Talking About Hetch Hetchy

Loyd | June 14, 2005

Several thoughts on the whole Hetch Hetchy thing.

  • Hetch Hetchy is almost 100 years old now. It was built at a time when there were no earthquake or building standards like today.
  • Don Pedro holds more than enough water and generates quite a bit of electricity.
  • The water wouldn’t also have to be pumped up and down the hills like it currently does from Hetch Hetchy.
  • If SF took their water from Don Pedro it might actually be less-expensive than getting it from Hetch Hetchy so their utility bills might actually drop.
  • O’Shaughnessy dam was built to meet the water needs of an early 1900′s industrial San Francisco, needs that are vastly different from today.
  • As is normal for mountain geology, the floor of Hetch Hetchy valley may be full of sediment due to the sediment load carried by the Tuolumne river and contributing streams.

Your thoughts?

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Category: Restore Hetch Hetchy



About Loyd: For over 30 years I've enjoyed hiking, backpacking, fishing, photographing and exploring Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. More About the Author. View author profile.

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