Is there some filtering or treatment now being applied that wasnt when your flyer was written? My personal Yosemite tales, knowledge and park information. Feature Photo: Brooks Andersons Hetch Hetchy: Requiem For a Valley, Ive been curious about the water purity issue and that one of the features of the Tuolumne River is its purity and that it could be delivered without filtration. 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272, Advisory Committee on the Records of Congress, Hetch Hetchy: Congress and the Environment, For suggestions on how to usethese documents in a classroom, visit, To learn more about the Hetch Hetchy Valley, visit, To learnabout the devastating earthquake to San Francisco in 1906, visit, If you have problems viewing these images please contact. But changing the system would be jaw-droppingly expensive. Robin Meadows covers water for the Monitor. With having low flow in the Dam it affected the Colorado River, other rivers, canals and dams too. used tiffin motorhomes . Guide to Visiting Hetch Hetchy . There was no distinction between wilderness, National Forests or National Parks. Water quality issues would have to be addressed if Hetch Hetchy water were put into the Don Pedro reservoir, of course. Their arguments are curiously like those of the devil, devised for the destruction of the first garden. Updated: May 13, 2022. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Provide at least two arguments supporting your position. At least, not at this time. RestoreHetch Hetchy Valley. pp. In fact . O'Shaughnessy Dam is a 430-foot (131 m) high concrete arch-gravity dam in Tuolumne County, California, United States.It impounds the Tuolumne River, forming the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir at the lower end of Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park, about 160 miles (260 km) east of San Francisco. Yet, on September 19th, 2011 the demolition of the dam began and was the largest dam removal in history. The dam had been built in the early 20s and remained there, blocking the flow of the river for about 100 years before it was finally taken down. 1244). In the 1800s, that number of tress and forests decreased tremendously because expansion and progression recklessly exploited natural resources by clear-cutting forest to use wood for fuel and building supplies. We cant build more dams as long as the radical environmental laws make their construction impossible(McClintock). Feel free to comment, like, or share. There are other posts on the plight of Hetch Hetchy at Yosemite Tales. The making of gardens and parks goes on with civilization all over the world, and they increase both in size and number as their value is recognized. The two sides include Preservationists who wanted to preserve Hetch Hetchy and Conservationist who believed that we should take advantage of the resources Hetch Hetchy provides. For example, thanks to the reservoirs nearly 4,000-foot elevation in the Sierra Nevada, the water in it is amazingly pure. But that is what the suite is all about. This topic is highly controversial because of the negative impacts it causes on the environment, the political issues, and economic benefits. Expert Help. Other supporters of the appeal include the State Water Resources Control Board. Don Pedro Dam was originally put up by the Modesto and Turlock Irrigation Districts to better control their acquired water rights of the Tuolumne River. It was NOT a mistake. They would need to reoperate the others and make additional investments. tuolumne river. The cost of filtration is included in our figures. Pinchot made efforts to understand the physical and biological background behind forest fires and this would impress politicians and those who were involved in the environmental field. The battle for hetch hetchy was perhaps the first effort at what is now known as. I imagine a meadow, dotted with oak, pine, and fir trees, and with the Tuolumne River meandering through it, said Rosekrans, executive director of Restore Hetch Hetchy, a Berkeley-based nonprofit. Then in 1913, when it was reconsidered, the Raker Act was passed. Department of the interior. The reservoir is about a 1-hour drive from both Groveland and Yosemite Village. Waterways can be used for transportation purposes. "Dam Hetch Hetchy! One of the positive impacts was the increase of irrigation in yuma. San Francisco's water system, which includes Hetchy Hetchy, is expected to fill this winter for the first time since 2019. Ive tried to be fair in the presentation of the issue, but have made clear which side of the fence I daggle my feet. However, not until 1987 under President Reagan did hope resurfaced that we may actually get it back. It was denied in 1903 by Ethan Hitchcock, then Secretary of the Interior, because he felt that a National Park isnt like ordinary wildernesses. A rational person will always follow their individual interests unless their portion of the cost of collective interests is more than the cost of their individual interests. You own barren desert plains and looming jagged mountain peaks. People would save large amounts of money because it was not needed to be used on distillation payments. Nevertheless, like anything else worthwhile, from the very beginning, however well guarded, they have always been subject to attack by despoiling gain-seekers and mischief-makers of every degree from Satan to Senators, eagerly trying to make everything immediately and selfishly commercial, with schemes disguised in smug-smiling philanthropy, industriously, shampiously crying, Conservation, conservation, panutilization, that man and beast may be fed and the dear Nation made great. Knapp and Americans view of the issue of the environment that the U.S. had been properly using the resources it had taken from the earth. . Although Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is the most well-known, it stores less than 25% of the system's water. There is no question in my mind that historical precedence goes to San Francisco in keeping the reservoir right where it is. However, the steep terrain, sharp curves, and heavy . As a boy Aldo Leopold thought by killing the predators on the mountain, there will be more deer to hunt which is an advantage for the hunters; however, he did not know that his action could affect the sustainability of the mountain. Nevertheless it would be nice if we could reverse that unfortunate turn of events. Throughout the documentary, Leopolds biographer. . He wrote the book, A Sand County Almanac. He shows that every contribution is part of the whole nations power by which a difference in history can be. This river connects with the Colorado River as well, and now flows into Southern California 100 yards north of the US Mexico border. So San Francisco won the day, fair and square. Ultimately, passage of the passage of the Raker Act in 1913 by Congress granted San Francisco the right to flood the Hetch Hetchy Valley. Why is it so controversial? It would be much easier to fight for restoration if we had some bad guys to rally against, but I dont see any. Monitoring location 11275500 is associated with a LAKE, RESERVOIR, IMPOUNDMENT in TUOLUMNE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. This fight set the stage for future battles between those who believed natural resources were to be used for the greatest good versus . Select from premium Hetch Hetchy Dam of the highest quality. Pros: Hetch Hetchy is an iconic, rare and spectacular landscape, Hetch Hetchy is part of Yosemite National Park and its damming and flooding is by far the worst destruction of our national parks have ever experienced. Eighty-five percent of the water comes from Sierra Nevada snowmelt stored in the Hetch Hetchy reservoir situated on the Tuolumne River in Yosemite National Park. Restoring Hetch Hetchy could also come at an environmental cost. Back in the early nineteen hundreds, when the debate start about The Hetch Hetchy dam being built a large majority of people did not realize or care how valuable nature is. The club also established many other National Parks like the Mt. India. Royalty-free Creative Video Editorial Archive Custom Content Creative Collections. Into the conclusions of the studies listed above and the data on which they are based, and, finally, to weigh the pros and cons of dam removal and formulate your own position. Steve Ritchie, a San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) water manager who oversees the Hetch Hetchy system, says storing the water elsewhere would cost billions of dollars. However, due to the public debate in 1908, congress just tabled the bill (they didnt squash it). Proceedings before the secretary of the interior. Wilderness belongs to you. When people are not aware of where their energy comes from, it threatens their values and ideals. 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." . "Dam Hetch Hetchy! As well dam for water-tanks the peoples cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man. One of the most positives outcomes was that came from the control of the colorado river was that the crops were able to be saved because the unpredictable floods were no longer occurring. Important Legacy real-time page. Theodore roosevelt approved the concept of the o'shaughnessy dam, which ultimately created the hetch hetchy reservoir within yosemite. 7. This few is that whatever man had been taking from nature it only used it for what was, They feel that being able to enjoy the natural beauty of the world was more beneficial to humanity than collecting resources from it and destroying it in the process. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park is seen in 2022. Considering the context of the hetch hetchy debate at the time,. The values are at the heart of our legal petition filed April 21, 2015. So Restore Hetch Hetchy filed an appeal with the Court of Appeals in Fresno, which heard arguments from both sides in May of this year. The balttle over hetch hetchy robert w. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. It was not a mistake. It was merely unfortunate. Note they also derive water from local watersheds and do filter that supply. Posted on May 6, 2013 by Galen Hiltbrand. However, even if Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is drained (with its water to be stored elsewhere and the valley restoration begins), Yosemite will still not be whole. Lake Eleanor is another reservoir with another Dam and within the boundary of Yosemite National Park and also part of the Hetch Hetchy water system for San Francisco. Their system is mostly gravity driven, and it would remain so. But tearing down O'Shaughnessy Dam in order to restore Hetch Hetchy Valley would be a disaster. The first great American conservation movement was born during the Progressive Era out of the concern that industrial growth and urban development threatened to extinguish America's wilderness. Hello, my name is Jeff Kreider. Today, hetch hetchy valley is a dammed and flooded reservoir. Basically, this is a debate between ecocentric people and anthropocentric people. 1970 ford torino for sale; federal premium barnes tsx 300 win mag Other reservoirs are potential "holding tanks" for water for the San . Oak Trees end up showing the history of conservation, and wildlife comes from what others consider devastation of the land. In the end Congress chose management over aesthetics, voting 4325 (with 29 abstentions) to allow the Hetch Hetchy dam on federal land. Building a dam on the Tuolumne River at Hetch . Thats because Hetch Hetchy Reservoir has built-in advantages that save huge amounts of money. Amid a worsening drought, the Bay Area's water supplies are in good shape. 1. Commons can be either depleted as a source, as in deforestation, or polluted as a sink, as in pollution of the atmosphere (1968, 1245). The regional water system provides water to 2.4 million people in San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda and San Mateo counties. Between 1908 and 1913, congress debated whether to make a water resource available or preserve a wilderness when the growing city of san francisco, california proposed building a dam in the hetch hetchy valley to provide a steady water supply. Basically, that is what the petition (suit) filed by Restore Hetch Hetchy is all about; that is, to come up with a plan to rework the water system so that Hetch Hetchy Valley does not need to be used to store the water. Low maintenance cost: Although the cost of construction is very high, they have low operational and maintenance cost. Leopold begins small in part I, he talks about this circle of life with animals and plants all playing a part and owning the land. Only AFTER the Raker Act was put into place and AFTER the establishment of the National Park Service, was there any supportable cause to dissuade such usage in the future, but certainly NOT retro-actively. Issues that bring about this conflict such as population growth and pollution, cannot be solved through technical solutions alone (Hardin, 1968, pp. SOLUTIONS. Hetch Hetchy: Pros and Cons of Restoration. The area where the Hetch Hetchy project was to take place was an established part of a national park and therefore off limits for human use. Another positive impact on yuma from the project. The new 68-mile (109 km) railroad wound its way up the narrow canyon of the Tuolumne River past sharp curves and up steep 4% grades. This November, a group of environmental advocates will put forth a ballot measure that would require the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to develop a plan to drain Hetch Hetchy. River Plan Too Fishy for my Taste Buds explains how the project will not help at all, something fishy must remain a secret. Engineers came to try to protect the low flow, valleys, flooding and stable, The book had a great impact on the Elwha River and was cited, both as an inspiration and as cold, hard evidence, by the first advocates for dam removal. This lead to one of the biggest events in US history, which was the removal of the Elwha Dam about 30 years after the book was written. Not only was that bad for the environmental movement, but also many people did not know how to act in the national parks. People who do not fully control the sources of their energy may take it for granted and waste it, however if they make changes in their lifestyle, these dangers can be avoided. Giving a Dam: Congress Debates Hetch Hetchy. Muir believed that people coming back from the rough backwoods will support the protection of Yosemite National Park. This photo from the early 1900s shows Hetch Hetchy Valley from the southwestern end, with the Tuolumne River flowing through the lower portion of the valley prior to damming. The Sierra Club is one of the original opponents of flooding Hetch Hetchy, calling it the greatest blemish in our national parks, and the organizations former executive director David Brower recommended that Rosekrans lead an effort to restore the valley. Thus long ago a few enterprising merchants utilized the Jerusalem temple as a place of business instead of a place of prayer, changing money, buying and selling cattle and sheep and doves; and earlier still; the first forest reservation, including only one tree, was likewise despoiled. The projected restored the natural habitat of the river and opened it up to its original course from the Olympic Mountains to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. . . Encountered a bear meandering down the trail towards us about a 1/2 mile from the fork to go up left . Stated in one of his essays This grossly destructive commercial scheme has long been planned and urged, because of the comparative cheapness of the dam. Effective at low speeds: Water has a density 1,000 times greater than air, making it possible to generate electricity at low speeds. Therefore, this proves that Bybee Logging Company would cause an act of infringement to the Antiquities Act. What Are The Pros And Cons Of Hydraulic Fracturing 292 Words | 2 Pages . The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite delivers water to 2.6 million Bay Area residents every day. The dam and reservoir are the source for the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct, which provides water for over . McEwen, a journalist, acquired a position in The Fresno Bee for 35 years. NEXT. I snapped my first photograph in Yosemite December 24, 1979. But whenever we did have floodings the cost was very high to try and building and fixing it back up. Which would cause yuma to lose more money. Copyright 2014-2023 Yosemite Tales | Powered by WordPress | Design by Starry Night Web Designs. Mining was a huge activity of the mid to late 1800s that caused many people to travel west in search for gold. Historical photographs show why: like Yosemite Valley, Hetch Hetchy has sheer granite walls that originally rose dramatically from a wide valley floor. . His greatest idea was the land ethic. A quote from the movie says: All ethics so far evolved rest upon a single premise that the individual is a member of a community of individual partsland ethic includes soils, waters, plants and animals. Although, Leopold died in 1948, his ideas are still current. If the logging of Crater Lake is to impel, many of the natural treasures in the park would be wiped out and unsuitable as a wilderness destination (Juillerat, OPB). Ecocentrism is an environmental point of view that . students will explore the divisions this controversy exposed within the conservation movement by using teacher selected documents and text representative of both sides of the debate along with actual records of the congressional hearings held to decide the valley's fate. They did not so much respond to where they stood on the issue, rather they outlined why they like the system as it is; they shared a previously published flyer: Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System. He also gives the specific dilemma that, The Hetchy Dam controversy of the early 1900s was a debate that shaped how America has dealt with the environment since. Hetch Hetchy doesn't require permit, you need just regular National park pass. Divide the class into four small groups. Final we learn if mans ownership of land compared to those who also inhabitant it is more important. Building a dam on the tuolumne river at hetch. The pipeline is essentially the fourth step of the Keystone Pipeline System. Against Pipeline Pros And Cons 120 Words | 1 Pages. Pinchot would soon face opposition from ranchers and miners that began to hurt his position on conservation.