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Title
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Worth A Dam?
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Description
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The damming of the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite following the aftermath of the earthquake and subsequent fires in San Francisco was the last industrial use of a National Park, and many opposed the creation and existence of it prior to its construction and following its completion. The rise of environmentalism in the late 20th and early 21st centuries sparked a genuine debate on whether or not the dam should be taken down, allowing for the natural wildlife and ecosystems of the valley to return to how they were. Many argue that the Dam is essential for energy production and water supply to the city of San Francisco. Others argue that the energy production isn't all that large a factor and point towards new renewable energy projects that are taking place around the San Francisco area. The water supply of San Francisco isn't very diverse and relies heavily on the Tuolumne River, so an expansion of different water sources could relieve the Hetch Hetchy of its purpose as a reservoir. It would take an extremely large effort to properly supply San Francisco with adequate water if the Hetch Hetchy Dam were to be taken down, but the positive environmental impacts if it were to be taken down could be very large as well. The question stands: should the Hetch Hetchy Dam stay, or be destroyed?
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Date
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1906 – 2012
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Location - Physical Location
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Evergreen Road, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389
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Name
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Carter Rousseau
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cites
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https://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/magazine/entry/worth_a_dam/
