanita can be seen along the Hetch Hetchy Road. In an effort to build this support, he published his bookThe Yosemitein 1912. Hydroelectric power generated from the Hetch Hetchy project is largely sold to Bay Area customers through a private power company, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). According to a local legend, Nate spotted a valley to the east that was too far to visit. More Than Just Parks | National Parks Guides. . [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. The . Five country-chic rooms in the main building include en suite bathrooms, free WiFi and electric fireplaces. Once again, the political pendulum would swing. [20] They hunted, and gathered seeds and edible plants to furnish themselves winter food, trade items, and materials for art and ceremonial objects. [3] Kolana Rock, at 5,772ft (1,759m), is a massive rock spire on the south side of the Hetch Hetchy Valley. The maximum that the city has put away is 570,000 acre-feet of water. It has two trailhead options. [53], As completed, O'Shaughnessy Dam is 910 feet (280m) long, spanning the valley at its narrow outlet. Everyone who drinks water or takes a shower in San Francisco should go. Even before it was finished, the massive . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This is interesting from an ideological perspective. Rancheria Falls itself is a series of whitewater cascades that crashes through a narrow canyon on its way to the reservoir. But tearing OShaughnessy Dam down now in order to restore Hetch Hetchy Valley would be a disaster. Friday, enjoy an evening about bats starting at 7 pm. [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. An advantage which Phelan, Pinchot and other supporters of the dam project enjoyed was a divided opposition. View of the OShaughnessy Dam and the Hetchy Hetchy Road and parking. can you smoke on royal caribbean cruise ships benefits of hetch hetchy dam. The privately owned Spring Valley Water Company had required its customers to pay exorbitant rates for years. Consider one project in progress that involves re-routing an entire river . The O'Shaughnessy Dam was completed in 1923 and, after the . First, they block rivers which prevents fish from migrating. Day 6: Hetch Hetchy Reservoir to San Francisco. It pitted a powerful city against a dedicated group of conservationists. One route begins six miles beyond the entrance station. Garfield was responding to critics who believed that the federal governments primary responsibility was to use the nations public resources for development in the service for the greatest number of people. In the distance, long white plumes of water cascade hundreds of feet down from rocky heights. Even if we could obtain the several billion dollars necessary to carry out this endeavor (neither private nor public sources have yet been identified) some of the tasks involved may not even be possible. It was the second tallest dam in the U.S. at the time. It forced elected representatives to consider what a national park designation truly meant and whether or not the land within these parks deserved protection. 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. [63] The city justified this as a temporary measure, but no attempt to follow through with completing the municipal grid was ever made. Since then, the "Hetch Hetchy System" has continued to grow, now including nine impoundments . Monroe was a Chicago poet who joined Muir and others on their 1908 and 1909 outings to the valley. Winter weather conditions may cause road closures. "[32], In 1867, Charles F. Hoffman of the California Geological Survey conducted the first survey of the valley. Hetch Hetchy Dome, at 6,197ft (1,889m), lies directly north of it. 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. The dam was then 227 feet (69m) high; its present height of 312 feet (95m) was achieved only later, in 1938. [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. In 2007, in approving the environmental impact report for the Water System Improvement Program an investment of more than $4 billion to shore up the seismic reliability of the Hetch Hetchy water system the SFPUC gave itself, and its wholesale customers on the peninsula, ten years to develop a plan that would identify reliable alternative sources of water to meet the regions future growth in demand, rather than diverting more water from the Tuolumne River. 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. 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. While youre at it, plan to add to the historic flavor of this route with a stop the Northern Mariposa County History Center. [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).