San franciscos need for a reliable water supply, along with a new political dynamic at the. When robert hanna looks out across the massive reservoir that has swallowed the more than 8milelong hetch hetchy valley in yosemite national park, he thinks of a tremendous gift that could be given the world. They include a proposal that would for the first time allow boats on the parks hetch hetchy reservoir. Water, power, politics, and preservation in hetch hetchy. In the early 1900s, the city of san francisco petitioned to dam the hetch hetchy gorge at the stem of the tuolumne river. A surprisingly good book that gave a fairly even view of both sides of the hetch hetchy debate over where san francisco should get its waterhydroelectric power. Hetch hetchy was once a resplendent glacier carved valley, with towering cliffs and waterfalls cascading onto a serene valley floor. Photo by herbert gleason, courtesy restore hetch hetchy. Americas most controversial dam and the birth of modern environmentalism. 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. Jun 09, 2015 despite record drought, hetch hetchy reservoir levels at 92 percent. The hetch hetchy valley in yosemite national park before and after the. San francisco is unreasonably monopolizing spectacular hetch hetchy valley by using it as a 117billiongallon reservoir, says a new lawsuit in a.
This arrangement was in direct violation of section 6 of the raker act. Thirlmere lake, hetch hetchy valley and storm king mountain. The continuing battle over hetch hetchy in this final post from april 7, 2016, i reflect on the aftermath of the construction of the dam. It is argued that the physical limitations of the hetch hetchy valley for recreational purposes and the manmade state of the valley provide justification for the continued existence of the dam.
This was a blow to preservationists, who wished to protect the yosemite national park, where the dam was located. Looking up hetchhetchy valley from surprise point, 1908 by isaiah west taber, taber photo, san francisco an outstanding panorama as published in sierra club bulletin, vol. Through three presidential administrations in the early 1900s, the famed naturalist fought tooth, nail, and pen to keep hetch hetchy valley. Hetch hetchy reservoir continues to spark controversy today. Hetch hetchy valley the federal government allowed the city of san francisco to build a dam here in 19. Jun 27, 2017 yosemite national park, ca details are still being investigated over the circumstances that led to the sudden death of a hetch hetchy hiker over this past. This splendid book will be the definitive history of the hetch hetchy controversy for years to come. Hetch hetchy valley, chapter 16 of the book the yosemite by john muir, 1912. Muir has pushed his anthropomorphic metaphor from being similar to humans. From the road, you can see the reservoir and along the reservoir are three hiking trails. As described by robert redford, hetch hetchy s damming turned into the defining struggle of the conservation movement. John muir was the romantic environmentalist preservationist. Hetch hetchy and the oshaughnessy dam yosemites hidden gem. Taking a long view, i look at what we might do with a restored hetch hetchy in this post from august 6, 2015.
Apr 21, 2015 san francisco is unreasonably monopolizing spectacular hetch hetchy valley by using it as a 117billiongallon reservoir, says a new lawsuit in a decadesold fight to restore the yosemite national. Pioneer conservationist john muir called it a remarkably exact counterpart to the now worldfamous yosemite valley 15 miles to its south. Hetch hetchy and its dam railroad download ebook pdf. Water, power, politics, and preservation in hetch hetchy and yosemite national park book. The damming is often cited as having ignited the modern environmental movement. In 2015, restore hetch hetchy filed a complaint arguing that the construction of. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the battle over hetch hetchy. Therefore, it does not license or charge permission fees for use of such material and cannot grant or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute the material. Hetch hetchy waters epic journey, from mountains to tap. Yet the defenders of the valley, while opposing the creation of a dam and reservoir, did not intend for it to be.
Heavy rain in the sierra foothills pushed a small dam within san franciscos hetch hetchy water system to the brink of. Hetch hetchy has generated controversy since it was first proposed as a source of water following the 1906 san francisco earthquake. I believe that the greatest threat to the survival of american indians more than the wars, the disease, the poverty, the discrimination, and the european occupation is the removal of the spiritual matrix of traditional life, the theft of the sacred. Residents from san francisco, however, wanted to use the territory to get water for their growing population. San franciscos hetch hetchy reservoir in yosemite faces. But hetch hetchy reservoir remains as a scar upon yosemite and our national park system. The final vote for the valley in the senate in the december of 19 and the vote 43 for the dam, 25 opposed and 29 abstaining.
Hetch hetchy valley, yosemite national park, california. The valley of broken promises president theodore roosevelt president theodore roosevelt loved nature. Hetch hetchy reservoir and water system water education. Gifford pinchot was the progressive environmentalist conservationist.
Even so, the proposal generated unprecedented controversy. Then it travels through a series of mountain tunnels. Bade editorial from sierra club bulletin, january, 1914. In 20, the restore hetch hetchy board of directors elected to pursue a litigation campaign to restore yosemite national parks hetch hetchy valley. At one point she asked muir to read a book she felt would influence his thinking, lamartines the stonemason of saint point. It was not the start of world war i, or the balkan wars, but the war over hetch hetchy valley in yosemite park. A century on, the battle over yosemites hetch hetchy. Students will study the hetch hetchy debate with primary sources from the records of congress. Thomas holyoke view the limits of environmental writing. The unfortunate story of the clearcutting, damming and flooding of hetch hetchy valley has been told many times in books and film. Newsletter summer 2015 restore hetch hetchy yosemite.
Hetch hetchy valley, yosemite national park, california the. What environmental positions were reflected in the 190819 congressional debate about damming the hetch hetchy valley. Hetch hetchy has generated controversy since it was first proposed as a source. In the wake of the devastating 1906 earthquake and fire, the city of san francisco desperately needed reliable supplies of water and electricity. Aug 03, 2007 we also want to be included in the story of hetch hetchy, our beautiful valley. But in the late 19th century, preserving public land in its natural state was a new and provocative idea. During the 20152016 school year, he was selected as an honors research assistant for the. Known as the twin of the famous yosemite valley, the hetch hetchy valley is about three miles long and half a mile wide, smaller than yosemite valley. Hetch hetchy environmental debates national archives. The oshaughnessy dam and reservoir, and the series of aqueducts, tunnels, and tunnels as well as 8 other dams make up the entire hetch hetchy project. Ryan zinke wants to restore the hetch hetchy valley. While the cost of the hetch hetchy project itself generated political controversy, much greater controversy swirled around the disposition of the power generated at the dam. The advocacy group restore hetch hetchy took its case for draining the reservoir to court, arguing in 2015 that the reservoir violates the california constitution specifically the mandate within article x, section 2 that requires diversions for all water use must be reasonable.
Hetch hetchy is just part of the tuolumne river valley it is the flat part below the grand canyon of the tuolumne. Mike reynolds amid controversial proposals for increasing. The hetch hetchy valley was uncommon feature not found often in nature submerging hetchy hetchy would not enhance its beauty by creating a crystalclear lake damming hetch hetchy would come at a universal public loss for the private gain of a few john muir thought hetch hetchy valley was a gift from god that shouldnt be destroyed. Can you give us a brief description of what hetch hetchy valley looked like when john muir first.
San francisco was the big winner in the damming of hetch hetchy valley which provides a pristine water source and generates electricity for the city. Until this debate, conservationists seemed fairly united in their aims. Lawsuit to drain hetch hetchy reservoir goes back to court. Could there be an ulterior motive behind his words. Stored in hetch hetchy reservoir behind oshaughnessy dam, the water is delivered by a gravity based system and aqueduct to the bay area. The sudden appearance of a jumpy marmot in alberta or a humprumped agouti in belizeeven more, a lipsmacking elk on the oregon coastfreaks me out. There are also seasons that the water at the dam was drained however with the proper maintenance and with the help of the residence within the place, the dam remains as one of the most well known dam in the greater of united states. Now in these circumstances, it did not look too good for keeping the dam out of hetch hetchy valley. The battle over hetch hetchy reservoir in judges hands. Attorney as secretary of interior and pushed hard form restoration. Opinion hetch hetchys past and future the new york times. Hetch hetchynatural history before the dam by joe medeiros sierra college press, editorin chief. Hetch hetchy reservoir yosemite national park 2020 all. O n april 21, 2015, john muirs birthday, restore hetch hetchy filed a petition in superior court in tuolumne county alleging that the ongoing operation of hetch hetchy reservoir in yosemite national park is a violation of the california constitutionspecifically the mandate in.
Can, and should, the hetch hetchy valley in yosemite national. The progressive eras most controversial environmental issue was the 190819 struggle over federal government approval for building the hetch hetchy dam in a remote corner of federallyowned land in. The tuolumne yosemite lyrics and music via youtube, jim bearden 2015. The oshaughnessy dam is 430foot 1 m high made of concrete and it is named after engineer michael.
How did the hetch hetchy project impact native americans. In the 1920s the thirsty city of san francisco reached deep into yosemite national park to build the oshaughnessy dam on the tuolumne river, diverting onethird of the rivers water and flooding the hetch hetchy valley, said at the time to be as magnificent as yosemite valley itself. The glacial hetch hetchy valley lies in the northwestern part of yosemite national park and is drained by the tuolumne river. The battle to drain the reservoir in yosemites hetch hetchy valley reignited wednesday as critics of the historic dam told a panel of judges in fresno that their legal case to raze it should. Americas most controversial dam and the birth of modern environmentalism kindle edition by righter, robert w download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. 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. Sep 29, 2012 for nearly 100 years, environmentalists have dreamed about draining hetch hetchy reservoir and turning the 300footdeep manmade lake in yosemite national park back into a glorious sierra. Hetch hetchy is a grand landscape garden, one of natures rarest and most precious mountain temples. The familiar narrative of hetch hetchy, long considered a defining moment in american environmental history, goes something like this.
County of san francisco will develop the lake eleanor site to its full capacity before beginning the development of the hetch hetchy site, and the development of the latter will be begun only when the needs of the city and county of san francisco and adjacent cities, which may join with it in obtaining a common water. Hetch hetchy and a century of environmentalism sierra club. Aug 01, 2016 the hetch hetchy valley in yosemite national park before and after the raker act was passed. Interior secretary ryan zinke says he will consider a proposal to restore the hetch hetchy valley to its former beauty.
Hetch hetchy valley hidden in yosemite national parks peaceful northwest corner, hetch hetchy valley is a treasure worth visiting in all seasons. Hetch hetchy valley, before the dam native history part 1. Despite record drought, hetch hetchy reservoir levels at 92. The giant system supplies water for san francisco, san mateo county, and parts of santa clara and alameda counties and is the biggest water supplier in the bay area. Owned by san francisco, hetch hetchy reservoir in yosemite national park provides. View across hetch hetchy valley, early 1900s, from the southwestern end, showing the tuolumne river flowing through the lower portion of the valley prior to damming. Silicon valley business leaders also say that because twothirds of hetch hetchy water customers live outside san francisco, in places like palo alto.
May 29, 2018 view across hetch hetchy valley, early 1900s, from the southwestern end, showing the tuolumne river flowing through the lower portion of the valley prior to damming. The government of the united states works hand in hand just to preserve the natural resources at hetch hetchy dam. Hetch hetchy valley was a spectacular valley highly populated with naturalists. Opponents of dam removal have pointed out that the flooding of the hetch hetchy valley.
Part 1 of several parts concerning the american indian indigenous history of hetch hetchy valley. In spring, two of north americas tallest waterfalls plummet spectacularly over thousandfoot granite cliffs. Today, most of the parks 4 million annual visitors go to the similarly spectacular yosemite valley, unaware that hetch hetchy valley once existed a mere 15 miles to the north. Above glen aulin is tuolumne meadows, between glen aulin and about leconte point is the grand canyon of the tuolumne 2, and below that is hetch hetchy, which used to be a beautiful flat. The library of congress does not own rights to material in its collections. The hetch hetchy valley was within yosemite national park and protected by the federal government, leaving it up to congress to decide between 1908 and 19, 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. Click download or read online button to get hetch hetchy and its dam railroad book now. Conservationists and officials alike made another push on tuesday for hetch hetchy customers to. Hetch hetchy is the name of a valley, a reservoir and a water system in california in the united states. The battle went on for over a decade over whether or not to have a dam.
For thousands of years before the arrival of settlers from the united states in the 1850s, the valley was inhabited. Between 1908 and 19, 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. Hetch hetchy valley, chapter 16 of the yosemite by john. The book also deals with john muir and the start of the sierra club as they were heavily, and still are, involved in the hetch hetchy battle. Oshaughnessy dam is a 430foot 1 m high concrete archgravity dam in tuolumne county, california, in the united states. New york times 19 editorials opposing damming of hetch hetchy. Mono lake and hetch hetchy valley are similar because both are water. In 2015, restore hetch hetchy filed a lawsuit against the city and county of san francisco, seeking a. Yosemite is spectacular and specialperhaps no more and no less than the rest of this magnificent mountain range. From 1901 19, john muir led the sierra club in a campaign to protect the hetch hetchy valley, a part of yosemite national park, from being filled by a reservoir. Hidden in yosemite national parks peaceful northwest corner, hetch hetchy valley is a treasure worth visiting in all seasons. Building a dam in yosemite was allowed at a time when our national parks were relatively new. In 1903, he spent two weeks traveling the country visiting yellowstone national park, the grand canyon and camping with john muir in yosemite national park. How do those positions inform todays environmental debates.
Pisani, university of oklahoma the battle over hetch hetchy is something beyond merely the best book anyone has ever written on confluence of canyon, dam, and city that so shaped the story of the modern american west. Hetch hetchy and the meanings of american conservation. A california activist groups petition challenging the legality of hetch hetchy has set off the latest battle in a centuryold fight over the reservoir and the yosemite valley that it fills. The building of oshaughnessy dam hetch hetchy reservoir provides water for 2. But hetch hetchys greatest charm may be what it lacks. The book concludes with a chapter on the hetch hetchy valley. Americas most controversial dam and the birth of modern environmentalism righter, robert w. Now franklin lane had been the city attorney of san francisco, and a very strong advocate of damming the hetch hetchy. Oldest native american basket found in hetch hetchy valley and central california paiute indian burden basket. She says the water first leaves hetch hetchy through the oshaughnessy dam.
The hetchhetchy valley, by john muir, sierra club bulletin, january, 1908 hetch hetchy valley by john muir from his 1912 book, the yosemite. It was the war between john muir and gifford pinchot. The proposal to dam hetch hetchy valley in yosemite national park created unprecedented controversy and provoked editorials in opposition from more than 200 newspapers across the country. Internally, we agreed that challenging san franciscos use of hetch hetchy valley as a violation of the california constitutions prohibition against any unreasonable method of diversion.
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. The battle over hetch hetchy and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Hetch hetchy is the name of a valley, a reservoir and a water system in california in the united. Trump team reassigns yosemite national park superintendent. I also knew in a general sense that there had been a national debate over damming hetch hetchy valley when oshaughnessy. President roosevelt created five national parks and 18 national monuments. Above all, im scared of bears, the sharks of the forests. If size matters, hetch hetchy valley is as long and about half as wide as its socalled twin. Jul 12, 2018 annie li, a senior engineer at the san francisco public utilities commission, points to the yellow and brown squiggly lines on the map, revealing our waters path from hetch hetchy to the bay area. Finding the way back to hetch hetchy valley, feasibility study 2005 title from cover. The hetch hetchy valley in yosemite national park before and after the raker act was passed. Channeling john muir in hetch hetchy digital nomad. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want.
Roderick nash environmentalism and the hetch hetchy. The battle for hetch hetchy was perhaps the first effort at what is now known as grassroots lobbying, getting individual citizens to contact elected officials in support of or opposition to legislation. San franciscos hetch hetchy reservoir in yosemite faces new. Though its missing a half dome, this twin to the yosemite valley has been described by none other than john muir as one of natures rarest and most precious mountain. Hetch hetchywhich conservationist john muir called a wonderfully exact counterpart to yosemite valleyis graced by sheer granite walls and multiple gushing cataracts just like its neartwin to the south. Of course, none of these similarities were lost on john muir. John muir also known as john of the mountains and father of the national parks, was an. Solutions for restoring yosemites hetch hetchy valley. The debate over damming the hetch hetchy valley in yosemite national park marked a crossroads in the american conservation movement.
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