[8], Meadow plants unavailable in the lowlands were particularly valuable resources to these tribes. Although Hetch Hetchy is included within the boundaries of Yosemite National Park, the entrance is separate from the rest of the park. Since then, the "Hetch Hetchy System" has continued to grow, now including nine impoundments . It is part of our More than Just Parks Environmental Heroes series. He produced at least four oil paintings of the valley one of which is prominently displayed in Mount Holyoke Colleges art museum. (Source: American Rivers, How Dams Damage Rivers). Two additional reservoirs in the Hetch Hetchy RegionLake Eleanor and Lake Lloyd (also Your email address will not be published. They would light upon a man's blue shirt and turn it brown, and were voracious as mosquitoes would be. Hetch Hetchy, located at 3,900 feet in Yosemite National Park, is one of the park's most popular hiking . Standing upon it will give you the chance to appreciate the sublimity of both nature and human achievement. As well dam for . That reservoir is New Don Pedro, and it rests over existing pipelines to the Bay Area. Appreciate what nature created and what the city built there long ago. The extensive amount of storage, which is designed to benefit the Bay Area as droughts become more severe with climate. An advantage which Phelan, Pinchot and other supporters of the dam project enjoyed was a divided opposition. [8] Rancheria Falls is located farther southeast, on Rancheria Creek. [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. 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 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. San Francisco had its eyes on this water source early on and repeatedly tried to acquire water rights to the Tuolumne River. . This can lead to algal blooms and decreased oxygen levels. Let us introduce you to some of the unique giant sequoia groves in the Yosemite Mariposa County area the Merced, Tuolumne, and Mariposa Groves are inside Yosemite National Park, and the Nelder Grove is just outside the park boundary to the south. This 1910 view shows Kolana Rock and Tueeulala Falls in the background. Hetch Hetchy water serves residents in four Bay Area counties, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Southern Alameda. 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. This trail is 13 miles round-trip with 3,700 feet elevation gain. The Tuolumne River continues through Tuolumne Meadows and the associated park developments at an elevation of 8,600 feet. 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. If youre excited about a long hike or backpacking trip, you can continue to Laurel Lake for a 14.2-mile (22.9 km) out and back. 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. The larger issues at stake would frame environmental debates for years to come. Those who did visit it were enchanted by its scenery, but encountered difficulties with the primitive conditions and, in summertime, swarms of mosquitoes. The main problem with the measure is that in spite of appearing to be about studying best options or planning for future water supplies, it has pre-determined the solution: draining Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. 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 trail continues to climb for 1.8 miles (2.8 km) above the trail intersection, but you can turn around any time. It is 13 miles from the Yosemite National Park border and twice as close to the park than the town of Groveland. It carried workers and materials for the dam, as well as tourists, postage and other amenities. Hetch Hetchy is a valley, a reservoir, and a water system in California in the United States. 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. There are many places to stop and enjoy views of the rushing water before turning around to return to your car. 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 doesnt need to be filtered, a process that is expensive and energy intensive. Some of these studies determined that the idea of draining the reservoir was technically feasible but incredibly costly. [47] On October 28, 1934 twenty years after the beginning of construction on the Hetch Hetchy project a crowd of 20,000 San Franciscans gathered to celebrate the arrival of the first Hetch Hetchy water in the city. To get the electricity they would need, they first built a smaller dam at Lake Eleanor. The gently rolling terrain has excellent views of the water and eye-catching Kolana Rock, which towers roughly 2,000 feet above. In some cases, however, including the Klamath and Hetch Hetchy, the benefits of restoration clearly outweigh the benefits provided by the dams. This is a place considered by John Muir to be equal in beauty to Yose. [35] Muir, who himself had briefly worked as a shepherd in Hetch Hetchy, was known for calling sheep "hoofed locusts" because of their environmental impact. 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. Richard Ballinger was appointed his Interior Secretary. [50] The project is operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. He was opposed by then Mayor Diane Feinstein who argued that the dam was San Franciscans birthright. The controversy over damming Hetch Hetchy became mired in the political issues of the day. For all the similarities between Hetch Hetchy Valley and Yosemite Valley, there is one enormous difference the Hetch Hetchy reservoir. Furthermore, they provided a place for the wild plants and creatures to live out their own lives, according to their purposes. "[81] Hodel, now retired, is still[when?] First, they block rivers which prevents fish from migrating. [79] Some observers, such as Carl Pope (director of the Sierra Club), stated that Hodel had political motives[80] in proposing the study. 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.. Photo: Chris Migeon We're not going to remove this dam, and the funding is unnecessary. Spring snowmelt runs down the Tuolumne River and fills Hetch Hetchy, the largest reservoir in our water system. Consider one project in progress that involves re-routing an entire river . 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. 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. [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. As John Clayton writes, At the height of Progressivism, Phelan and other good-government types believed that the city should administer its own utilities. Once again, the political pendulum would swing. Then it travels through a series of mountain tunnels. A bigger population will increase demand, meanwhile climate change could significantly reduce supply through drought and hydrological cycle changes. [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. For thousands of years before the arrival of settlers from the United States in the 1850s, the valley was inhabited by Native Americans who practiced subsistence hunting-gathering. 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. [8], While its cousin Yosemite Valley to the south had permanent Miwok settlements,[25] Hetch Hetchy was only seasonally inhabited. [66] In 2015, Restore Hetch Hetchy filed a complaint arguing that the construction of the dam had violated a provision in the constitution of California about water use, but the lawsuit was rejected by an appeals court and later the California State Supreme Court. Surrounding the water are a few waterfalls, the most prominent being Tueeulala and Wapama Falls, and countless rock features. [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). 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 ________. John Muir once described Hetch Hetchy Valley as, a grand landscape garden, one of Natures rarest and most precious mountain temples.. The law authorizing the dam passed Congress on December 7, 1913. National opinion divided between giving San Francisco the right to dam the valley and preserving the valley from development. Hetch Hetchy Valley is a treasure worth visiting. 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. Hoover Dam. . Muir famously said, Dam Hetch Hetchy! 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. In continuance, water has a personality and the presence of it can change moods and help people feel better. Albert Bierstadt was known for his sweeping landscapes of the American West. strongly against restoration. For example, plan to stop at the Lucky Buck Cafe on your way to or from a day of exploring Yosemite. ", "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. 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. The grassroots organization of environmental activism, established by John Muir and his supporters, became a model for future environmentalists. The falls roar in spring and early summer. Principally, dam removal on the Klamath will require annual replacement of 696 gigawatt hours of electricity by other means. In an effort to build this support, he published his bookThe Yosemitein 1912. One route begins six miles beyond the entrance station. Including additions made between 1934 and 1938, the dam currently stands 430 feet (131 m) above the bedrock below. Progressive political leaders, of whom Mayor Phelan was one, believed it was time to take this power away from the private interests and turn it over to the people. Congress has set aside the Yosemite Valley as a state park in 1864, established a national park around it in 1890, and then reclaimed the valley as part of the national park in 1903. There is a third concept, too, though it was little understood at the time. [2] The dam contains 675,000cuyd (516,000m3) of concrete. Indeed, Hetch Hetchy today[when?] They acknowledge that a concerted effort would have to be made to control the introduction of wildlife and tourism back into the valley in order to prevent destabilization of the ecosystem,[68] and that it might be decades or even centuries before the valley could be returned to natural conditions. At full capacity, the reservoir stretches eight miles (13 km) upstream of the OShaughnessy Dam. Hetch Hetchy is unique because of its small holding capacity in comparison to the vast watershed feeding it. Only a tiny proportion of Yosemites visitors explore this out-of-the-way corner of the national park. Camping included, if needed; limited sites are shared among all the . 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 large part of today's incentive for restoration is that when the dam and the Hetch Hetchy reservoir were authorized by President Woodrow Wilson in 1913, as the Raker Act, the Hetch Hetchy Valley . It has two trailhead options. This time, in favor of those who wanted to build the dam. [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. benefits of hetch hetchy dam. 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. Use good judgment and stay safe. 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. Would that be an improvement? [12] During the last glacial period, the Tioga Glacier[13] formed from extensive icefields in the upper Tuolumne River watershed; between 110,000 and 10,000 years ago Hetch Hetchy Valley was sculpted into its present shape by repeated advance and retreat of the ice, which also removed extensive talus deposits that may have accumulated in the valley since the Sherwin period. [20] They hunted, and gathered seeds and edible plants to furnish themselves winter food, trade items, and materials for art and ceremonial objects. Hidden in Yosemite National Parks peaceful northwest corner, Hetch Hetchy Valley is a treasure worth visiting in all seasons. The dam also provides flood control, irrigation, and water storage along the Colorado River. To begin the trail, cross the dam and pass through the tunnel. Secretary of the Interior, Ethan Allen Hitchcock, refused to give San Francisco a permit to build the dam. [53], As completed, O'Shaughnessy Dam is 910 feet (280m) long, spanning the valley at its narrow outlet. 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. Albright, along with Stephen Mather, became instrumental players in the creation of a national park system three years after Congress decided the issue of Hetch Hetchy. Could you imagine building a dam inside a national park today? The most prominent preservationist spokesman was John Muir.. Watershed Worker (Summer, 2023) - Hetch Hetchy Water & Power (Moccasin) - SFPUC (7542) Job at City and County of San Francisco in Moccasin. And it is the largest single source of water supply for the Bay Area. Each switchback reveals scenic overlooks of the reservoir and Kolana Rock. For functional purposes, Hetch Hetchy was a promising solution to San Francisco's serious water shortages. An adjacent building contains another five suites with vaulted ceilings, forest views and soaking tubs. Sign up for the email list and join an active community of monthly readers. This valley was isolated and remote, twenty miles northwest of the original. The water shunted through them about 218 million gallons a day arrives in most city taps by gravity alone. More Than Just Parks | National Parks Guides. The OShaughnessy Dam was completed in 1938 and is 430-feet tall. From this work, we have concluded that it is not wise to reduce water storage facilities considering the realities of a growing population and climate change. Monroe went on to lobby members of Congress as the battle moved to Washington D.C. She was a tireless advocate who believed that people needed to be educated in order to do what was best for everyone involved. It is the source of water for the city of San Francisco. 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. A national debate ensued between the preservationist and conservationist factions of the young environmental movement. Apply Today! The Hetch Hetchy Valley is a part of Yosemite National Park. On returning home, he asked an Indian chief the name of the valley. The construction of the Hetch Hetchy Railroad took place from 1915 to 1918. Within 50 years, vegetative cover would be complete except for exposed rocky areas. Even before it was finished, the massive . The first people, outside of Native Americans, to see the Hetch Hetchy Valley were Joseph, Nate and William Screechin 1850. For instance, the WET company helps people see the beauty of water through magnificent water fountains. The trail includes spectacular views of Tueeulala and Wapama Falls. [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. It is definitely worth to visit Hetch Hetchy area especially in 2021 when main Yosemite area requires booking permits in advance. Hetch Hetchy ushered in a new era for the national parks. The glacially-carved U-shaped valley floor maximizes the amount of water stored in the reservoir. Note: you may use the handout or navigate to our feature on the Hetch Hetchy Environmental Debates to access the overview and copy of the Raker Bill. The trail to Wapama Falls is one of the most popular trails in the Hetch Hetchy area for a good reason. 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. Copyright © 2023 More Than Just Parks | This post may contain affiliate links - read our Standards, Corrections, & Privacy Policy. Hetch Hetchy water travels 160 miles via gravity from . Before they could break ground at the OShaughnessy Dam, more infrastructure was required. 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. 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? 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. Guests at these suites receive breakfast on their patios. As of October 2022, Hetch Hetchy was at 77.5% of its capacity. [42] This provoked a seven-year environmental struggle with the environmental group Sierra Club, led by John Muir. He discovered it a few of years later. Shasta, Oroville, Hetch Hetchy and many others were built by damming large rivers. Hetch Hetchy Valley, far from being a plain, common, rock-bound meadow, as many who have not seen it seem to suppose, is a grand landscape garden, one of Nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples. This is why environmental impact statements, which were not required prior to 1969, are so important today. 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. John Muir, the first president of the Sierra Club, condemned plans to build the dam, saying, "Dam Hetch Hetchy! 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. Earn $27.3125 per hour. Hetch Hetchy is the incredible story of Americas most controversial dam and the birth of the environmental movement. . Dianne Feinstein, the mayor of San Francisco at the time, said in a Los Angeles Times story in 1987: "All this is for an expanded campground? Over the next decade, he produced fifteen large oils that transformed the valley into a dreamland unlike anything that ever met mortal eye.. Winter weather conditions may cause road closures. 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. Environmentalists lost what was the opening battle in a fight to preserve Americas natural wonders. 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. [2] From Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, the water flows through the Canyon and Mountain Tunnels to Kirkwood and Moccasin Powerhouses, which have capacities of 124 and 110 megawatts, respectively. The history of Californias growth is inextricably linked to the search for water. . The O'Shaughnessy Dam is near Yosemite's western boundary, but the long, narrow, fingerlike reservoir stretches eastward for about 8 miles (13km). O'Shaughnessey Dam Facts. To visit the waterfalls or Yosemites northern backcountry, you walk across OShaughnessy Dam. [13], Hetch Hetchy is home to a diverse array of plants and animals. Ultimately, San Francisco sold hydropower from the dam to the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), which led to decades of legal wrangling and controversy over terms in the Raker Act. In 1987, President Reagans Secretary of the Interior, Donald Hodel, proposed that Hetch Hetchy be restored. On a national stage, Hetch Hetchy became caught in the cross fire between the interests of private utilities ownership and those of municipal ownership.