469 Words; 2 Pages; "This study by ECONorthwest makes a convincing case that there could be substantial economic benefits if Hetch Hetchy were to be restored, including recreation benefits for . In the 1920s, California had a population of 3 million, and Yosemite Valley was uncrowded and largely unknown. The years of 1908 through 1913 saw this great debate about whether or not to build a dam in the valley and use Hetch Hetchy for the reservoir. 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. If you are up for a bit of a hike, 5 miles round trip, Wapama Fall is a spectacular site. The uppermost dam is the O'Shaughnessy, which impounds the 360,000-acre-foot (440,000,000 m 3) Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, providing water and power to the City of San Francisco. The Conservationists. Study: Value of Yosemite's Hetch Hetchy Valley Restoration Could Reach $100 Billion or More . After a canvass of rivers west of the 100th meridian, the Survey concluded that a dam and reservoir at Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park could "furnish the city of San Francisco with an unfailing supply of pure water." . 7207, The Raker Bill Operator: Hetch Hetchy Water and Power. 1 of 4 Hetch Hetchy Reservoir viewed from the trail that passes over the dam and beyond along the lake to Wapama Falls Lisa Mayo / Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 4 Looking out . Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, encompassing 2,000 acres of federal park land, has clearly been maintained for the benefit of San Francisco with minimal consideration of the wider public whose tax dollarsand, in the case of visitors, entrance feessupport the national . As stated above, recreation is prohibited in Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and in the Tuolumne River above the reservoir to preserve filtration avoidance status (although recreation in Hetch Hetchy Reservoir was listed as a benefit when the dam was originally proposed). If you are up for a bigger . 4 For fiscal year 2017-18, electricity sales attributed to the reservoir totaled approximately $13 million. Hetch Hetchy Valley will return to its original owner. The Dam Rent Is Too Low. Building a dam on the Tuolumne River at Hetch . 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." Many preservationists spoke out against the proposed construction of Hetch Hetchy because it would taint the appearance of Yosemite for financial benefits. President Woodrow Wilson signed the bill into law on December 19, 1913. H.R. 'whether the advantage of leaving this valley in a state of nature is greater than using it for the benefit of the city of San . The N side of the reservoir was not affected: Hetch Hetchy was the huge firebreak to this monster fire. Hetch Hetchy is unique, with its own hours, entrance station and rules. 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 . 1890 - San Francisco Mayor James Phelan first proposes damming the Hetch Hetchy Valley to create a reservoir for San Francisco. Although the preservationists lost this battle, the damming of the Hetch Hetchy Valley raised public awareness about the importance of preserving nature, and helped . The preservationists did not approve of the construction and said that it was illegal because the . Building a dam in a national park, flooding a valley of outstanding beauty and filling it for the benefit of an urban area 100 miles away is an act of comprehensive environmental vandalism. Backpacking, bird watching, fishing, and hiking. Visiting the Hetch Hetchy reservoir and dam. Dams are essential, especially in places like California where precipitation is seasonal and the threat of multi-year drought is omnipresent. Generation at the Kirkwood power plant would depend on the natural flow of the Tuolumne River, and would be significantly diminished during late summer and fall. The Hetch Hetchy Sys-tem has 10 other reservoirs, numerous water con- A shorter version of this article appeared in Earth Island Journal in its summer . Journal of the American Water Resources Associa-tion (JAWRA) 42(2):395-408. Sign at Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. As early as 1882, Hetch Hetchy Valley had been considered a potential site for a new reservoir. 1 of 8 ** FILE ** This is a June 2004 file photo of O'Shaughnessy Dam in the Hetch Hetchy reservoir in Yosemite National Park, Calif. Of all the battles over natural resources in California, there . He is afraid that if this dam is built, other . A recent report evaluates the economic benefits of restoring Hetch Hetchy Valley. . 0 . 1901 - Mayor James Phelan first files for water rights in the Hetch Hetchy Valley - using his own name. Today, California has almost 40 million people and Yosemite . As an aside, has the N side of Kolana Rock ever been climbed? Hetch Hetchy has one of the longest hiking seasons of any of the park attractions due to its relatively low elevation. Applying . Some of the features that make hetch hetchy valley unique include the following: accessible all year both by car and on foot. About 180 miles west of Hetch Hetchy Valley was the growing city of San Francisco. They would need to reoperate the others and make additional investments. O'Shaughnessey Dam Facts. Today the Hetch Hetchy Valley is under . It is argued that the physical limitations of the Hetch Hetchy Valley for . 5 Combining the water and electricity revenues for 2017-18, San Francisco generated total sales of approximately $453 million that could be attribut-ed to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. nessy Dam. Draining Hetch Hetchy. Hetch Hetchy Water & Power benefits and perks, including insurance benefits, retirement benefits, and vacation policy. Restore Hetch Hetchy asked ECONorthwest, the report's author, to evaluate a number of visitor-use scenarios for a restored valley, but . 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. The economic benefits of O'Shaughnessy Dam, and its alternatives are measured in terms of the quantity of water supplied to San Francisco, economic costs, and hydropower generation. Hetch Hetchy Dam. Related. . The money, if approved, would be spent to "prepare . . Hetch Hetchy stores only 360 of the total 1,454 . Preservationists, led by John Muir, wanted the valley to remain untouched. Why Did So Many Colonists Died In Jamestown. In the end, Congress passed legislation that enabled the creation of a dam in the Hetch Hetchy Valley. Our press release is posted online and also copied below. The same features that make Hetch Hetchy Valley so spectacular also make it an ideal location for a dam. 1892 - Sierra Club formed. If they expand filtration at Sunol, they would need to "break gravity" at that point. In addition, San Francisco receives approximately one-tenth of its power from hydroelectricity generated by the gravity-driven flow from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. He presently serves as a volunteer on the Sierra Club Board of Directors. meandering river. Plus, the granite walls converge into a narrow outlet at the bottom of the valley - the perfect location for a dam. Not only is this area stunning to see, but it's also an important historic site for conservationists - controversy surrounding the construction of the Hetch Hetchy Dam helped lead to the creation of the US National Park Service in 1916. Select a sensor type for a plot of data. 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. O'Shaughnessy Dam was completed in 1923 and on October 24, 1934, water from the . The 1913 Raker Act authorized the unprecedented dam inside the park and also set the fee that the city pays to rent the entire valley in which the dam sits: $30,000 per year. Researchers with Restore Hetch Hetchy studied the 1913 Raker Act, which allowed San Francisco to build the dam at Hetch Hetchy, and found that it promised to improve public access, Rosekrans said . Due to its high-altitude location at 3,900 feet above sea level and its snowmelt-fed water supply, water from Hetch Hetchy Reservoir behind O'Shaughnessy Dam does not require filtration. The glacially-carved U-shaped valley floor maximizes the amount of water stored in the reservoir. Restoration of natural plant communities in Hetch Hetchy would be impossible without restoration of the natural hydrology of the valley. DAILY DATA. 3. I believe that the Hetch Hetchy Dam should remain in place because national resources and utilization of these resources can co-exist but we first must affirm the federal land act in which it states that it "recognizes the value of our Nation's public lands and provided a framework in which they could be managed in perpetuity for the benefit of present and future generations." Volume 39, No.2, Winter 2020. Good Essays. Restore Hetch Hetchy is not anti-dam. Their system is "mostly" gravity driven, and it would remain so. In order to evaluate this, we performed two cost benefit analyses. Panoramic view of Hetch Hetchy reservoir; Yosemite National Park, Sierra Nevada mountains, California; the reservoir is one of the main sources of drinking water for the San Francisco bay area Panoramic view of Hetch Hetchy reservoir; Yosemite National Park, Sierra Nevada mountains, California; the reservoir is one of the main sources of drinking water for the San Francisco bay area hetch . City water planners targeted Hetch Hetchy as a dam site for San Francisco's water supply (Hundley, 1992). Pick a . There are more benefits to the outdoors than can be written about. The Hetch Hetchy System is a network of storage and conveyance facilities that includes 10 reservoirs, one of which is Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Hetch Hetchy is a little out of the way but as many find out, it is well worth the time spent getting there. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is located in the Northwest corner of Yosemite National Park. Below is a beautiful black and white photograph taken of the valley prior to the the dam project being started in 1914, quite stunning isn't it? The Raker Act was highly controversial and the points of view that were argued on both sides of the controversy are valuable perspectives that are still relevant today. David Brower was Executive Director of the Sierra Club, 1952-64; Founder, Friends of the Earth, and Founder, Earth Island Institute. tall waterfalls that vary from misty to thundering. Officials were concerned with the growing city's need for water and began looking at areas to build a reservoir. John Muir is adamant that Hetch Hetchy remain untouched because it has already been declared part of something that will remain natural and free. Unlike bottled water, San Francisco tap water is healthy, tastes better, costs less, is high quality and is better for the environment. The arguments and results of this issue are still relevant today, as there is currently a debate concerning whether or not to restore Hetch . 19 listopada 2021 . 2) Extensive areas on the floor of Hetch Hetchy have been uncovered by several reservoir drawdowns in the past 54 years. Owned by the city of San Francisco, Hetch Hetchy Reservoir provides water to 2.7 million residents and businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area. Students will study the Hetch Hetchy debate with primary sources from the records of Congress. Since building the dam would benefit more people they would support the building of the dam. Even before it was finished, the massive . INTRODUCTION O'Shaughnessy Dam, located in the Hetch Hetchy Valley of Yosemite National Park, was built by the City of San Francisco in 1923 as a component of the Hetch Hetchy water system. 1903 - Mayor Phelan applies to the Interior Department for a permit for water storage . Yesterday, December 19, was the centennial of the Raker Act, the bill that allowed the building of a dam in the Hetch Hetchy Valley. Dam Hetch Hetchy! Although the preservationists lost this battle, the damming of the Hetch Hetchy Valley raised public awareness about the importance of preserving nature, and helped justify the creation of the National Park Service in 1916. Query executed Friday at 19:46:16 . View Hetch Hetchy - Emil.docx from RES 101 at Bicol University. The main objective is to determine whether the removal of the O'Shaughnessy Dam and restoration of Hetch Hetchy Valley has a larger net benefit than the status quo. (Restore Hetch Hetchy) The conservationists and San Francisco failed to live up to their promises that the reservoir would be a recreation spot with a hotel, campgrounds, and scenic road surrounding a beautiful mountain lake " on the surface of which rowboats and sailboats glide." Not only is this area stunning to see, but it's also an important historic site for conservationists - controversy surrounding the construction of the Hetch Hetchy Dam helped lead to the creation of the . The debate in the early 1900s over the Hetch Hetchy dam showcased the uprising of citizens deemed as protectionists, such as John Muir, and how they differed from conservationists, such as Gifford Pinchot. Deriving from a largely wild and pristine area of the Sierra Nevada, the Hetch Hetchy supply is some of the cleanest municipal water in the US, requiring only primary filtration and disinfection. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir generate 215.5 megawatts. For Provisional data, subject to change. From 1908-1913, Congress debated legislation to supply the city of San Francisco with water by damming the Hetch Hetchy Valley. Muir formed the Sierra Club and spearheaded the battle to stop the . 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. The data, studies, and analyses described in this report suggest that restoring Hetch Hetchy Valley would provide benefits worth many billions of dollars to society.