You can see the falls from the dam though. [71], The dam would not have to be completely removed; rather, it would only be necessary to cut a hole through the base in order to drain the water and restore natural flows of the Tuolumne River. [6], The valley is fed by the Tuolumne River, Falls Creek, Tiltill Creek, Rancheria Creek and numerous smaller streams which collectively drain a watershed of 459 sq mi (1,190 km2). You will find Hetch Hetchy in the North West Corner of Yosemite. For thousands of years, Native Americans subjected the valley to controlled bushfires, which prevented forest from taking over the valley meadows. [63] The city justified this as a temporary measure, but no attempt to follow through with completing the municipal grid was ever made. They would light upon a man's blue shirt and turn it brown, and were voracious as mosquitoes would be. [25] Screech reported that the valley was bitterly disputed between the "Pah Utah Indians" (Paiute) and "Big Creek Indians" (Miwok), and witnessed several fights in which the Paiute appeared to be the dominant tribe. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir - Yosemite, CA. thanks. The dam and reservoir, combined with a series of aqueducts, tunnels, and hydroelectric plants as well as eight other storage dams, comprise a system known as the Hetch Hetchy Project, which provides 80% of the water supply for 2.6 million people. But tearing down O’Shaughnessy Dam in order to restore Hetch Hetchy Valley would be a disaster. Today, descendants of these people still use milkweed, deergrass, bracken fern, willow, and other plants for a variety of uses including baskets, medicines, and string. The shortest one is the Wapama, 2.7 miles one way. Simply hanging on for the ride, this wild rainbow launched 4’ out of the water and I’ll never forget the tail slaps. 184 sixtieth congress, first session] [42], In 1906, after a major earthquake and subsequent fire that devastated San Francisco, the inadequacy of the city's water system was made tragically clear. [16] When the glacier retreated for the final time, sediment-laden meltwater deposited thick layers of silt, forming the flat alluvial floodplain of the valley floor. 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. [9], While its cousin Yosemite Valley to the south had permanent Miwok settlements,[26] Hetch Hetchy was only seasonally inhabited. It is the primary water source for about 2.5 million residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. In this unmanaged scenario, where nature is left to take hold in the valley, eventually a forest would grow, rather than the meadow being restored. They acknowledge that a concerted effort would have to be made to control the introduction of wildlife and tourism back into the valley in order to prevent destabilization of the ecosystem,[68] and that it might be decades or even centuries before the valley could be returned to natural conditions. The terminus of the incomplete line was "conveniently located next to a PG&E substation", which connected to PG&E's private line which in turn bridged the gap to San Francisco. Hetch Hetchy’s (HH) turnoff is about a mile from the Highway 120 gate and about 10 miles in. Not only was the Hetch Hetchy controversy one of water and preservation, but it became mired in the political issues of the day. thanks for your help. There are two waterfalls that you can visit. hetch hetchy reservoir site. As well dam for water-tanks the people's cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man. Its a distance away from the rest of the park. The history of this Reservoir connects to history of Trains that serviced when this was built. They would lose about 20% of their hydropower. ", "San Francisco-Hetch Hetchy Valley Connection", "Hetch Hetchy controversy: Could Yosemite's 'second valley' be restored? [82] Dianne Feinstein opposed this allocation, saying, "I will do all I can to make sure it isn't included in the final bill. Gray pine, incense-cedar, and California black oak grow in abundance. During the late 19th century, the valley was renowned for its natural beauty – often compared to that of Yosemite Valley – but also targeted for the development of water supply for irrigation and municipal interests. Sign up for Facebook today to discover local businesses near you. Water could be diverted into the Kirkwood and Moccasin Powerhouses using lower-impact diversion dams, providing power generation on a seasonal basis, and the enlarged height at Don Pedro would also increase power generation there. With large conglomerates such as William Randolph Hearst controlling much of the media in the San Francisco area, as well as newspapers in other parts of the country, he helped shape the outcome of the passing of the Raker Act in Congress, allowing the dam to be built. Hetch Hetchy is only one of nine reservoirs in the San Francisco Public Utility Commission’s water system. Fish Species: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout: Latest Photos. Still can find the trains in James Town. "[23], The valley's name may be derived from the Miwok word hatchhatchie, which means "edible grasses"[9][24] or "magpie". I hope you enjoyed, it is so beautiful ... please accept my apoligizes, hello we are hiking hetch hetchy, rancheria falls, tilltill and lake vernon in early august. [77][78], The economic wisdom of removing the dam has been frequently questioned. between those who wish to retain the dam and reservoir, and those who wish to drain the reservoir and return Hetch Hetchy Valley to its former state. [3] From Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, the water flows through the Canyon and Mountain Tunnels to Kirkwood and Moccasin Powerhouses, which have capacities of 124 and 110 megawatts, respectively. Photo Credit: Phil Akers. Of course, most people take the "short" way into Yosemite. The Hetch Hetchy Road drops into the valley at the dam, but all points east of there are roadless, and accessible only to hikers and equestrians. Those in favor of dam removal have pointed out that many actions by San Francisco since 1913 have been in violation of the Raker Act, which explicitly stated that power and water from Hetch Hetchy could not be sold to private interests. The dam was then 227 feet (69 m) high; its present height of 312 feet (95 m) was achieved only later, in 1938. we are going early august and it would be great to know what type of sleeping bags to bring! Many examples of red-barked manzanita can be seen along the Hetch Hetchy Road. any recommendations for what to see for disabled folks Its not crowded at all. You can check the National Park.gov web site to see what parks have been affected by the government shut down. Semi Private Yosemite Tour with Ahwahnee Lunch - with Hotel Pickup ! Lake Information. "[85] However, she does support breaching the dam once it has reached the end of its lifespan, and not replacing it. The imputed motive was to divide the environmental movement: to see residents of the strongly Democratic city of San Francisco coming out against an environmental issue. 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