Up to 24% cash back (the hetch hetchy was a part of yosemite national park.) Not only would restoration make Yosemite entire once more, but would also encourage others that we don't have to continue making . Hetch Hetchy was the first major battle of the environmental movement. The era's most controversial environmental issue was the five-year struggle over federal approval for . 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. In the essay Thinking Like A Mountain, Aldo Leopold tell us how important is sustainability. Hetch Hetchy is just 15 miles north of Yosemite Valley and the two are often called twins. Some of the costs would be operational, recurring year after year. It is hard NOT to get inspired by the beauty of this park. United States. west seattle explosion today "Dam Hetch Hetchy!": John Muir Contests the Hetch-Hetchy Dam So they used it for irrigation which gave them more farm land. 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. However, not until 1987 under President Reagan did hope resurfaced that we may actually get it back. 1244). The Hetch Hetchy Dam is destroying a piece of land that is the homes of multiple types of animals. The issue at the time was should a portion of the public lands be given up as a right-of-way for San Francisco, et al, to store and transport water? Dams may be able to clean up the water. 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. Restoration would not only make Yosemite whole once again it would inspire people that we don't need to live with . That said, the board does not support either side in the Hetch Hetchy debate. 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. repositorio-aberto.up.pt 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. . But tearing down O'Shaughnessy Dam in order to restore Hetch Hetchy Valley would be a disaster. Hetch Hetchy Valley Response Paper - realhomeworkpros 16 Main Pros and Cons of Hydropower - Green Garage What I havent done is look more closely at the pros and cons of the issues on each side. The Hetch Hetchy Controversy, 1903-13: Additional Resources in the Hetch Hetchy: Pros and Cons of Restoration - Yosemite Tales Hidden in Yosemite National Park's peaceful northwest corner, Hetch Hetchy Valley is a treasure worth visiting in all seasons. Pinchot during this time understood that raging forest fires occurring in certain areas of the country was one aspect that needed to be fixed. Restoring Hetch Hetchy could also come at an environmental cost. Hetch Hetchy: Congress and the Environment | National Archives Description. 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. Do the State and Federal filtration standards that Hetch Hetchy Reservoir meets or exceeds include the standards necessary to eliminate the Giardia parasites? 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.. O'Shaughnessy Dam (California) - Wikipedia But whenever we did have floodings the cost was very high to try and building and fixing it back up. But with them building the dam the water level would lower down making it harder to be at a safe distance from the ground. Hetch Hetchy would never get built today, but restoring it is something for the long haul, Lund told the Monitor. In addition, Nash continues his article by giving facts about the water in Texas being glutted with run-off from centers of population, factories and farms that all alter the chemical constitution of water (3) creating a deeper predicament for the people in Texas. 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. That will determine whether or not it is feasible. However, even if Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is drained (with its water to be stored elsewhere and the valley restoration begins), Yosemite will still not be whole. Lake Eleanor is another reservoir with another Dam and within the boundary of Yosemite National Park and also part of the Hetch Hetchy water system for San Francisco. The club continues opening National Parks, building monuments and dams in rivers and protecting the sequoia trees in many other parks (The Sierra Club). Our figures include replacing that with solar power.. Hetch Hetchy Dam Pictures, Images and Stock Photos Feature Photo: Brooks Andersons Hetch Hetchy: Requiem For a Valley, Ive been curious about the water purity issue and that one of the features of the Tuolumne River is its purity and that it could be delivered without filtration. 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. Hetch Hetchy Debate Pros And Cons. Hetch Hetchy is unique because of its small holding capacity in comparison to the vast watershed feeding it. 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. Which means we lose more money. Dams, aquifers and parks | Restore Hetch Hetchy Which is used for more people. BAY AREA MONITOR 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. Theodore Roosevelt: Conservation As A National Duty introduces the problem of the lack of natural resources, and how are we going to fix the problem for future generations? The hearing considers an amendment to the Raker Act that authorized the dam. USA.gov, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration danitza athanassiadis biography; statute of limitations on traffic tickets in california; craigslist low income apartments for rent. The two books give near contemporary accounts of the Hetch Hetchy dam, one by the engineer in charge of building it. Hetch Hetchy: Pros and Cons of Restoration. The Great Hetch Hetchy Debate - Bay Area Monitor 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. Hetch Hetchy, California - Town Traveller You own magnificent red-rock canyons and beautiful turquoise rivers. The debate featured those for the proposed dam the conservationists and those opposed the preservationists. Hetchy Dam Pros And Cons - 1025 Words | Internet Public Library 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. On the other hand, there is also the collective interest, which is the concern for what is best for the society so that the commons can be preserved and maintained for future generations (Hardin, 1968, pp. The fact that his book brought about the removal of the Elwha dam is a significant thing and is important to the future of conservation. Divide the class into four small groups. Local job creation. 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. While the dam did drive away some business from Yuma, it also brought people and grew the cities of Yuma. Rather, in a brief submitted to the appellate court by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, the board said that the trial court erred when it ruled that federal law preempted California water law. Write an opinion piece (e.g. Hetch Hetchy System - BAWSCA Proceedings before the secretary of the interior. Hetch Hetchy is just 15 miles north of Yosemite Valley and the two are often called twins. When the gold rush happen they put yuma on the map. Activity 1: Analysis. Due to the high intelligence level of human, we often think that we know what are the consequences of our action, and do things the way we like without knowing the real impact that we cause. Preservationist and Sierra Club founder John Muir did not testify before Congress, but he argued against the Hetch Hetchy plan in this excerpt from his 1912 book, The Yosemite. But that is what the suite is all about. 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. Have all students read the debate overview and page one of the HR 7207, the "Raker Bill". 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. Pros And Cons Of Hech Hetchy - 497 Words | Internet Public Library Tribal activists say that the pipeline could pollute their main water supply and would destroy a historic burial ground. Hetch Hetchy is only one of nine reservoirs in the San Francisco Public Utility Commission's water system. "Dam Hetch Hetchy! It pitted a powerful city against a dedicated group of conservationists. Note: you may use the handout or navigate to our feature on the Hetch Hetchy Environmental Debates to access the overview and copy of the Raker Bill. Waterways can be used for transportation purposes. 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. Ultimately, pro-reservoir forces won, and in 1913 Congress passed the Raker Act, which granted San . Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Water System Legal issues aside, is it theoretically possible to change the Hetch Hetchy water system? Giving a Dam: Congress Debates Hetch Hetchy - George Mason University 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 . 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. During 19th century, the Hetch Hetchy Dam was being inhabited by the Native Americans who usually practiced the so called hunting-gathering. He convinced Theodore Roosevelt, president at the time, to go camping with him in Yosemite to get Roosevelts support for the National park. 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. Attraction of tourists. 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. Wilderness belongs to you. I think I can partially answer your question. Theodore Roosevelt approved the concept of the O'Shaughnessy Dam, which ultimately created the Hetch Hetchy reservoir within Yosemite. The Sierra Club gained 1,000 members by 1908 and from them on continued to rise. Not only was that bad for the environmental movement, but also many people did not know how to act in the national parks. Today, however, that valley is under 300 feet of water. 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. Because after they built a dam the water levels decreased. Historical photographs show why: like Yosemite Valley, Hetch Hetchy has sheer granite walls that originally rose dramatically from a wide valley floor. The Hetch Hetchy Dam is destroying a piece of land that is the homes of multiple types of animals. Basically, that is what the petition (suit) filed by Restore Hetch Hetchy is all about; that is, to come up with a plan to rework the water system so that Hetch Hetchy Valley does not need to be used to store the water. The Hetch Hetchy area closes at 5:00 p.m. for day-use visitors, and a permit is required for overnight camping or backpacking. 3. 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). Building a dam on the Tuolumne River at Hetch . It was deeded to them in a duly enacted act of Congress in 1913. The brought and gave good to yuma and went through the colorado river because yuma was mostly a flood plain at a constant level. Since then, support and action has grown to the point that some studies have been made on the subject, a whole organization, Restore Hetch Hetchy (HetchHetchy.org), has materialize to champion its cause, and currently there is even a law suit working through the courts to force San Francisco to take the subject more seriously. Considering the context of the hetch hetchy debate at the time,. . 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. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. 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. Dams, aquifers and parks. Royalty-free Creative Video Editorial Archive Custom Content Creative Collections. SOLUTIONS. According to Restore Hetch Hetchy, Lake Eleanor is not part of their plan or goal. Dams provide us with a source of clean energy. Today, hetch hetchy valley is a dammed and flooded reservoir. Bringing to light the question of progress or plants (for this purpose it is a generic term encompassing various flora and fauna)? It was left to individuals in the various offices to apply the progressive or preservationist flavor to a request as they saw fit. Hetch Hetchy Valley, Yosemite National Park, California The Greatest Many worry that it will intrude on property rights, while others believe that it will be a danger to the environment. A decade later the O'Shaughnessy Dam, the second largest civil engineering project of its day after the Panama Canal, was completed. See these: The Plight of Hetch Hetchy This section of the Yosemite History page begins the series of discussions on Hetch Hetchy. At least, not at this time. He was able to see firsthand the damage humans were causing. Hetch-22 | Ethics: Climate Change - Galen Hiltbrand Hetch-Hetchy - Theodore Roosevelt approved the concept of He wrote the book, A Sand County Almanac. Since they built the dam, yuma became a bigger city which a lot of people passed through it to get to the gold rush. Some people are outraged by the pipeline because it contributes to man-made climate change. For example, thanks to the reservoirs nearly 4,000-foot elevation in the Sierra Nevada, the water in it is amazingly pure. 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. You might say mining was a decent thing to help the environment financially, but a lot of the times after people were done mining they left the environment a mess including the rivers and its banks. Hetch Hetchy Valley as a repository for the water from the Tuolumne River belongs to San Francisco, et al. He shows that every contribution is part of the whole nations power by which a difference in history can be. You own frozen Arctic tundra, endless southern wildflower fields and refreshing cool northern forests. 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. . Newest results. In regards to the commons, the tragedy is very much relevant to not just the state, but also the individuals. Restore Hetch Hetchy is not anti-dam. Amid a worsening drought, the Bay Area's water supplies are in good shape. Hetch Hetchy today | Restore Hetch Hetchy For example, in the spring/summer of 1905, an insane flood hit the lower part of the river as a flash flood. Is there some filtering or treatment now being applied that wasnt when your flyer was written? For example, raising a dam on another reservoir in the system could flood another stretch of the Tuolumne River that, while outside Yosemite National Park, is designated as a national Wild and Scenic River. In a state wracked with drought, the Hetch Hetchy is an exception to the rule. That anyone would try to destroy [Hetch Hetchy Valley] seems; incredible; but sad experience shows that there are people good enough and bad enough for anything. Yuma's irrigation in the past was horrible but has gotten better throughout the years. When people are not aware of where their energy comes from, it threatens their values and ideals. The commons are essentially Earths finite resources such as water resources, forest resources, fish stock, energy, and endangered species. hetch hetchy dam pros and cons - imperio7store.com So San Francisco won the day, fair and square. On the other hand, Navajo representative, Ed Bencenti wrote the article, Senate Bill 2109 Seeks to Extinguish Navajo and Hopi Water Rights, in which he exposes the real intentions of the Senate Bill. In 1961 they all participated in an expansion of the reservoir creating a larger dam increasing storage from just short of 300,000 acre-feet to a bit over 2,000,000 acre-feet. Argument Against The Hetchy Dam - 587 Words - Internet Public Library Hydroelectricity is responsible for 19% of the world's energy supply, offering over 3000 terawatts each year. Assign each group to analyze one or more . Have San Francisco look into it. Although Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is the most well-known, it stores less than 25% of the system's water. The Bay Area Monitor thanks Craig Newmark Philanthropies for funding support of this site. The very idea that a dam and a reservoir was allowed and constructed within a National Park is repugnant. 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. However, pumps and filtration could be added at a fraction of what Restore Hetch Hetchy says would be the benefit of a restored valley. Photo by Isaiah West Taber. 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. Feel free to comment, like, or share. There are other posts on the plight of Hetch Hetchy at Yosemite Tales.