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Restore Hetchhetchy Restore Hetch Hetchy IN YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK Vol 1, No. 2 Fall 2002 Live on Stage - One Night Only lease join us Saturday, based on traditional themes. His of the Hetch Hetchy’s fate from November 2, 2002 as we vast repertoire spans several centu- Washington decision makers. While Pwelcome two wonderful ries of Scottish music and includes waiting, Muir’s righteous anger at performers. his own compositions, which blend the ‘temple destroyers’ is tempered a profound understanding of the by his hearty good humor, and his Scottish tradition with cutting-edge relating of a number of his most musical explorations. He weaves extraordinary wilderness adven- through his performances a warm tures. This program is a fine intro- and witty narrative, drawing from a duction to both Muir the man, his deep well of stories and lore profound love of wildness, and his surrounding Scotland’s musical despair over the loss of Hetch heritage Hetchy Valley. Order your tickets today! Alasdair Fraser - a consum- Lee Stetson - as he depicts John Date: Saturday, November 2, 2002 mate performer. His dynamic Muir’s last dramatic battle to Time: Doors open at 6:00 pm fiddling, engaging stage presence, preserve the beautiful Hetch Hetchy Program begins at 7:00 pm and deep understanding of Valley, part of our National Park, Place: Angelico Hall, Scotland’s music have created but threatened by San Francisco’s Dominican University international demand for his solo desire to 50 Acacia Ave., San Rafael, CA appearances and concerts with a construct a dam If you would like additional variety of ensembles. Alasdair’s there, drowning information or to order tickets, you richly expressive playing transports it hundreds of can either use the form attached, listeners across a broad musical feet deep. call Restore Hetch Hetchy Member- spectrum, ranging from haunting Audience ship office at (916) 444-8726 or go laments from the Gaelic tradition to members are his online at www.hetchhetchy.org. classically-styled airs, raucous guests as they dance tunes, and improvisations await final word Susan Liebermann Leaves Restore Hetch Hetchy Board of Restore Hetch Hetchy is: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Ron Good Directors estore Hetch Hetchy BOARD OF DIRECTORS the minutes for the Board meetings, wishes to THANK Susan Harold Wood, Chair helping to make arrangements for Liebermann for being on Spreck Rosekrans, Vice-Chair R many special events including the Laura Lockwood, Treasurer our Board of Directors for the past Gala at Galen Rowell’s studio, Mark Palley, Secretary three years and being its volunteering at our Free David Brower (Deceased) Secretary. Although Speech table at Hetch Mark Cederborg Susan is leaving our Hetchy, and giving helpful Donald Fuhrer Board, she continues to advice on numerous issues Robert Hackamack support our effort to and activities. Susan is an Peter Jacobsen restore Hetch Hetchy elementary school teacher Dr. Jerry Meral Valley. She always did a at the Yosemite Valley Marsh Pitman wonderful job of taking school. William Resneck Susan Liebermann ADVISORY COMMITTEE Dr. Ronald Alessio Allison Dr. Peter Andersen James Bush Galen and Barbara Rowell — Yvon Chouinard Paul Davis Tom Dosh in Memoriam Rick Farber Jeffrey Holt estore Hetch Hetchy March, and some of his beautiful Huey Johnson mourns the deaths of images of the Grand Canyon of the Deborah Landowne R Galen Rowell and his wife, Tuolumne River and Hetch Hetchy Christine White Loberg Barbara, in a tragic Valley will appear Mike McCloskey airplane accident in our new video. Tim Molinare near Bishop, Fortunately, these Dr. Barbara Mossberg California on visual voices for Dr. Roderick Frazier Nash August 11, 2002. the Earth have not Jeff Nixon Galen supported been silenced — Kathryn Petersen the effort to restore with their beauti- Mark Ross Hetch Hetchy in a Galen Rowell and Barbara Rowell ful images con- Galen Rowell (Deceased) Lee Stetson number of important ways as a tinuing as a living legacy. Please Dr. Ed Wayburn member of our Advisory Commit- visit their web page, Richard Wiebe tee. His Mountain Light Gallery in www.mountainlight.com, for more Emeryville had hosted a very information. successful Gala fundraiser for us in Restore Hetch Hetchy urges a NO vote on Proposition A in San Francisco estore Hetch Hetchy, An expanded Calaveras Reservoir should give serious consideration to Sierra Club, Environmen could provide an opportunity to studying the restoration of Hetch R tal Defense, and the Plan- replace lost water storage capacity Hetchy Valley . .” ning & Conservation League are when the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is On the same day, the Los Angeles opposing Proposition A on the drained, and would increase the Times editorialized: November 5th ballot in San Fran- reliability of the current water “Replacing the lost water and cisco. Proposition A would provide delivery system for San Francisco power would be complicated and funds to repair the deteriorating pipes Bay Area water users. However, costly, but it could be done. Would it in the Hetch Hetchy water system. issues surrounding the loss of habitat be worth it? Consider the value of However, it would also cause a large and urban sprawl in the Alameda Yosemite Valley to the nation. Think expansion of the water system Creek watershed, and the benefits of of the possibility of having a second without an unbiased feasibility study a restored Hetch Hetchy Valley need such valley, free of cars and develop- to demonstrate environmentally to be addressed in a comprehensive ment, that would be the temple of sound ways of restoring Yosemite way. That’s why we have been trying nature John Muir saw before the dam National Park’s Hetch Hetchy Valley. to get the San Francisco Mayor, was built. That too would be price- We recognize the need for Board of Supervisors, and Public less.” repairing the aging water pipes and Utilities Commission to participate in On August 13th, the Sacramento improving water treatment facilities an unbiased feasibility study to look Bee also editorialized in support of a for the public health and safety of at these critical environmental issues feasibility study to look at the San Francisco residents. However, — all in the context of restoring restoration of Hetch Hetchy Valley. Proposition A is NOT just about Hetch Hetchy Valley. The City’s John Muir called Hetch Hetchy addressing these things, but would unwillingness to participate in this Valley “a grand landscape garden, also permit: 1) expanding the feasibility study caused us to oppose one of Nature’s rarest and most Calaveras Reservoir in Alameda Proposition A. precious mountain temples.” This County by over 6 times its current Major newspapers in California “precious mountain temple” must be capacity at a cost of $150 million; 2) have editorialized in favor of such a restored, and it’s time for San constructing a new fourth pipeline feasibility study. An August 17th Francisco to participate in the across the San Joaquin Valley at a editorial in the San Jose Mercury restoration process. The defeat of cost of nearly $400 million to bring News said: Proposition A on the November 5th more water to the Bay Area to fill the “Restoration of Hetch Hetchy ballot in San Francisco will enlarged Calaveras Reservoir; 3) Valley is a long shot, but if there were strengthen our ability to encourage withdrawing more water from the ever a time to study the issue, it’s San Francisco to participate in the national wild and scenic Tuolumne now. Leaders of the environmental restoration dialogue in a meaningful River; and 4) depriving public groups are asking San Francisco to way. That’s why Restore Hetch access to Yosemite National Park’s come up with $600,000 to pay half Hetchy, Sierra Club, Environmental Hetch Hetchy Valley by maintaining the cost of the study, and are offering Defense, and the Planning & Conser- a reservoir there at an incalculable to find other sources for the other half vation League all urge a NO vote on cost to the American people. The [San Francisco] supervisors Proposition A. John Muir Musical in Martinez! hroughout August, a called “a grand landscape garden, Steinhaus, Annabelle Travis, and wonderful Broadway-style one of Nature’s rarest and most Barbara Williams. Ron Good, our T musical about the life of precious mountain temples.” A Executive Director, also spent many John Muir was performed at the special THANKS goes to these nights at the table. We were able to Martinez waterfront amphitheater. great volunteers who staffed our talk with hundreds of people; hand Muir’s effort to preserve Hetch table: Stephen Brown, Mary Lu out hundreds of our newsletters and Hetchy Valley and his agony over Buchard, Barbara Bye, Linda bumper stickers; receive hundreds its loss were ever-present themes Cederborg, Mark Cederborg, Steve of signatures on our petition; and, throughout the second half of the Cederborg, Pat Corr, Paul Davis, sell lots of t-shirts, license plate play. Kathy Dupler, Jennifer Fosgate, holders, and greeting cards. An- RESTORE HETCH HETCHY Cary Gaynor, Christine Keyser, other special THANKS goes to was also ever-present at the play! Laura Lockwood, Dan Lucas, Tim Willows Theater staff Kate Every evening we had a crew of Molinare, Marilyn Norton, Jim Sheridan Thon and Jill Harcke who excellent volunteers to help spread Ocean, Erin O’Leary, Mark Palley, made arrangements for our having a the word about our modern-day Spreck Rosekrans, Richard nice “habitat” at the play. effort to restore the place John Muir Rypinski, Stefen, Carolyn Thank You to Members of Restore Hetch Hetchy! estore Hetch Hetchy Day weekends. Nash author of Wilder- wishes to THANK its * Continued our techni- ness and the American R wonderful members — cal/engineering analysis of Mind, and former now nearly 600!! — for their great “win-win” water storage and Interior Secretary support of our effort to restore power alternatives for Hetch Donald Hodel.
Recommended publications
  • Letter Regarding Request for Reconsideration-Heneghan (PDF)
    ~} • i • t KEVIN R. HENEGHAN ~..~ PARTNER DIRECT DIAL (415) 995-5801 DIRECT FAX (415) 995-3411 E-MAIL [email protected] August 6, 2012 Members, Ballot Simplification Committee Department of Elections City and County of San Francisco 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 48 San Francisco, CA 94102 Re: Comments on Request for Reconsideration of Approved Digest for "Water and Environment Plan" Dear Members of the Ballot Simplification Committee: On behalf of Save Hetch Hetchy, we would like to thank each of you for your thoughtful consideration of the ballot digest at last week's hearing. We write in opposition to the request for reconsideration filed by Spreck Rosekrans and Lance Olson. In short, we believe that the digest approved by the Ballot Simplification Committee( "BSC") correctly describes that the purpose of this measure is to develop a plan to drain the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and we urge the BSC to reject the request for reconsideration. The request for reconsideration urges the Ballot Simplification Committee to amend the digest to use "...end the use of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir..." rather than "...drain the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir..." when discussing the two-phase plan proposed by the initiative. The BSC should not accept this invitation to use euphemistic language when plain language will suffice and should maintain the use of "drain" which clearly conveys the purpose of the initiative. It is worth pointing out that Restore Hetch Hetchy( "RHH"), the nonprofit organization which has placed the measure on the ballot, regularly uses the term "drain" to describe the goal of RHH and its initiative.
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  • Restore a National Treasure: Yosemite's Hetch Hetchy Valley
    The Newspaper of the San Francisco Bay Chapter ∙ March-April 2005 Restore a national treasure: Yosemite's Hetch Hetchy Valley Vision of a restored Hetch Hetchy Valley. By Greg Richardson, LevelPar/Environmental Defense Today's headlines hark back to earliest Sierra Club history. and other Bay Area communities. Restore Hetch Hetchy, an The newly minted California quarter features Club founder aptly named grassroots organization, has told and retold the John Muir, walking-stick in hand, gazing up at Half Dome in Hetch Hetchy story to the public, the media, and elected Yosemite. At a time when America's rush westward left little officials since its founding in 1999, while promoting concern for conservation, Muir led the effort to protect environmentally sound alternatives. A study in 1988 by Yosemite Valley and the surrounding wilderness area as a President Reagan's Department of Interior brought the idea of national park. restoration to public attention. New studies by Environmental And on Nov. 8 the Schwarzenegger administration Defense and UC Davis have broadened the appeal of the announced that it would launch an investigation of the valley's restoration by demonstrating that practical alternatives possible decommissioning of the O'Shaughnessy Dam and are available. restoration of Hetch Hetchy Valley. Muir spent the last years On Sep. 27, Environmental Defense released a 285-page of his life leading the Sierra Club in a bitter and ultimately report titled "Paradise Regained: Solutions for Restoring unsuccessful fight to block San Francisco's proposal to build Yosemite's Hetch Hetchy Valley". The study, compiled with this dam, which turned Yosemite's gorgeous Hetch Hetchy the assistance of three distinguished consulting firms, Valley into a reservoir.
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  • Restoration of Hetch Hetchy Valley and San Francisco's Water Supply
    Restoration of Hetch Hetchy Valley and San Francisco’s Water Supply Spreck Rosekrans Executive Director, Restore Hetch Hetchy Q: After restoration, where will San Francisco gets is water? A: From the Tuolumne River, just as it does now. Summary The San Francisco regional water system currently receives 85% of its supply from the Tuolumne River watershed. San Francisco stores its Tuolumne River supplies in four reservoirs - Hetch Hetchy, Cherry, Eleanor and Don Pedro. Hetch Hetchy and Eleanor Reservoir lie within Yosemite National Park, while Cherry and Don Pedro Reservoirs are outside the park. Figure 1 shows San Francisco’s facilities in the Tuolumne watershed. With modifications to pipelines in the Tuolumne watershed, restoration could occur with San Francisco being able to retain almost all its Tuolumne derived supplies. Only modest new supplies would be required to ensure no loss in water system reliability.1 This report addresses only the most commonly asked question by restoration skeptics: Where would the water come from? Restoration would also require increased water treatment costs and replacement of about 350 gigawatt-hours per year of hydropower production – issues not addressed herein. Restoration of Hetch Hetchy Valley and San Francisco’s Water Supply This approach would allow full deliveries of Tuolumne supplies in most years, but in the driest one out of five years there would be a shortage of about 60,000 acre-feet – about 20% of the San Francisco Regional Water System’s overall system supply. While a plethora of specific options for replacing 60,000 acre-feet of water in dry years is available, no particular alternative is singled out herein.
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  • Hetch Hetchy and the Paradoxes of Restoration
    Hastings Environmental Law Journal Volume 13 Number 2 Summer 2007 Article 1 1-1-2007 Hetch Hetchy and the Paradoxes of Restoration Brian E. Gray Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.uchastings.edu/ hastings_environmental_law_journal Part of the Environmental Law Commons Recommended Citation Brian E. Gray, Hetch Hetchy and the Paradoxes of Restoration, 13 Hastings West Northwest J. of Envtl. L. & Pol'y 211 (2007) Available at: https://repository.uchastings.edu/hastings_environmental_law_journal/vol13/iss2/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Journals at UC Hastings Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Hastings Environmental Law Journal by an authorized editor of UC Hastings Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Hetch Hetchy and the Paradoxes of Restoration Brian E. Gray* Our topic this evening is Hetch Hetchy, the valley that John Muir called the "Tuolumne Yosemite," which has served for the past 75 years as San Francisco's principal source of water supply. Only a decade ago, Hetch Hetchy was a backwater - little known, seldom visited, and largely removed from national political attention and California water politics.' Because of Ron Good, his colleagues at Restore.Hetch Hetchy and Environmental De- fense, and their new friend Harrison Ford, however, the public's awareness of Hetch Hetchy certainly has changed.2 Tonight, I would like to address two aspects of the debate - which has now entered its second century - over the proper use of this beautiful and beautifully emblematic valley: (1) how it came to be dammed, and (2) what * Professor of Law, University of California Hastings College of the Law.
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  • Verified Petition for Writ of Mandate and Complaint for Declaratory Relief
    Michael R. Lozeau (Bar No. 142893) 1 Richard T. Drury (Bar No. 163559) Richard M. Franco (Bar No. 170970) 2 LOZEAU DRURY LLP 3 410 12th Street, Suite 250 Oakland, California 94607 4 Tel: (510) 836-4200 Fax: (510) 836-4205 5 E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] 6 [email protected] 7 Richard M. Frank (Bar No. 63482) 8 School of Law University of California 9 Davis, California 95616 Tel: (530) 752-7422 10 Fax: (530) 752-4704 E-mail: [email protected] 11 Attorneys for Petitioner and Plaintiff 12 SUPERIOR COURT FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA 13 IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF TUOLUMNE 14 RESTORE HETCH HETCHY, a non-profit, public Case No. 15 benefit corporation, VERIFIED PETITION FOR WRIT OF 16 Petitioner and Plaintiff, MANDATE AND COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY RELIEF 17 vs. (Article X, section 2, California Constitution; 18 CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO, a Water Code § 100; Code Civ. Pro. § 1060; 19 municipal corporation; SAN FRANCISCO Code of Civil Procedure § 1085) PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION, a municipal 20 agency; and DOES I – X, inclusive, Respondents and Defendants. 21 22 MODESTO IRRIGATION DISTRICT, a public 23 agency; TURLOCK IRRIGATION DISTRICT, a public agency; BAY AREA WATER SUPPLY 24 AND CONSERVATION AGENCY, a public agency, and ROES I–XXX, inclusive, 25 Real Parties in Interest and Defendants. 26 THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO and its agency, the SAN FRANCISCO 27 PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION (collectively “CCSF” and “Respondents”) are employing an 28 1 _________________________________________________________________________________ Verified Petition for Writ of Mandate and Complaint for Declaratory Relief 1 unreasonable method of diverting municipal water supplies from the Tuolumne River by drowning 2 the Hetch Hetchy Valley of Yosemite National Park with a reservoir.
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  • NEWSLETTER Fall 2016 Restore Hetch Hetchy in Yosemite National Park
    NEWSLETTER Fall 2016 Restore Hetch Hetchy in Yosemite National Park Hetch Hetchy: Requiem for a Valley Oil on canvas, 36” X 72” Brooks Anderson 1992 RESTORE HETCH HETCHY LEGAL CAMPAIGN: San Francisco must comply with California law On October 17, Restore Hetch Hetchy filed a brief with the 5th District Appellate Court, asking it to rule that San Francisco’s water system must abide by California law. The appeal is necessary as, last April, the Tuolumne County Superior court ruled against Restore Hetch Hetchy’s claim on legal grounds—that the California Constitution is irrelevant because federal law allowed the construction of O’Shaughnessy Dam and filling of Hetch Hetchy Valley, and because the statute of limitations for any such claim has passed. “We think the trial court got it wrong on both counts,” explained Michael Lozeau, chief counsel for Restore Hetch Hetchy. “The Raker Act is clear that none of its provisions are intended to interfere with California’s right to govern its water. This includes whether a ‘method of diversion’—such as a municipal dam in Yosemite National Park—is unreasonable. Several members of Congress, including Congressman Raker himself, were adamant that, in the event of a conflict, California water law trumps the City’s right-of-way.” “Furthermore”, Lozeau continued, “a statute of limitations cannot be applied to a constitutional provision that establishes an evolving standard of ‘reasonableness’ that arises over a long period of time.” It will be several more months before all parties have completed their submissions to the appellate “this bill does not attempt court.
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  • Hetch Hetchy Restoration Study
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  • Hetch Hetchy Opinion
    Filed 7/9/18 Restore Hetch Hetchy v. City and County of San Francisco CA5 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115. IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT RESTORE HETCH HETCHY, F074107 Petitioner and Appellant, (Super. Ct. No. CV59426) v. CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO OPINION et al., Respondents; MODESTO IRRIGATION DISTRICT et al., Real Parties in Interest and Respondents. APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Tuolumne County. Kevin M. Seibert, Judge. Lozeau Drury, Michael R. Lozeau, Richard T. Drury, Meredith S. Wilensky; Richard M. Frank for Petitioner and Appellant. Rossmann and Moore, Antonio Rossmann and Roger B. Moore for Huey Johnson, Daniel Lungren, John Van De Kamp, Douglas Wheeler and Earth Island Institute; Olson Hagel & Fishburn, Deborah B. Caplan and Richard C. Miadich for Barbara Griffin and Robert Binnewies; Deborah A. Sivas, Alicia E. Thesing and Isaac Cheng for Environmental Law Clinic as Amici Curiae on behalf of Petitioner and Appellant Dennis J. Herrera, City Attorney, Yvonne R. Meré, Joshua D. Milstein, Matthew D. Goldberg, Mollie M. Lee and Aileen M. McGrath, Deputy City Attorneys, for Respondents. Hanson Bridgett, Kimon Manolius, Allison C. Schutte, Nathan A. Metcalf and Adam W. Hofmann for Real Party in Interest and Respondent Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency.
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  • The Battle to Restore Hetch Hetchy Valley Moves to the Courts | 1
    The Battle to Restore Hetch Hetchy Valley Moves to the Courts | 1 Hetch Hetchy Valley in Early 1900’s, Before Valley’s Inundation This week, the longstanding battle over the dam and reservoir that have for a century flooded Yosemite National Park’s storied Hetch Hetchy Valley moves to the courts. A new lawsuit, filed by conservationists on the 177th anniversary of John Muir’s birth, asserts that the City of San Francisco’s continued operation of O’Shaughnessy Dam and Hetch Hetchy Reservoir on the Tuolumne River within the Park violates Article X, section 2 of the California Constitution. Specifically, Restore Hetch Hetchy, the organization that brought the lawsuit against San Francisco, claims that continued maintenance of the dam and reservoir in one of Yosemite’s most spectacular areas, constitutes an “unreasonable method of diversion” of water that violates state constitutional standards. The Battle to Restore Hetch Hetchy Valley Moves to the Courts | 2 Hetch Hetchy Valley Today The petition, filed Tuesday in Tuolumne County Superior Court, can be accessed here. (In the interest of full disclosure, I serve as one of the attorneys representing Restore Hetch Hetchy in this litigation.) I previously wrote about the contentious, century-old battle over Hetch Hetchy Valley in a post published on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Congress’ 1913 passage of the Raker Act in December 2013. It was that federal legislation that authorized the City of San Francisco to build a dam across the Tuolumne River that would flood the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park in order to deliver water supplies to San Francisco residents and businesses.
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  • Solutions September-October 2004
    Solutions Vol. 35, No. 4 September-October 2004 Preserving the web of life Court urges SHELTERING AMERICA’S TINIEST TURTLE WILL PROTECT snowmobile AN ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM cleanup 3 he tiny, elusive bog turtle spends which we all depend for evolution. Tmost of its life half-buried in the “Every species has the potential to teach muck, far from sight. What impact us something new,” adds Male. could its survival possibly have on the Since most endangered species China’s grand scheme of things? inhabit private lands, Environmental green Plenty, says our wildlife scientist Defense partners with landowners to experiment 4 Dr. Tim Male. Besides occupying an restore habitat. “To make a difference, important niche in mid-Atlantic wet- we have to enlist the support of regular lands, the turtle may provide insight into people who share their land with these how to restore and maintain vanishing animals and plants,” explains Male. An alliance ecosystems. More than 11,000 animal to replenish and plant species are now threatened AN UNLIKELY MASCOT the seas 7 with extinction. Not since an asteroid hit The bog turtle’s habitat—wet meadows Earth 65 million years ago have so many and other shallow, sunny wetlands—is species been at risk. fast disappearing as farm pastures are Biodiversity loss, says renowned swallowed up by development and non- Reclaiming biologist Edward O. Wilson, is the one native vegetation. America’s smallest tur- a fabled thing for which our descendants are least tle is also threatened by the high price it likely to forgive us. Unless we change brings through the illegal pet trade—up valley 8 our ways, he warns, half of all species to $2,500 in Tokyo pet shops.
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  • Fall 2020 Newsletter
    Newsletter Fall 2020 Your vision of restoration? The mission of Restore Hetch Hetchy is 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. We believe a restored valley can work for wildlife and people alike, but without the infrastructure and traffic that so often diminishes the visitor experience in Yosemite Valley. Beyond this simple principle, restoration poses many questions. Restore Hetch Hetchy is asking supporters to provide their views. What do you think restoration should look like? 1. Should there be roads in the restored valley? If so, should private automobiles be allowed? Hetch Hetchy Valley is about 8 miles long – how should visitors go from one place to another? 2. Should camping or lodging be available within the valley? Adjacent to the valley? Or should these services only be available miles away? 3. Should the National Park Service provide shuttle service to Hetch Hetchy? 4. What should we do with the dam? Remove it entirely? “Breech” it, allowing the Tuolumne river to pass through and use the dam as a foundation for lodging? Let us know what you think. Fill out the short survey at our (new) website – hetchhetchy.org, or send an email to [email protected]. By restoring Hetch Hetchy we can make a better Yosemite. Image: Garrett Burke The Hetch Hetchy Loop Road and why it matters Today, barely one percent of the cars entering Yosemite National Park are headed for Hetch Hetchy.
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  • RE-ASSEMBLING HETCH HETCHY Water Supply Implications And
    1 1 2 3 RE-ASSEMBLING HETCH HETCHY 4 Water Supply Implications and Costs of Removing O'Shaughnessy Dam 5 6 7 8 Sarah Null and Jay R. Lund2 9 10 11 ABSTRACT: The Hetch Hetchy System provides San Francisco with most of its water supply. 12 O’Shaughnessy Dam is one component of this system, providing approximately 25% of water 13 storage for the Hetch Hetchy System and none of its conveyance. Removing O’Shaughnessy 14 Dam has gained interest to restore Hetch Hetchy Valley. The water supply feasibility of 15 removing O’Shaughnessy Dam is analyzed by examining alternative water storage and delivery 16 operations for San Francisco using an economic-engineering optimization model. This model 17 ignores institutional and political constraints and has perfect hydrologic foresight to explore 18 water supply possibilities through re-operation of other existing reservoirs. The economic 19 benefits of O’Shaughnessy Dam and its alternatives are measured in terms of the quantity of 20 water supplied to San Francisco and agricultural water users, water treatment costs, and 21 hydropower generation. Results suggest there would be little water scarcity if O’Shaughnessy 22 Dam were to be removed, although removal would be costly due to additional water treatment 23 costs and lost hydropower generation. 24 (KEY TERMS: water supply, dam removal, Hetch Hetchy, optimization, filtration avoidance, 25 restoration.) 2 Respectively, Doctoral Student, Geography Graduate Group, University of California, Davis; Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Davis, 3109 Engineering Unit III, Davis, California 95616 2 1 INTRODUCTION 2 O’Shaughnessy Dam, located in the Hetch Hetchy Valley of Yosemite National Park, 3 was built by the city of San Francisco in 1923, as a component of the Hetch Hetchy water 4 system.
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