The dam is named for engineer michael oshaughnessy, who oversaw its construction. Hetch hetchy is the name of a valley, a reservoir and a water system in california in the united states. The climate is changing, and the state should not be eliminating a reliable supply of clean water. Its hard to imagine the united states of america without our national parks. 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 morning of november 6, 2012, dawned with high hopes among the band of preservationists hoping to restore the hetch hetchy valley in yosemite national park.
Rick lehman, whose district then embraced hetch hetchy, steered legislation through congress prohibiting the construction of any more dams in yosemite or other national parks. Jun 28, 2011 this is hetch hetchy reservoir and oshaughnessy dam in california. California and the oshaughnessy dam in hetch hetchy valley, california. Water supply implications of removing oshaughnessy dam. In this letter, the societys leadership, including.
David, a friend of restore hetch hetchy, recently asked about circumnavigating hetch hetchy. Why hetch hetchy is staying under water under water. Hetch hetchy water and power system mavens notebook. Journal of the american water resources association jawra 422. The 68 mi 109 km hetch hetchy railroad was constructed to link the sierra railway with hetch hetchy valley, allowing for direct rail shipment of construction materials from san francisco to the dam site. Restore hetch hetchys view is that lost hydropower should be replaced with renewable power, probably solar. Introduction oshaughnessy dam, located in the hetch hetchy valley of yosemite national park, was built by the. The city desperately needed water and power, and yosemites hetch hetchy valley, where two steep granite walls met in a narrow v, was perfect for anchoring a dam. After hetch hetchy, many realized the national parks needed more protection. Wapama falls at hetch hetchy yosemite national park 2020. The society for the preservation of national parks submitted this petition to congress in order to urge them to defeat the raker bill, a bill to grant san francisco the right to dam the hetch hetchy valley. Buck meadows and groveland, though not as close, also provide good. The physical dimensions of the oshaughnessy dam are. Dam removal has moved beyond the fictional monkey wrench gang to go.
The hetchhetchy issue resurfaced in 1988 when then interior secretary don hodel proposed that the city of san francisco undertake a feasibility study to determine if the dam could be removed and the valley restored. After a hike, a microbrew might hit the spot, so drive nine miles from the trail to evergreen lodge. The dam and reservoir are the source for the hetch hetchy aqueduct, which provides water for over two million people in san francisco and other municipalities of the west bay area. Klamath dams and hetch hetchy restoration restore hetch hetchy. Apr 17, 2016 hetch hetchy reservoir is formed behind the dam which is the source for the hetch hetchy aqueduct, which provides water for over 2 million people in san francisco and other municipalities of the west bay area. Muir described hetch hetchys dominant trees in his 1873 publication for the boston weekly transcript, the surface of hetch hetchy is diversified with groves and meadows in the same manner as yosemite, and the trees are identical in species. Jun 18, 2019 the society for the preservation of national parks submitted this petition to congress in order to urge them to defeat the raker bill, a bill to grant san francisco the right to dam the hetch hetchy valley. Hetch hetchy politicspreservationist, provincial, personal, and perhaps postpartisanin the 2000s by rick heide author, editor. Since december 19, 19, when the raker act was signed by president wilson, there has been a lamentation on the loss of hetch hetchy valley. The hetch hetchy overnight facilities are cottage 1, cottage 2, and the bunkhouse. Spend the night so you can roast smores under the stars at the. Hetch hetchy, wapama fall view photos 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. A cluster of ramshackle cabins built for the hetch hetchy dam workers in 1920, it is now a woodsychic cottage resort with a tavern, restaurant, and saltwater swimming pool. Usgs current conditions for usgs 11275500 hetch hetchy res a.
This trail takes you through forest and meadow to smith peak, where you get great. An environmental artist with the skills of a mountain climber painted a giant crack down the face of hetch hetchy reservoir dam, park officials. Hetch hetchy was then a complex but harmonious aggregation of terrestrial and aquatic habitats. The glacial hetch hetchy valley lies in the northwestern part of yosemite national park and is drained by the tuolumne river. A paved road leads 7 miles from mather to the 312foot dam, which impounds san franciscos water supply. Because of its lower elevation, hetch hetchy has the parks longest hiking season in the area. It is both a wellargued history and a beautifullywritten testimony of hubris and loss, even possible redemption. When the oshaughnessy dam was built on the tuolumne river in the 1920s, the valley was flooded. It provides on average about 265,000 acrefeet of water to 2. Wapama falls at hetch hetchy yosemite national park. Getting into the hetch hetchy backcountry or not restore. Figure 1, below, shows that recent and proposed changes in hydropower generation are very small compared other recent changes in electricity production in california.
Petition from the society for the preservation of national. The petition filed by restore hetch hetchy in tuolumne county superior court on april 21 seeks to challenge the existence of the dam and the reservoir by saying they violate californias state. Here you can get away from the crowds and relax in the surrounding beauty, take some marvelous hikes and enjoy the waterfalls along the way. Sep 29, 2012 the group restore hetch hetchy, the sierra club and other supporters of draining the reservoir say most of its 360,000 acrefeet of water storage can be replaced through more water conservation. Hetch hetchys hh turnoff is about a mile from the highway 120 gate and about 10 miles in.
Jun 27, 2017 hetch hetchy, wapama fall view photos 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. Captured in old photographs and paintings, hetch hetchy valley was a scenic landscape that rivaled nearby yosemite valley before congress approved construction of oshaughnessy dam in 19. Oshaughnessy dam is a 430foot 1 m high concrete archgravity dam in tuolumne county, california, in the united states. Day hikes in hetch hetchy yosemite national park u.
Hetch hetchy reservoir is formed behind the dam which is the source for the hetch hetchy aqueduct, which provides water for over 2 million people in san francisco and other municipalities of the west bay area. Theres no lodging in hetch hetchy itself though there is a backpackers campground, but the recently refurbished evergreen lodge in camp mather, with cabins originally built to house the workers erecting the hetch hetchy dam, is just outside the hetch hetchy entrance. Hetch hetchy reservoir is accessed from sr 120, just w. Wapama falls at hetch hetchy, yosemite national park. Hidden in yosemite national parks peaceful northwest corner, hetch hetchy valley is a treasure worth visiting in all seasons. But restore hetch hetchy is campaigning to tear down the dam, drain. The hetch hetchy crack, and the crack on glines canyon dam where he also. Once again, hetchhetchy was on the tongues of the american people. Since water is one of the basic needs of most people, the dam plays a vital role in all the residence as well as with the.
Sep 26, 2017 the hetch hetchy valley, in the northwest area of yosemite was one of john muirs favorite spots. Peter ruffo, congressional aide to former san francisco mayor and current united states senator from california, dianne feinstein, told the author in email correspondence that the senator feels the same way about the proposed restoration of hetch hetchy as she did when the 2006 report was released saying the bottom line is that hetch hetchy is a critical source of water and power for the. 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 environmental debates national archives. Aug 23, 2015 the reservoir behind oshaughnessy dam not only makes hetch hetchy valley inaccessible, it makes access to the surrounding area very difficult as well. 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 californias yosemite national park. The hetch hetchy water and power system is owned and operated by the san francisco public utilities commission. 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. In 19, president woodrow wilson signed the bill approving the dam into law. Why hetch hetchy is staying under water under water high. This paper begins with a brief overview of hetch hetchy valley, the hetch hetchy system, and potential oshaughnessy dam removal decisions. In 1908, san francisco voters approved building a dam at hetch hetchy. Hetch hetchy reservoir and oshaughnessy dam youtube. A specific case study that is centered on the colombia, is the.
A dreamy idea to drain hetch hetchy reservoir wont help california. Watch your speed on the drive the rangers dont have much to do so they keep a close eye on you. A map and guide to hetch hetchy reservoir at yosemite. S forest service to control the parks, but after his support to dam hetchy hetchy, congress voted in 1916 to to establish the national park service whose sole purpose was to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the. In 19, however, work began on the oshaughnessy dam by government decree, flooding the valley to house water for the thirsty san francisco area. Hetch hetchy reservoir yosemite national park 2020 all. Oshaughnessy dam flooding hetch hetchy photographs by ron good taken in 1998, 2003, and 2005 philip hyde photos taken in 1955 galen rowell photos taken in 1987. Elegant, engaging, and frankly enraging exploration of the hetch hetchy controversy. Klamath dams and hetch hetchy restoration restore hetch. At the hetch hetchy reservoir, you can walk across the dam and learn more about areas history from the interpretive signs. If forced to identify one overreaching reason for the dam s existence, it was a failure of the democratic process or, perhaps more accurately, the bias of the democratic process toward san franciscos power and wealth.
Hetch hetchy valley, before the dam native history part. Jun 12, 2014 the dam is considered as one of the water sources in the country of california and this is one of the reasons why most people within the place want to preserve all the natural resources that can be found at hetch hetchy dam. 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. Once again, hetch hetchy was on the tongues of the american people. The reservoir behind oshaughnessy dam not only makes hetch hetchy valley inaccessible, it makes access to the surrounding area very difficult as well. Easy hike to wapama falls in hetch hetchy valley my. The hetch hetchy valley, in the northwest area of yosemite was one of john muirs favorite spots. If forced to identify one overreaching reason for the dams existence, it was a failure of the democratic process or, perhaps more accurately, the bias of the democratic process toward san franciscos power and wealth. For over 100 years this systemwhich utilizes the gravity flow of the citys water from source to taphas operated without producing any carbon emissions nor any radioactive byproducts.
But hetch hetchys greatest charm may be what it lacks. Hetch hetchy and a century of environmentalism sierra club. Mar 23, 2018 sierra foothills dam, part of sfs hetch hetchy system, pushed to near failure. No stranger to controversy, hetch hetchy, once a mirror image of yosemite valley, was john muirs favorite corner of the park. Oshaughnessy dam in hetch hetchy valley, california. This plan addresses the ecological issues surrounding the restoration of hetch hetchy valley, if hetch hetchy reservoir and dam were to be decommissioned. But in the late 19th century, preserving public land in its natural state was a new and provocative idea. The san francisco public utilities commission owns and operates hetch hetchy power, which represents some of the cleanest energy available in california.
Hetch hetchy reservoir california fishing, camping, boating. Usgs current conditions for usgs 11275500 hetch hetchy. Many hiking trails begin from oshaughnessy dam and some of hetch hetchys most beautiful features are easily seen from the top of the dam. This created the hetch hetchy reservoir which is eight miles long and the largest single body of water in yosemite. 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 east of san francisco. All eligible guests as designated by policy are permitted to reserve the overnight accommodations. The hetch hetchy reservoir, while providing water to millions of people in the san francisco bay area, also provides visitors with access to spectacular beauty and the wilderness of yosemite national park. Sierra foothills dam, part of sfs hetch hetchy system. Calvin california value integrated network, the computer model used to evaluate alternatives to oshaughnessy dam, is. The visual effect suggested that the dam had cracked. This trail continues past wapama falls to popular rancheria falls. From the road, you can see the reservoir and along the reservoir are three hiking trails.
Techniques also exist to remove the material once the dam has been destroyed. This is an important facet of the story of hetch hetchy and it should be remembered that before any dam was built there were indian people who camped and lived in hetch hetchy valley. Construction of oshaughnessy dam began in 1919 and was finished in 1923, with the reservoir first filling in may of that year. Photo by herbert gleason, courtesy restore hetch hetchy. Oshaughnessy dam, completed in 1923, holds back 340,000 acre feet of water on the tuolumne river to form hetch hetchy reservoir. An hours drive from groveland via highway 120 and evergreen road, hetch hetchys rugged cliffs frame an eightmilelong reservoir that supplies san franciscos water. Grand coulee dam, which stopped the columbia river in 1942, supplied vast. Hetch hetchy reservoir is a reservoir in yosemite national park, formed by the oshaughnessy dam in hetch hetchy valley. Led by john muir, the society believed that natural wonders should remain unspoiled. 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. Hetch hetchy water reaches san francisco peninsula. Lawsuit to drain hetch hetchy reservoir goes back to court. Crack in hetch hetchy dam supertopo rock climbing discussion. 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.
During the construction of the dam, the hetch hetchy railroad carried 400 tons of cement each day to the site. Despite muirs appeal to president roosevelt to save hetch hetchy, pinchots view eventually prevailed. Oshaughnessy dam was completed in 1923 and on october 24, 1934, water from the hetch hetchy project finally began pouring into san francisco. Head to hetch hetchy for a new perspective of yosemite. An acre foot is 325,000 gallons, or the amount of water an average suburban family uses in one year, a water department official said. Hetch hetchy, wapama fall view photos yosemite national park, ca details are still being investigated over the circumstances that led to the sudden death of. Rick lehman, whose district then embraced hetchhetchy, steered legislation through congress prohibiting the construction of any more dams in yosemite or other national parks. In 1924 the hetch hetchy railroad ceased operations as a common carrier. The real questions are what will be done with the dam materials once the dam is destroyed, and are environmental benefits attainable. After escaping the hectic scene in yosemite valley, we drove the somewhat scary road to hetch hetchy reservoir which is one of san franciscos water sources. There are many opponents to dams, for many reasons, not the least of which is the. The mission of restore hetch hetchy is to restore 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. Oshaughnessy dam is a 430foot high concrete archgravity dam in tuolumne county, california, in the united states. Sierra foothills dam, part of sfs hetch hetchy system, pushed to near failure.