Observers who saw the hetch hetchy valley in its original state thought it resembled a smaller mirror image of yosemite valley, but after an act of congress in 19, the dam was built and the valley disappeared. Among the water supplies drying up after california s drought conditions is the hetch hetchy reservoir. Lawsuit seeking to reclaim hetch hetchy valley from sfpuc. 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. This manmade body of water located within the yosemite national park boundaries provides 80 percent of the water for the 2. Webcams in the region of hetch hetchy junction, california. According to john muir, the hetch hetchy valley was once every bit as beautiful as neighboring yosemite valley to the southeast.
The hetch hetchy reservoir in yosemite delivers water to 2. At the hetch hetchy reservoir, you can walk across the dam and learn more about areas history from the interpretive signs. The ghosts of hetch hetchy by gene rose damming hetch hetchy by john muir, unpublished journal entry, c. Hetch hetchy valley groveland united states california. But its also a part of yosemite national park and some people are pushing for. From the road, you can see the reservoir and along the reservoir are three hiking trails. Calvin california value integrated network, the computer model used to evaluate alternatives to oshaughnessy dam, is. 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. In 19, president woodrow wilson signed the bill approving the dam into law. California hetch hetchy restoration a heated topic at hearing most agree dam could be torn down but should it.
The reservoir is can be reached by way of california highway 120, taking evergreen road one mile west of the big oak flat entrance station, then the hetch hetchy road, following it 16 miles to the end at the parking lot above oshaughnessy dam. The hetch hetchy controversy is a nice parable for how californias water system and problems keep changing, said jay lund, director for the uc davis center for watershed sciences, as. Note that over the last 25 years other california urban agencies have developed more than 1,000,000 acrefeet of dry year supplymore than 18 times the amount of water required to restore hetch hetchy valleythrough a combination of surface storage, groundwater storage, water purchases and water recycling programs. Hetch hetchy reservoir and water system water education. Jun 28, 2011 this is hetch hetchy reservoir and oshaughnessy dam in california. In 19, after more than a decade of debate, congress passed the raker act approving the dam. But hetch hetchys greatest charm may be what it lacks.
Hetch hetchy waters epic journey, from mountains to tap. The dam and reservoir are the source for the hetch hetchy aqueduct, which provides water. Restore hetch hetchys view is that lost hydropower should be replaced with renewable power, probably solar. But restore hetch hetchy is campaigning to tear down the dam, drain the. Channeling john muir in hetch hetchy national geographic.
An hours drive from groveland via highway 120 and evergreen road, hetch hetchys rugged cliffs frame an eightmilelong reservoir that supplies san franciscos water. Usgs current conditions for usgs 11275500 hetch hetchy res a. There is a goodsized parking lot at the base, but this area is never that busy, so you can usually find parking. An environmental artist with the skills of a mountain climber painted a giant crack down the face of hetch. May 29, 2018 the hetch hetchy controversy is a nice parable for how california s water system and problems keep changing, said jay lund, director for the uc davis center for watershed sciences, as. You can walk on several trails, ranging from two to miles long. Water supply implications of removing oshaughnessy dam. Restore hetch hetchy, as its name suggests, aims to return that valley to its natural state by demolishing the dam and releasing the billions of gallons of water that lie behind it. The location of hechhechi, miwok village in the western portion of the valley, was recorded by kroeber 1925. Driving to hetch hetchy reservoir, oshaughnessy dam. Lawsuit to drain hetch hetchy reservoir goes back to court. This trail takes you to the base of wapama falls, passing two smaller waterfalls during.
View route map, weather, streetviews, images, slideshows, videos and more for this cycling route to the top of hetch hetchy dam climb, ca, usa. Mar 12, 2020 an environmental artist with the skills of a mountain climber painted a giant crack down the face of hetch hetchy reservoir dam, park officials said monday. Usgs current conditions for usgs 11275500 hetch hetchy. The systems pipelines run about 167 miles long, from the hetch hetchy reservoir in yosemite national park to the.
Hetch hechy reservoir to sierra crest backpacking loop is a 88. Hetch hetchys hh turnoff is about a mile from the highway 120 gate and about 10 miles in. Hetch hetchy before and after photos hetch hetchy valley early 1911 photos. Hetch hetchy is the name of a valley, a reservoir and a water system in california in the united states. Yosemite national parks hetch hetchy valley was filled with water from the. Spend the night so you can roast smores under the stars at the. Groups pushing for more public access to hetch hetchy. Hetch hetchy reservoir is accessed from sr 120, just w. 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. 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. When yosemite national park was created in 1890, hetch hetchy valley was to be protected in perpetuity.
Despite muirs appeal to president roosevelt to save hetch hetchy, pinchots view eventually prevailed. A map and guide to hetch hetchy reservoir at yosemite. Hetch hetchy reservoir california fishing, camping, boating. During the construction of the dam, the hetch hetchy railroad carried 400 tons of cement each day to the site. The trial court concluded that petitioners claims were preempted by the raker act, federal legislation. Hotels near hetch hetchy reservoir, yosemite national park on tripadvisor. The lawsuit, filed in april last year, argued that the citys operation of the hetch hetchy reservoir violates the california constitutions requirement that state water resources be used in a. 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.
Hidden in yosemite national parks peaceful northwest corner, hetch hetchy valley is a treasure worth visiting in all seasons. Today, the reservoir and dam dominate the character of hetchy hetchy valley. The hetch hetchy valley was within yosemite national park and protected by the federal government, leaving it up to congress to decide the valleys. Crack in hetch hetchy dam supertopo rock climbing discussion. 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. Years of disuse have also led to cracks in the concrete aqueduct and the. The san francisco public utilities commission owns and operates hetch hetchy power, which represents some of the cleanest energy available in california. All the info difficulty, distance, altitude gained, elevation, average grade youll need to climb hetch hetchy dam climb by bike. Repairs underway on stormdamaged dam san francisco, ca part of the hetch hetchy system, moccasin dam, built in 1929, was drained after a damaging storm in march. Jun 18, 2019 introduced by congressman john raker dca, h. This paper begins with a brief overview of hetch hetchy valley, the hetch hetchy system, and potential oshaughnessy dam removal decisions. Hetch hetchy reservoir, california topographic map and nearby trails. Oshaughnessy dam, completed in 1923, holds back 340,000 acre feet of water on the tuolumne river to form hetch hetchy reservoir.
Why hetch hetchy is staying under water under water high. Excellent summary of the hetch hetchy battle of 190119 and what it means today. The glacial hetch hetchy valley lies in the northwestern part of yosemite national park and is drained by the tuolumne river. Because of its lower elevation, hetch hetchy has the parks longest hiking season in the area. Rock climbing in hetch hetchy, yosemite national park. Once again, hetch hetchy was on the tongues of the american people. The battle over hetch hetchy reservoir in judges hands.
The 38mile drive from the valley can be covered easily in 2 hours. With hetch hetchy low, 2 reservoirs nearby are being readied to fill needs. Hetch hetchy is located off highway 120, and it takes about 30 minutes to drive from the highway to where you will be parking. The hetch hetchy regional water system collects surface runoff from rivers and creeks in three major watersheds that is stored in reservoirs that are created by dams, both large and small, for municipal water supply and hydropower generation. For thousands of years before the arrival of settlers from the united states in the 1850s, the valley was inhabited. In 1908, san francisco voters approved building a dam at hetch hetchy. This drive is full of beautiful views though, as you head down the twolane road into the canyon itself. The case is winding through california courts, and if restore hetch. Why hetch hetchy is staying under water under water. 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. Oshaughnessy dam was completed in 1923 and on october 24, 1934, water from the hetch hetchy project finally began pouring into san francisco.
But hetch hetchy reservoir remains as a scar upon yosemite and our national park system. The dam at hetch hetchy remains as the greatest blemish in any of our national parks, the group states on its website, citing an old john muir quote that hetch hetchy valley was one of natures rarest and most precious mountain temples. The unfortunate story of the clearcutting, damming and flooding of hetch hetchy valley has been told many times in books and film. The senate, however, debated the measure extensively before passing the legislation on december 6, 19. The visual effect suggested that the dam had cracked. Hetch hetchy reservoir is considered san franciscos main water supply and the city is very protective of it.
Best hotels near hetch hetchy reservoir, yosemite national. Visitors explore the shoreline of hetch hetchy reservoir in yosemite national park, california, on thurs. Climbers seldom venture here, opting instead for the mecca that is yosemite valley. Aug 25, 2017 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 politicspreservationist, provincial, personal. From left to right, suzanne gautier, annie li, alex kornblum and heath kornblum, stand in front of a map of the hetch hetchy system at the harry tracy water treatment plant in san bruno, california. Water managers drop the ball on hetch hetchy california. 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. San francisco area residents rely on the dam for water. Dam safety program san francisco public utilities commission.
The name of the village was apparently derived from the central miwok word hetchetci, a name for a grass growing in hetch hetchy valley from which a mush was made barrett and gifford 1933. Hetch hetchy reservoir yosemite national park 2020 all. Fremont tunnel latest in hetch hetchy water system. Lake eleanor and cherry reservoir, which the sfpuc now uses for hydropower. It was really a work of artit wasnt just graffiti, said dean coffey, general manager with the hetch hetchy water and power district, which provides water to san francisco and. The first phase of construction on the oshaughnessy dam named for the chief engineer was completed in 1923 and the final phase, raising the height of the dam, was completed in 1938. 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. In 1924 the hetch hetchy railroad ceased operations as a common carrier. 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 california s state.
Hetch hetchy reservoir and oshaughnessy dam youtube. Owned by the city of san francisco, hetch hetchy reservoir provides water to 2. Hetch hetchy, the dam, the water, the powerto san francisco. When president woodrow wilson signed the raker act on december 19, 19, he permitted. As described by robert redford, hetch hetchy s damming turned into the defining struggle of the conservation movement. California hetch hetchy restoration a heated topic at. 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. Hetch hetchy map hetch hetchy aqueduct and reservoir. How did the hetch hetchy project impact native americans. Restoration of hetch hetchy valley and san franciscos.
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. The experiment on hetch hetchy will provide guidance on whether the shade ball approach can be effective for california s extensive reservoir system. Repairs underway on stormdamaged dam san francisco, ca. The ghosts of hetchhetchy by gene rose damming hetch hetchy by john muir, unpublished journal entry, c. 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. After a hike, a microbrew might hit the spot, so drive nine miles from the trail to evergreen lodge. Jul 22, 2010 restore hetch hetchy, as its name suggests, aims to return that valley to its natural state by demolishing the dam and releasing the billions of gallons of water that lie behind it. Nonetheless, hetch hetchy is well worth a visit by you, your partner and your gear if you are looking for something different. Hetch hetchy politicspreservationist, provincial, personal, and perhaps postpartisanin the 2000s by rick heide author, editor. That snow melts into the tuolumne river, and three smaller creeks that empty into the hetch hetchy reservoir. 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 court of appeal affirmed the trial courts judgment sustaining respondents demurrer in an action seeking a writ of mandate to declare the hetch hetchy reservoir and oshaughnessy dam unreasonable methods of diverting water under article x, section 2 of the california constitution. Hetch hetchy was once magnificent, unspoiled wild land. Many hiking trails begin from oshaughnessy dam and some of hetch hetchys most beautiful features are easily seen from the top of the dam. Oshaughnessy dam is a 430foot 1 m high concrete archgravity dam in tuolumne county, california, in the united states. Its aqueous blue depth is held back by oshaughnessy dam, a 1920s. 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.
Day hikes in hetch hetchy yosemite national park u. For thousands of years before the arrival of settlers from the united states in the 1850s, the valley was inhabited by native americans who practiced subsistence. Hetch hetchy environmental debates national archives. Hetch hetchy reservoir protected, for now sf weekly. An environmental artist with the skills of a mountain climber painted a giant crack down the face of hetch hetchy reservoir dam, park officials said monday. It is both a wellargued history and a beautifullywritten testimony of hubris and loss, even possible redemption. Currently numbers of environmental groups have proposals targeting the removal of this dam, the biggest deterrent would be cost of the project. Figure 1, below, shows that recent and proposed changes in hydropower generation are very small compared other recent changes in electricity production in california. Frobish is an occasional contributor to the california waterblog and director of life enrichment for the uc davis center for watershed sciences. Its been replaced by a giant tub, complete with bathtub ring, and the steep walls make it inaccessible except for the single trail. Klamath dams and hetch hetchy restoration restore hetch hetchy. Aug 29, 2017 hetch hetchy, the dam, the water, the powerto san francisco, ca.
However, the renowned conservationist ultimately lost his struggle to save the slightly smaller hetch hetchy valley from development and, in 1923, the oshaughnessy dam. Hetch hetchy valley, by john muir, boston weekly transcript, march 25, 1873. But in 19, united states allowed, for the only time in our history, a single city to appropriate one of our national parks for its own exclusive use. A paved road leads 7 miles from mather to the 312foot dam, which impounds san franciscos water supply. Friends compared letters, which all gave the same account and the same advice. But tearing down oshaughnessy dam in order to restore hetch hetchy valley would be a disaster. Nulls graduate adviser, jay lund, a leading california water scholar and an 18year. Due to its highaltitude location at 3,900 feet above sea level and its snowmeltfed water supply, water from hetch hetchy reservoir behind oshaughnessy dam does not require filtration. A list of webcams in the region of hetch hetchy junction, ordered by distance 2962183. The ghosts of hetch hetchy, by gene rose, part of restore hetch hetchy, by the sierra club hetch. City hall of sonoma at the centre of sonoma plaza, california, usa. Today the 117billiongallon reservoir supplies pristine drinking water to 2.
300 1452 1528 1258 343 42 1386 338 893 746 800 1094 1346 1188 1269 1056 1160 901 1220 825 1474 658 152 360 702 624 1483 1079 503 1343 938 501 671 1177