hetch hetchy dam pros and conshetch hetchy dam pros and cons
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. 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. There is a waiver for FILTERING but not for TREATMENT. Hetch Hetchy Valley, far from being a plain, common, rock-bound meadow, as many who have not seen it seem to suppose, is a grand landscape garden, one of Natures rarest and most precious mountain temples. Select from premium Hetch Hetchy Dam of the highest quality. How feasible is restoration? Generally, hydropower is the one of the oldest and most renewable sources of energy in the world today. 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. During the early 1900s there was a large debate in the United States concerning the proposed construction of the Hetch Hetchy dam. In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation approving the construction of the O'Shaughnessy Dam to inundate the Hetch Hetchy Valley inside Yosemite National Park. san francisco. True, a smaller Lake Eleanor was already there. While the dam did drive away some business from Yuma, it also brought people and grew the cities of Yuma. BAY AREA MONITOR Issues that bring about this conflict such as population growth and pollution, cannot be solved through technical solutions alone (Hardin, 1968, pp. Guess who owns millions of acres of American wildlands? 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. NEXT. He argued that conservationists only wished to dam Hetch Hetchy as it would be low cost and saw no value in its natural state. Giving a Dam: Congress Debates Hetch Hetchy. This river connects with the Colorado River as well, and now flows into Southern California 100 yards north of the US Mexico border. I welcome comments on this post (as I do on anything posted). 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. 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. Hetch Hetchy would never get built today, but restoring it is something for the long haul, Lund told the Monitor. . The Hetch Hetchy Valley and Reservoir in Yosemite National Park, a system that is operated by the San Francisco Public . 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. Waterways can be used for transportation purposes. Up to 24% cash back position: Righter, oxford university press, 2005, chapter 1 the uses of the valley,. Everyone has at least seen or heard of an argument or dispute involving the environment. However, the term was really able to come to prominence after economist Garret Hardin invoked the analogy in his 1968 paper Science. Are you aware of any further testing to pin point the comparatively high rate of contamination in areas serviced by Hetch Hetchy water?. Preservationists vehemently opposed the . United States. Energy powers many of the things key to life. The Hetch Hetchy Project controversy brought into sharp relief the difference between conservation and preservation. Divide the class into four small groups. 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. Sad to say, this most precious and sublime feature of the Yosemite National Park, one of the greatest of all our natural resources for the uplifting joy and peace and health of the people, is in danger of being dammed and made into a reservoir to help supply San Francisco with water and light, thus flooding it from wall to wall and burying its gardens and groves one or two hundred feet deep. 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. Dams, aquifers and parks. 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. Maybe well find a legal one, allowing all parties to see alternative ways to handle the water system that would benefit both San Francisco AND visitors to Yosemite. Over the years it has become a passion. 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. Restoring Hetch Hetchy could also come at an environmental cost. The floor of Yosemite is about 4,000 feet above the sea, the Hetch -Hetchy floor about 3,700; the walls of both are of gray granite, rise abruptly out of the flowery grass and groves are sculptured in the same style, and in both every rock is a glacial monument. It is hard NOT to get inspired by the beauty of this park. 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. . Throughout the documentary, Leopolds biographer. 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. Most people would probably think that the Dakota Access Pipeline is just another pipeline, like the Alaska pipeline, except, it's not just another pipeline. Copyright 2014-2023 Yosemite Tales | Powered by WordPress | Design by Starry Night Web Designs. Water data back to 1930 are available online. Bill McEwen publishes this article in the Fresno Bee, located in Fresno, because he believes the project subsists unhelpful. 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. Dams may be able to clean up the water. If you're thinking about visiting Hetch Hetchy during your Yosemite vacation, these pros, cons, and views may help you decide whether to go. Which they got more crops, which they used to get more money. This created conflicts between the Conservationists and the Preservationists over the thought of building a dam in Hetch Hetchy. Our figures include replacing that with solar power.. 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. But rather that i saw more pros than cons in building the dam. A little more research and a clearer explanation of the pros and cons of the Prop, as well as possible reasons for the lack of clarity to voters, is in order, based on quotes the writer . Some people are outraged by the pipeline because it contributes to man-made climate change. He argued that conservationists only wished to dam Hetch Hetchy as it would be low cost and saw no value in its natural state. The dam and reservoir are the source for the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct, which provides water for over . The two books give near contemporary accounts of the Hetch Hetchy dam, one by the engineer in charge of building it. The latest twist in this long story has just unfolded, and the final chapter is yet to come. . (510) 839-1608 Since December 19, 1913, when the Raker Act was signed by President Wilson, there has been a lamentation on the loss of Hetch Hetchy Valley. pp. Instead, he envisions what once was and could be again. The club also established many other National Parks like the Mt. Hetch Hetchy Valley, far from being a plain, common, rock-bound meadow, as many who have not seen it seem to suppose, is a grand landscape garden, one of Nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples. The state constitution says all water use must be reasonable, Rosekrans said. 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 tragedy in essence due to unrestricted use and access to a limited resource, which ultimately leads to the reduction of the resource as a result of over-exploitation. yosemite national park. Ultimately, the difference between preservation and conservation was highlight by the. In the end Congress chose management over aesthetics, voting 43-25 (with 29 abstentions) to allow the Hetch Hetchy dam on federal land. 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. 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 . Ive tried to be fair in the presentation of the issue, but have made clear which side of the fence I daggle my feet. 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. It is recommended that the water is either boiled for 5 minutes before drinking, heavily filtered, or an iodine based purifier is used. This dam was planned to be built in Yosemite National Park in order to provide water for the city of San Francisco. 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. The pipeline is essentially the fourth step of the Keystone Pipeline System. Royalty-free Creative Video Editorial Archive Custom Content Creative Collections. Hetch Hetchy water used in cities has always been treated, at least in recent decades. The money was used for city to make more towns. 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. But a dam was put up as a first step in the Hetch Hetchy project and was completed in 1918. In the past there was always flood incidents due to the river being uncontrolled and overflowing. During 19th century, the Hetch Hetchy Dam was being inhabited by the Native Americans who usually practiced the so called hunting-gathering. But while it is deemed as very beneficial, it also has its downsides. In a state wracked with drought, the Hetch Hetchy is an exception to the rule. San Francisco's water system, which includes Hetchy Hetchy, is expected to fill this winter for the first time since 2019. Something that had to do with the protests part is the Dakota Access Pipeline, or DAPL. After working with the Sierras of California, Muir wrote enthusiastically and skillfully about the protection of national, Aldo Leopold is considered the most influential conservationist in the 20th century. Hetch Hetchy was the first major battle of the environmental movement. His sorrow and melancholy mood towards the possible destruction of the stunning ecosystem is obvious: I was saddened to think of the tragedy that might occur if this great wilderness was consumed by a web of roads and pipelines, drilling rigs and industrial facilities. Additionally, Carter appeals to the nation by choosing words such as, tremendous opposition by the American people, symbol of our national heritage, and it will be a grand triumph for America to give the reader a feeling of importance towards this problem. "Dam Hetch Hetchy! Reservoir releases also generate hydropower that San Francisco uses for . The balttle over hetch hetchy robert w. Wilderness belongs to you. 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. 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. Word choice not only helps to visualize the situation better, but also to touch the minds and hearts of his audience. 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. If they expand filtration at Sunol, they would need to break gravity at that point. Proceedings before the secretary of the interior. 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. It was not a mistake. It was merely unfortunate. Feel free to comment, like, or share. There are other posts on the plight of Hetch Hetchy at Yosemite Tales. Increase in food production capacities. 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 Hetch Hetchy entrance to the park is a gateway to Yosemite Valley's breathtaking cousin. 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. Encountered a bear meandering down the trail towards us about a 1/2 mile from the fork to go up left . The Hetch Hetchy Project controversy brought into sharp relief the difference between conservation and preservation. That said, the board does not support either side in the Hetch Hetchy debate. 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. Today, however, that valley is under 300 feet of water. Restoration would not only make Yosemite whole once again it would inspire people that we don't need to live with . Newest results. In late 2016, the Obama administration designated an area in southeastern Utah as Bears Ears National Monument. Hetch Hetchy is an iconic, uncommon, and stunning terrain. Though the article demonstrated (at least, to me) that there were political retorts on both sides of the issue, the fact that the contracted giardiasis rates were higher than in other areas of California was not contested. There doesnt seem to be financial or business need within their own sphere of financial responsibility forcing the city to consider relocating the water storage. In my opinion I am . NEXT. Why is it so controversial? SOLUTIONS. The dam had been completed by the city of San Francisco in 1923, after years of controversy over flooding the magnificent Hetch Hetchy Valley, the smaller twin of Yosemite Valley. 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. 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). Like we said, Hetch Hetchy is in the northwestern section of Yosemite National Park. 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. Its going to be used to transport oil to the United States from Canada. We can produce power from dams because of the kinetic energy of the water movements as it causes turbines to spin. Pinchot would soon face opposition from ranchers and miners that began to hurt his position on conservation. Other articles where Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is discussed: dam: Rise of environmental and economic concerns: San Francisco to build a reservoir in Hetch Hetchy Valley. The reason why DAPL is important is because of the fact that it is running over ancient indian land, and not only that it is going over their water source.The clean water the Sioux once had could be gone in just a few months with DAPL going over the standing rocks water (Michael Bennet). The Hetch Hetchy Dam is destroying a piece of land that is the homes of multiple types of animals. However, the source of that contamination is in contention and that more analysis was necessary. The cost of filtration is included in our figures. He is arguing that the conservationist only care about the real dollar cost for the project without consideration for what will be, Environments today that we consider as natural or wilderness are not particularly wild or natural. The Hetch Hetchy Dam is the name of a popular reservoir and water system in the state of California. . Many worry that it will intrude on property rights, while others believe that it will be a danger to the environment. in addition, he dedicated four decades of all his knowledge to his community. 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. They would lose about 20% of their hydropower. 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. A society as advanced as the humans on earth must have areas of wilderness regulated by the government. May be crucial for the energy transition process. 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. . Because after they built a dam the water levels decreased. Hetch Hetchy Environmental Debates. The public lands in the context of 1908 and 1913 when the merits were debated, included ALL federally held lands whether wilderness, forests or national parks. They would need to reoperate the others and make additional investments. And Im in favor of that. 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 regional water system provides water to 2.4 million people in San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda and San Mateo counties. 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. Pinchot was a smart man and knew that if he wanted to gain the support from all over that he had to push his ideas not in an aggressive way. But rather that i saw more pros than cons in building the dam. In most areas of the country municipal water must be filtered AND treated. You own barren desert plains and looming jagged mountain peaks. Other supporters of the appeal include the State Water Resources Control Board. The brought and gave good to yuma and went through the colorado river because yuma was mostly a flood plain at a constant level. The don pedro reservoir, downstream from hetch hetchy, on the tuolumne river, currently has. Pinchot during this time understood that raging forest fires occurring in certain areas of the country was one aspect that needed to be fixed. We have estimated the cost to be $B 2.0 over 50 years primarily for water supply, water quality and hydropower replacement. . Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, California, USA. In re applications of A. H. Ward and Mariposa electrical . used tiffin motorhomes . Supporters of the appeal include Barbara Griffin and Robert Binnewies, both former superintendents of Yosemite National Park. Reliable: Dams are used to create a clean, reliable, and efficient source of energy compared to other sources of energy. Today, however, that valley is under 300 feet of water. I have had no response on these questions. Hetch Hetchy Valley as a repository for the water from the Tuolumne River belongs to San Francisco, et al. of 3. By being able to connect socially and politically Pinchot was able to push his agenda to improve environmental, The plan that has been proposed by Bybee Logging Company is, a reckless proposal, the Bybee Timber Sale, which involves national forest land on the edge of Crater Lake National Park (Environment Oregon). 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. Its not just San Francisco.. Restoring the valley would return to Yosemite National Park a major asset. . However, not until 1987 under President Reagan did hope resurfaced that we may actually get it back. Hetch Hetchy is unique because of its small holding capacity in comparison to the vast watershed feeding it. Learn more Whether to restore Hetch Hetchy will be the subject of a panel discussion Thursday at the Commonwealth Club, with experts from both sides of the debate, including Tom Graff, regional . Proceedings before the secretary of the interior. Which would cause yuma to lose more money. 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. Leopold grew up in the 1800s when the railroads were being built and all the forests were being cut down to make room for them. 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.. The Public Works Administration (PWA) funded a major increase in the height of the O'Shaughnessy Dam, which creates Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. You own frozen Arctic tundra, endless southern wildflower fields and refreshing cool northern forests. But whenever we did have floodings the cost was very high to try and building and fixing it back up. Considering the context of the hetch hetchy debate at the time,. Mountain in the Clouds showed clearly the problems that are occurring and opens peoples eyes to. In contrast, the recreational value of a restored valley is estimated to be $B 8.7 over 50 years far greater than the cost of making it possible. This flood ended up changing the flow of the water uncontrollable and ended up leading into the Imperial Valley. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. In July of this year, the judges affirmed the previous ruling in favor of San Francisco: The trial court correctly concluded Restore Hetch Hetchys claims are preempted under federal law.. It then outlined five features that form the keystone of this clean, efficient water and power delivery system: The flyer goes on to say that the system supplies their customers with water and power that is delivered by a greenhouse gas-free system.. 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. This conceptual metaphor is used as the allegory for suitability dilemmas. 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. 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. Before the construction of O'Shaughnessy Dam could commence, the city completed a 70-foot (21 m) high dam at Lake Eleanor to provide water for the Early Intake Powerhouse, which was necessary to provide electricity for the construction site of the larger dam. It is definitely worth to visit Hetch Hetchy area especially in 2021 when main Yosemite area requires booking permits in advance. By california standards, hetch hetchy is not a large reservoir. Amid a worsening drought, the Bay Area's water supplies are in good shape. 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. Donald Hodel, then Secretary of the Interior, suggested that the time might be ripe to remove the OShaughnessy Dam that holds back the Tuolumne River creating the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. By california standards, hetch hetchy is not a large reservoir. "Dam Hetch Hetchy! Attraction of tourists. Guide to Visiting Hetch Hetchy . The sturdy and concrete material can help store water for a long time. . Ever since the establishment of the Yosemite National Park, strife has been going on around its borders and I suppose this will go on as part of the universal battle between right and wrong, however much its boundaries may be shorn, or its wild beauty destroyed. Whether it was from your teacher, the news or something on the internet that you glanced at then moved on to watch more cat videos, you still noticed it. For Restore Hetch Hetchy, however, the overriding concern is righting what they see as a historical wrong to an iconic national park. The Fresno appellate court disagreed.
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hetch hetchy dam pros and cons