hetch hetchy dam pros and cons
I welcome comments on this post (as I do on anything posted). It would be much easier to fight for restoration if we had some bad guys to rally against, but I dont see any. Muir believed that, Between these two powerful men was President Roosevelt, who from an emotional point of view agreed with Muir that the wildness of nature was a wonder to humans and must in part be preserved, but realistically he aligned with Pinchot because humans themselves live in nature and must subsequently use natural resources. The hearing considers an amendment to the Raker Act that authorized the dam. "Dam Hetch Hetchy! Hardin writes that the tragedy of the commons is that the conflict between the individual interests and the collective interest will always lead to the depletion of the commons, unless otherwise held in check (1968, pp. Instead, he envisions what once was and could be again. There is a lot of background information about the Keystone as well that it has an environmental and economic impacts. Do the State and Federal filtration standards that Hetch Hetchy Reservoir meets or exceeds include the standards necessary to eliminate the Giardia parasites? Considering the context of the hetch hetchy debate at the time,. san francisco. I reached out to Restore Hetch Hetchy and asked them, WHY Restore Hetch Hetchy wants the valley restored. In response, Spreck Rosekrans, Executive Director said (among other things): Restore Hetch Hetchys mission remains, to return the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park to its natural splendor while continuing to meet the water and power needs of all communities that depend on the Tuolumne River.. RestoreHetch Hetchy Valley. In late 2016, the Obama administration designated an area in southeastern Utah as Bears Ears National Monument. In a state wracked with drought, the Hetch Hetchy is an exception to the rule. We have estimated the cost to be $B 2.0 over 50 years primarily for water supply, water quality and hydropower replacement. 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. Thats not all because the drinking water downstream from DAPL could be affected too, and next thing you know hundreds of thousands of people will. Ultimately, pro-reservoir forces won, and in 1913 Congress passed the Raker Act, which granted San . Which made yuma need more food and money and that is where irrigation come out of to help make more, With the Colorado River dammed, it drives away all of the steamer boat companies in Yuma that were using the Colorado as a source of transportation of cargo, goods and passengers. Restoring Hetch Hetchy could also come at an environmental cost. In addition, if the building of two roads were to go near or go through a body of water they would harm the environment of the salmon. Today, hetch hetchy valley is a dammed and flooded reservoir. It pitted Gifford Pinchot, America's first forester, against John Muir, America's legendary conservationist.. Oak Trees end up showing the history of conservation, and wildlife comes from what others consider devastation of the land. Muir believed that people coming back from the rough backwoods will support the protection of Yosemite National Park. We cant build more dams as long as the radical environmental laws make their construction impossible(McClintock). In most areas of the country municipal water must be filtered AND treated. Carter uses phrases such as most unforgettable and humbling experience, flooded with life, and once-in-a-lifetime wild life spectacle to describe the true beauty of nature for which the reader can relate to. of 3. In a brief filed with the appellate court, they said, The trial court did not determine that the continued use of the dam and reservoir was reasonable rather, it concluded that the question could not be examined at all. In other words, they say the trial court did not address the substance of Restore Hetch Hetchys argument. Encountered a bear meandering down the trail towards us about a 1/2 mile from the fork to go up left . Generally, hydropower is the one of the oldest and most renewable sources of energy in the world today. Building a dam on the Tuolumne River at Hetch . pros and cons of living in mackay; is alaska: the last frontier coming back in 2021; hillsborough county public schools employee handbook; index of series cheers; jack steward is he married. The don pedro reservoir, downstream from hetch hetchy, on the tuolumne river, currently has. Provide at least two arguments supporting your position. The Bay Area Monitor thanks Craig Newmark Philanthropies for funding support of this site. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park is seen in 2022. But rather that i saw more pros than cons in building the dam. of 5. 1. According to the California Department of Water Resources, it would cost $65 million to properly study the pros and cons of draining Hetch Hetchy. The two books give near contemporary accounts of the Hetch Hetchy dam, one by the engineer in charge of building it. You. Current conditions of LAKE OR RESERVOIR WATER SURFACE ELEVATION ABOVE NGVD 1929 and RESERVOIR STORAGE are available. Updated: May 13, 2022. Proceedings before the secretary of the interior. Since they built the dam, yuma became a bigger city which a lot of people passed through it to get to the gold rush. Which is used for more people. Theodore Roosevelt had to send out armies to protect the land and get people to understand the national parks, Yellowstone and Yosemite, that they needed to be treated the right. . In a 2006 analysis in the Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Lund identified additional options for storing the water that is currently in Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Hetch Hetchy water used in cities has always been treated, at least in recent decades. Lund estimates that being able to forego filtration saves the SFPUC $1 or $2 billion every year. You might say mining was a decent thing to help the environment financially, but a lot of the times after people were done mining they left the environment a mess including the rivers and its banks. Don Pedro is operated by the Turlock and Modesto Irrigation Districts, but 1/3 of its volume is dedicated to a water supply bank for San Francisco. . Wilderness is a type of protection given to the most pristine wildlands left on Earth areas within national parks, forests, recreation areas and other wildlands where there are no roads or development. Ultimately, Muir lost in his long battle to protect Hetch Hetchy, but what was established was that to infringe upon the resources of the national parks was simply not worth the money and time because of the long legal battle that would occur. After Muir dies the club established National Park Service, who Stephen Mather was director of in 1916. Expert Help. The sturdy and concrete material can help store water for a long time. So more people started to stay and the town's population became bigger. 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." . This topic is highly controversial because of the negative impacts it causes on the environment, the political issues, and economic benefits. The Fresno appellate court disagreed. Rainer National Park and Glacier National Park. On the other hand, Navajo representative, Ed Bencenti wrote the article, Senate Bill 2109 Seeks to Extinguish Navajo and Hopi Water Rights, in which he exposes the real intentions of the Senate Bill. With having low flow in the Dam it affected the Colorado River, other rivers, canals and dams too. In 2015, Restore Hetch Hetchy filed a lawsuit against the City and County of San Francisco, seeking a ruling that Hetch Hetchy Reservoir violated California law. The proponents of the dam scheme bring forward a lot of bad arguments to prove that the only righteous thing to do with the peoples parks is to destroy them bit by bit as they are able. In 2012, Restore Hetch Hetchy placed a measure on the San Francisco ballot that would have required the city to conduct an $8 million study on the impacts of draining the reservoir. Low maintenance cost: Although the cost of construction is very high, they have low operational and maintenance cost. 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. As a reservoir, Hetch Hetchy is part of a system that provides water to 2.4 million people in the San Francisco Bay Area. True, a smaller Lake Eleanor was already there. The people in the Southwest tried getting the federal government's attention for help from all of the damage and work that needed to be done. Mining was a huge activity of the mid to late 1800s that caused many people to travel west in search for gold. Moreover, the stated term is typically located in Northwestern part of the National Park of Yosemite. When Mountain in the Clouds was written, the removal of a huge dam thats been around for years seemed impossible. 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. Ultimately, passage of the passage of the Raker Act in 1913 by Congress granted San Francisco the right to flood the Hetch Hetchy Valley. Is there some filtering or treatment now being applied that wasnt when your flyer was written? 2. It would not take much to increase the capacity to store all of what Hetch Hetchy currently stores. Ive posted on this subject a number of times (see the links below). Amid a worsening drought, the Bay Area's water supplies are in good shape. This would also mean that park of the national park would be flooded destroying the forest and nature living in the valley.The common view among americans was that is was in the most part for the greater good. Though the system fosters this behavior, it is the individuals that increase their usage of the commons and play into the hand of the failed system as opposed to standing up against it. Hetch Hetchy, Unsung Hero of the National Park Service In this post from July 8, 2015, I discuss some of the history of how a dam and reservoir could be placed in a National Park. 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 state constitution says all water use must be reasonable, Rosekrans said. The Public Works Administration (PWA) funded a major increase in the height of the O'Shaughnessy Dam, which creates Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. In the 1600s when Europeans began to settle in North America, there were 1037 million acres of forestland. You own frozen Arctic tundra, endless southern wildflower fields and refreshing cool northern forests. It started with some basic facts; that it stores up to 117 billion gallons of drinking water; it is a clean, efficient water delivery system for 2.6 million residents daily; and it generates 1.6 billion kilowatt hours of clean hydroelectric power annually. We arent going to solve our water problems until we begin building more dams. Water flows can be controlled to a certain extent. SOLUTIONS. This conceptual metaphor is used as the allegory for suitability dilemmas. If you're thinking about visiting Hetch Hetchy during your Yosemite vacation, these pros, cons, and views may help you decide whether to go. 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. How feasible is restoration? United States. Hetch Hetchy is only one of nine reservoirs in the San Francisco Public Utility Commission's water system. [emailprotected]. Water quality would remain high. Theodore Roosevelt approved the concept of the O'Shaughnessy Dam, which ultimately created the Hetch Hetchy reservoir within Yosemite. Considering Glen Coles statement in A New Environmental Ethics on Yellowstone National Park, The primary purpose of Yellowstone National Park is to preserve natural ecosystems, In his journal he makes it clear between his distinction of conservation and sustainable use. Like we said, Hetch Hetchy is in the northwestern section of Yosemite National Park. The responsibility for alleviating the situation fell on the department of the Interiors Bureau of Reclamation. Pg.11 They noticed how bad the situation was so they tried stopping it. We argued that the reservoir is not reasonable because the value of the restored valley is greater than the cost of changing the water system. At the time, they put the recreational value of the restoration at up to $8.8 billion and the cost of water system changes at $2 billion, both over 50 years. Supporters of the appeal include Barbara Griffin and Robert Binnewies, both former superintendents of Yosemite National Park. The Hetch Hetchy entrance to the park is a gateway to Yosemite Valley's breathtaking cousin. One claim in particular from the conservervation groups is, It says the logging requires building a road through two areas of virgin forest, which would make them ineligible for future wilderness designation (Juillerat, OPB). In re applications of A. H. Ward and Mariposa electrical . In the end Congress chose management over aesthetics, voting 43-25 (with 29 abstentions) to allow the Hetch Hetchy dam on federal land. Royalty-free Creative Video Editorial Archive Custom Content Creative Collections. May be crucial for the energy transition process. The money was used for city to make more towns. When Spreck Rosekrans visits Hetch Hetchy the valley in Yosemite National Park that San Francisco turned into a reservoir nearly a century ago he looks beyond what is. . Its not just San Francisco.. As in Yosemite, the sublime rocks of its walls seem to glow with life, whether leaning back in repose or standing erect in thoughtful attitudes, giving welcome to storms and calms alike, their brows in the sky, their feet set in the groves and gay flowery meadows, while birds, bees, and butterflies help the river and waterfalls to stir all the air into musicthings frail and fleeting and types of permanence meeting here and blending, just as they do in Yosemite, to draw her lovers into close and confiding communion with her. They would need to reoperate the others and make additional investments. It pitted a powerful city against a dedicated group of conservationists. Another positive impact on yuma from the project. Over the years it has become a passion. The Tuolumne River was dammed 100 years ago in Hetch Hetchy Valley to create a reservoir of drinking water for residents of San Francisco and the Peninsula. tuolumne river. The Tragedy of Commons is a concept originally contrived by William Forster Llyod in 1833 in the essay Two Lectures on the Checks to Population. You may take easy hike to Wapama falls ( around 6 miles) or even more challenging hike to Rancheria falls ( around 14 miles). The valley is in Yosemite National park would deliver power and water to the city over 100 miles away. 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. Even the author, Bruce Brown, said I cant say I thought Id live to see the day which goes to show how radical the idea was when he wrote it so many years ago. It carried workers and materials for the dam, as well as tourists, postage and other amenities. Assign each group to analyze one or more . Historical photographs show why: like Yosemite Valley, Hetch Hetchy has sheer granite walls that originally rose dramatically from a wide valley floor. 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. Reliable: Dams are used to create a clean, reliable, and efficient source of energy compared to other sources of energy. If you're doing all of the main Yosemite things, such as stopping at Tunnel View or doing the Yosemite Valley Tram Tour, you'll need to head north and exit the Park through the Big Oak Flat entrance. 1244). Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Some people are outraged by the pipeline because it contributes to man-made climate change. Due to its high-altitude location at 3,900 feet above sea level and its snowmelt-fed water supply, water from Hetch . It was named by Josiah Whitney (after his daughter) in the 1860s. Hetch Hetchy captures snowmelt that runs off granite, Ritchie said. But changing the system would be jaw-droppingly expensive. See these: The Plight of Hetch Hetchy This section of the Yosemite History page begins the series of discussions on Hetch Hetchy. 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. 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. Up to 24% cash back position: Righter, oxford university press, 2005, chapter 1 the uses of the valley,. The club also established many other National Parks like the Mt. USA.gov, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Hetch Hetchy Debate Pros And Cons. This decision concluded a decade-long, highly contentious debate over the dam-and-reservoir complex to supply water to post-earthquake San Francisco, a battle that was . Throughout the documentary, Leopolds biographer. Energy for northern california would be provided. The Hetch Hetchy Railroad (HHRR) was a 68-mile (109 km) standard gauge Class III railroad constructed by the City of San Francisco to support the construction and expansion of the O'Shaughnessy Dam across Hetch Hetchy Valley.. Based in Groveland, the HHRR operated from 1917 to 1949.It primarily carried construction crews and materials, but also took excursion passengers, freight, and mail.
hetch hetchy dam pros and cons