. It would be much easier to fight for restoration if we had some bad guys to rally against, but I dont see any. The two books give near contemporary accounts of the Hetch Hetchy dam, one by the engineer in charge of building it. At Congressional hearings on Hetch Hetchy held in 1913, supporters of the plan like Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief Forester of the United States and a noted environmentalist, argued that conservation of natural resources was best achieved through management of the wilderness. Why we must restore Hetch Hetchy - SFGATE We arent going to solve our water problems until we begin building more dams. 7. In todays time, these feuds are highly controversial. The $7 million from the Park Service would, if approved, "provide a preliminary analysis of the advantages of dam retention versus removal and restoration, with emphasis on the potential benefits of . The river later turned away flowing West, and led into the Southern California Salton Sink river. Photo by Isaiah West Taber. Through his life experience, he then realize sustainability importance, all species have inherent value in the biosphere, humans have no right to reduce this richness and diversity only to satisfy our needs, from the perspective of, John Muir, a naturalist and preservation pioneer of nature took an ethical stand for land ethics when he shared his thoughts that all living things are equally important parts of the land, and animals and plants have as much right to live and survive as people do. Then What? The story about the Hetch Hetchy Railroad, built in the 1910s and 1920s to bring the construction crews and materials needed to build the dam, hydroelectric plants, and aqueducts is very interesting if you like history and maps.After completion of the dam in 1923, the HHRR was used to carry tourists and mail to the Northern Yosemite area. 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, Restoration would not only make Yosemite whole once again it would inspire people that we dont need to live with mistakes of the past. Dams provide us with a source of clean energy. Royalty-free Creative Video Editorial Archive Custom Content Creative Collections. 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. Supporters of the appeal include Barbara Griffin and Robert Binnewies, both former superintendents of Yosemite National Park. Amid a worsening drought, the Bay Area's water supplies are in good shape. 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. 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. But there are signs all over Yosemite about not drinking the water because of the Giardia parasites. Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike. How feasible is restoration? hetch hetchy valley. That is why I think it is good that the issue is now before the courts. Emma Odom Hetch Hetchy Dam Environmental Debate The Hetch Hetchy Dam in Yosemite's national park is the focal point of a battle between the city of San Francisco, which built the dam almost a century ago, and environmentalists, who want it to be torn down. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir | reservoir, Yosemite National Park, California After Muir dies the club established National Park Service, who Stephen Mather was director of in 1916. 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. So they used it for irrigation which gave them more farm land. The notion that we could restore Hetch Hetchy would be very attractive if it didnt have any other effects but it does, Ritchie said, adding that the water goes to about one third of the people in the Bay Area. 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. 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. If you don't look at the dam and think about how it holds back the Tuolumne River and covers a valley that John Muir compared (pre-dam) to Yosemite Valley, it actually looks like another beautiful Yosemite mountain lake. Pinchot during this time understood that raging forest fires occurring in certain areas of the country was one aspect that needed to be fixed. The debate 100 years ago was technically and, as it happens, critically won by san francisco. Reliable: Tidal currents are predictable. The Time article A High-Plains Showdown Over the Dakota Access Pipeline by Justin Worland talks about a controversy over a 1,200-mile pipeline stretching from North Dakota to Illinois. Located more than 900 metres (3,000 feet) above sea level, the Hetch Hetchy site offered a good storage location in the Sierra Nevada for water that could be delivered without pumping to San Francisco via an aqueduct nearly . 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. The money was used for city to make more towns. This park is more than mere scenic opportunities; it is a virtual wonderland wrought by yesteryear. Some negative impacts to yuma is from the steamboat business. Up to 24% cash back (the hetch hetchy was a part of yosemite national park.) 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. The state constitution says all water use must be reasonable, Rosekrans said. 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. Not only does it supply 85 percent of the water for 2.6 million people in San Francisco, controlled releases via the O'Shaughnessy Dam are helping preserve downstream specieseven in dry years. 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. It was not a mistake. It was merely unfortunate. In late 2016, the Obama administration designated an area in southeastern Utah as Bears Ears National Monument. Thats because Hetch Hetchy Reservoir has built-in advantages that save huge amounts of money. In most areas of the country municipal water must be filtered AND treated. 1245). He was able to see firsthand the damage humans were causing. 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. Next well ask for a review from the state Supreme Court.. But after a change of administration at the White House and the 1906 earthquake, sentiments in favor of San Francisco grew. 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. 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. This dam was planned to be built in Yosemite National Park in order to provide water for the city of San Francisco. Why is it so controversial? According to Restore Hetch Hetchy, Lake Eleanor is not part of their plan or goal. Basically, this method of power generation uses water, which is a free . Hetch Hetchy gushes over wetlands - White Mountain Research Center HETCH HETCHY RES A HETCH HETCHY CA - USGS Water Data for the Nation Pros and cons of allowing the Hetch Hetchy Dam to remain in place; Controversy surrounding removal of the Hetch Hetchy Dam; and ; Your position on whether the Hetchy Hetchy Dam should be removed or not. This grossly destructive commercial scheme has long been planned and urged (though water as pure and abundant can be got from sources outside of the peoples park, in a dozen different places), because of the comparative cheapness of the dam and of the territory which it is sought to divert from the great uses to which it was dedicated in the Act of 1890 establishing the Yosemite National Park. And Im in favor of that. The Sierra Club also built a visitor and education center in 1898. . Dams, aquifers and parks | Restore Hetch Hetchy There is no question in my mind that historical precedence goes to San Francisco in keeping the reservoir right where it is. 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. Updated: May 13, 2022. The debate over the Hetch Hetchy dam was about whether preserving the environment the way it is or using our natural resources efficiently had more value to human society. As pollution and environmental destruction become a more imminent threat, humans must control their use of energy, preferably making sure not to use more than is necessary to sustain them. The debate featured those for the proposed dam the conservationists and those opposed the preservationists. Roosevelt makes connection between conservation and progress,patriotism,and morality of the American people by putting different people since or point of view of other people and himself to not waste our natural resources. 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. George Knapp held the view of the common American and stated Our natural resources have been used, not wasted. Use the car park at O'Shaughnessy Dam with overnight parking available. Hetch Hetchy: Pros and Cons of Restoration. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. Local job creation. 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. It lost in a . Causing more land to appear to use. 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. 1244). The Hetch Hetchy Controversy, 1903-13: Additional Resources in the He wrote the book, A Sand County Almanac. As a reservoir, Hetch Hetchy is part of a system that provides water to 2.4 million people in the San Francisco Bay Area. Guide to Visiting Hetch Hetchy . (510) 839-1608 The areas of land that have unmanaged ecosystems, where humans are not allowed to disturb, are places that the government set boundaries, named, and created regulations for. Assign each group to analyze one or more . Hetch Hetchy, California - Town Traveller San Francisco's water system, which includes Hetchy Hetchy, is expected to fill this winter for the first time since 2019. What are the Pros and Cons of Hydropower and Tidal Energy People would save large amounts of money because it was not needed to be used on distillation payments. 1. I would never put Hetch Hetchy where it is, but the fix itself would be destructive somewhere else, said Laura Tam, sustainable development policy director of SPUR, a San Francisco-based nonprofit dedicated to urban planning in the Bay Area. Hetch Hetchy captures snowmelt that runs off granite, Ritchie said. The latest twist in this long story has just unfolded, and the final chapter is yet to come. Which is used for more people. 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. 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. Others are mainly outraged because the Standing Rock Sioux tribe never agreed to the construction of the pipeline. Giving a Dam: Congress Debates Hetch Hetchy - George Mason University 497 Words2 Pages. . This fight set the stage for future battles between those who believed natural resources were to be used for the greatest good versus . The club continues opening National Parks, building monuments and dams in rivers and protecting the sequoia trees in many other parks (The Sierra Club). The balttle over hetch hetchy robert w. Hetch Hetchy is just 15 miles north of Yosemite Valley and the two are often called twins. Copyright 2014-2023 Yosemite Tales | Powered by WordPress | Design by Starry Night Web Designs. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, a source of drinking water for 2.7 million people in the City of San Francisco, is viewed from O'Shaughnessy Dam on October. 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. Fortunately, humans have governments that will manage our areas of natural wilderness. A society as advanced as the humans on earth must have areas of wilderness regulated by the government. During the early 1900s there was a large debate in the United States concerning the proposed construction of the Hetch Hetchy dam. Which they got more crops, which they used to get more money. USA.gov, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Other reservoirs are potential "holding tanks" for water for the San . I snapped my first photograph in Yosemite December 24, 1979. A Map and Guide to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir at Yosemite - TripSavvy In regards to the commons, the tragedy is very much relevant to not just the state, but also the individuals. However, pumps and filtration could be added at a fraction of what Restore Hetch Hetchy says would be the benefit of a restored valley. John Muir was the main proponent for the preservationists. Today, however, that valley is under 300 feet of water. If the dams were not built then till this day there would still be and uncontrollable and an uncontrollable, In response to this discussion, Senators Kyl and McCain wrote the article, An Endless Tribal Water Fight, in hopes of defending the intentions of their bill. John Muir believed that nature was an . 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. Between 1850 and 1910, forests were cleared at a rate, 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. When Mountain in the Clouds was written, the removal of a huge dam thats been around for years seemed impossible. This natural beauty-hunger is made manifest in the little window-sill gardens of the poor, though perhaps only a geranium slip in a broken cup, as well as in the carefully tended rose and lily gardens of the rich, the thousands of spacious city parks and botanical gardens, and in our magnificent National parksthe Yellowstone, Yosemite, Sequoia, etc.Natures sublime wonderlands, the admiration and joy of the world. The Hetchy Dam controversy of the early 1900's was a debate that shaped how America has dealt with the environment since. Hetch-22 | Ethics: Climate Change - Galen Hiltbrand They would need to reoperate the others and make additional investments. In the past there was always flood incidents due to the river being uncontrolled and overflowing. Hetch Hetchy | Hetch Hetchy Dam & Reservoir History | Yosemite.com Your 50025 word paper should: Read each of the articles on the uploaded file. The proposed dam in Hetch Hetchy Valley was to supply fresh water and electricity to San Francisco. 1. Pros And Cons Of Hech Hetchy. With that, San Francisco looses its gravity-fed, filtration-free water source as well as some Hydro-electric generation (at least by a measurable degree). Some of the costs would be operational, recurring year after year. Argument Against The Hetchy Dam - 587 Words - Internet Public Library However, the Preservationists ultimately failed to convince Congress to stop the damming of the Hetch Hetchy due the ability to make money off the reservoir and the resources Hetch Hetchy provides that would benefit the people of San Francisco. [emailprotected]. The hearing considers an amendment to the Raker Act that authorized the dam. Hetch Hetchy - Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service) O'Shaughnessy Dam (California) - Wikipedia The Bay Area Monitor thanks Craig Newmark Philanthropies for funding support of this site. 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. I welcome comments on this post (as I do on anything posted). The manmade Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park provides water to the city of San Francisco through a gravity-fed pipe system that spans California's vast central valley. Water quality would remain high. 1243). Giving a Dam: Congress Debates Hetch Hetchy. Against Pipeline Pros And Cons 120 Words | 1 Pages. While the dam did drive away some business from Yuma, it also brought people and grew the cities of Yuma. Restore Hetch Hetchy is not anti-dam. In re applications of A. H. Ward and Mariposa electrical . Proceedings before the secretary of the interior. Its not just San Francisco.. Issues that bring about this conflict such as population growth and pollution, cannot be solved through technical solutions alone (Hardin, 1968, pp.
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