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Expect delicious meals and hearty portions to fuel your adventure or beat that post-hiking hunger. Then, in 1906, a devastating earthquake caused a series of fires in San Francisco that destroyed 25,000 buildings across 490 city blocks. 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. There is a third concept, too, though it was little understood at the time. Amid a worsening drought, water supplies at one important reservoir are [50] The project is operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. [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). DWR also found that the planning studies necessary to refine the costs and benefits of restoration would cost $65 million alone. An advantage which Phelan, Pinchot and other supporters of the dam project enjoyed was a divided opposition. Would there be any room in an acquisitive society for wildness, or for non material spiritual values?. San Francisco assumed from the outset that there would not be significant opposition to using the Hetch Hetchy Valley, even if it was in a national park, for the high and noble purpose of providing water to one of the nations great and growing metropolises, so their efforts in Washington, DC, were conducted discreetly. Muir observed:[3]. 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. [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. The proposed study would also have been required to identify potential replacements for the water storage capacity and hydroelectric power production.[87][88]. Wapama Fall is reached via a five-mile, round-trip hike that follows the shoreline of the reservoir with moderate up and downhill hiking. Franklin Lane served as the attorney for the city of San Francisco in 1903. 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. ", "Three Square Miles of Open Space: Is It Enough? Journal entry - Hetch Hetchy.pdf - , Environmental Science During summer, people of the Miwok and Paiute came to Hetch Hetchy from the Central Valley in the west and the Great Basin in the east. By 1908, a different Interior Secretary, James R. Garfield, sided with the utilitarian conservationists and issued a permit for the Hetch Hetchy project. The first people, outside of Native Americans, to see the Hetch Hetchy Valley were Joseph, Nate and William Screechin 1850. As well dam for water-tanks the people's cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been . 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.. John Muir knew that without public support, the Hetch Hetchy Valley would be lost. Environment Quiz 1 Chapters 1-3 Flashcards | Quizlet The openings in the Taft administration led to the eventual success of the Raker Act. Coming from the San Francisco Bay Area youll pass right through Buck Meadows on Highway 120. Congress, confronted with rising public opposition, refused to act on the measure. It forced elected representatives to consider what a national park designation truly meant and whether or not the land within these parks deserved protection. To begin the trail, cross the dam and pass through the tunnel. 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. "Hetch Hetchy is a grand landscape garden, one of nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples. You could miss this small mountain community if you blink at the wrong time, but it is home to a few remarkable small businesses. The waterfall on the Tuolumne is now submerged under Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Hetch Hetchy | Hetch Hetchy Dam & Reservoir History | Yosemite.com Lawsuit to drain Hetch Hetchy Reservoir goes back to court The upcountry portion of the System begins with Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park. California O Shaughnessy Dam Analysis 1428 Words | 6 Pages. [26], In the early 1850s, a mountain man by the name of Nathan Screech[27] became the first non-Native American to enter the valley. The law authorizing the dam passed Congress on December 7, 1913. This ballot measure is so problematic that SPUR has taken early action to oppose it. The battle over the Hetch Hetchy, in part, was a fight over public versus private ownership of vital resources such as water. San Francisco applied once again for rights to Hetch Hetchy in 1908. As we learned from Rachel Carsons Silent Spring, humankind can damage the environment while attempting to control it. [13], Hetch Hetchy is home to a diverse array of plants and animals. Another Iconic Valley In Yosemite? Report Estimates Tourism Benefits Of [42] This provoked a seven-year environmental struggle with the environmental group Sierra Club, led by John Muir. 2 Existing Regional Water System - San Francisco Right next to the Lucky Buck Cafe, youll find the Yosemite Westgate Lodge and Buck Meadows Lodge. In the Bay Area, Hetch Hetchy water is stored in local facilities including Calaveras Reservoir, Crystal Springs Reservoir, and San Antonio Reservoir. [79] Some observers, such as Carl Pope (director of the Sierra Club), stated that Hodel had political motives[80] in proposing the study. 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. For instance, the WET company helps people see the beauty of water through magnificent water fountains. Worth a Dam? - Earth Island Journal In the distance, long white plumes of water cascade hundreds of feet down from rocky heights. 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. Could you imagine building a dam inside a national park today? . Dam Hetch Hetchy! Some years later, water began flowing to San Francisco. 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. 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. He was a firm believer in utilitarian conservation. 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. For example, plan to stop at the Lucky Buck Cafe on your way to or from a day of exploring Yosemite. Yosemite's Secret Valley - Hetch Hetchy - YouTube At SPUR, we have done a lot of work on climate change adaptation. Those who did visit it were enchanted by its scenery, but encountered difficulties with the primitive conditions and, in summertime, swarms of mosquitoes. Not far from there, youll find more budget-minded lodging at Buck Meadows Lodge. In the early 20th century, San Francisco flooded the Hetch Hetchy Valley, destroying "one of nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples." This is why the city can now ban new natural gas. A recent report evaluates the economic benefits of restoring Hetch Hetchy Valley. We would be trading flooded acres in one place for flooded acres in another. 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. [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. Spring snowmelt runs down the Tuolumne River and fills Hetch Hetchy, the largest reservoir in our water system. 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. It involved the unintended consequences of efforts to shape the environment to meet human needs. To get to Hetch Hetchy, turn north off Highway 120 onto Evergreen Road about 1 mile (2.2 km) outside the Big Oak Flat Entrance gate, and 12.5 miles (20 km) east of the small community of Buck Meadows. The dam is a small portion of the overall Tuolumne River/San Francisco storage system that benefits the Bay Area. This fight set the stage for future battles between those who believed natural resources were to be used for the greatest good versus those who believed natural resources were to be preserved for the greatest enjoyment. The reservoir is fed by the Tuolumne River. San Francisco Mayor James Phelan led the fight to build a dam at Hetch Hetchy. There, he met the same Indian chief and his wives. 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. ", "Fall in the Main Tuolumne River at the Head of Hetch Hetchy Valley", "Fly Fishing Poopenaut Valley Tuolumne River", "Screech Brothers Find Hetch Hetchy Valley", "Big Oak Flat (No. People have died after being swept off the bridge and onto the rocks below. August 14 Hetch Hetchy Began Producing Power (1925) - Today in Giving a Dam: Congress Debates Hetch Hetchy - George Mason University That's about twice the amount of power lost when Hetch Hetchy will be restored. Hetch Hetchy Valley is a treasure worth visiting. Above all, one's behavior Argument Against The Hetchy Dam 587 Words | 3 Pages Watershed Worker (Summer, 2023) - Hetch Hetchy Water & Power (Moccasin Hodel Would Tear Down Dam in Hetch Hetchy - Los Angeles Times Included with your registration: Two-day guided experience in Yosemite; one day at Hetch Hetchy and one day in Ackerson Meadow (Saturday, May 11, at 8 am, through Sunday, May 12, until about 3 pm). The SFPUC tests its quality more than 100,000 times a year to ensure that it exceeds all safe drinking water standards. Slow down and spend the day at Tenaya Lake a beautiful and easy-to-get-to alpine lake cupped by granite domes.