Such new supplies are not guaranteed to have the low greenhouse gas emissions profile that Hetch Hetchy water and power do and they could worsen climate change while increasing our vulnerability to it. [57] Pipelines 3 and 4 end at the Pulgas Water Temple, a small park that contains classical architectural elements which celebrate the water delivery. The Tuolumne River originates in the peaks above Tuolumne Meadows and is the major drainage system for the northern part of Yosemite. Download the official NPS app before your next visit. . The extensive amount of storage, which is designed to benefit the Bay Area as droughts become more severe with climate. DWR also found that the planning studies necessary to refine the costs and benefits of restoration would cost $65 million alone. View of the OShaughnessy Dam and the Hetchy Hetchy Road and parking. [3] Kolana Rock, at 5,772ft (1,759m), is a massive rock spire on the south side of the Hetch Hetchy Valley. . For John Muir, it was about preserving a natural wonder which could be enjoyed by generations to come. Before damming, the high granite formations produced a valley with an average depth of 1,800ft (550m) and a maximum depth of over 3,000ft (910m); the length of the valley was 3mi (4.8km) with a width ranging from .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}18 to 12 mile (660 to 2,640ft; 200 to 800m). [82] Dianne Feinstein opposed this allocation, saying, "I will do all I can to make sure it isn't included in the final bill. The SFPUC tests its quality more than 100,000 times a year to ensure that it exceeds all safe drinking water standards. Show More. There have been lawsuits over whether San Francisco violated the agreements of the Raker Act. These clean and comfortable rooms also enjoy access to the pool, spa and other facilities at Yosemite Westgate Lodge. Pinchot argued that applying the principle of the greatest good for the greatest number, meant the benefits accrued to the people of San Francisco from having the dam far outweighed leaving the valley in its current state. As a result, San Francisco secured a reliable and . There, he met the same Indian chief and his wives. Muir observed:[3]. The Sites Reservoir a $4.4 billion project to add dams and store more water that'll be sent south is still years away from completion. The trail continues to climb for 1.8 miles (2.8 km) above the trail intersection, but you can turn around any time. But the reservoir has spared it some of the indignities of Yosemite Valley", "San Francisco Department of Elections, November 2012 Results", "San Francisco vote to study draining Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is defeated", "Hetch Hetchy Water and the Bay Area Economy", "Thesis: Water Supply Implications of Removing O'Shaughnessy Dam", "New Irvington Tunnel latest in Hetch Hetchy water system improvements", Current Conditions, Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, California Department of Water Resources, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission: Hetch Hetchy Water and Power, California Resources Agency Hetch Hetchy Restoration Study, Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency on Hetch Hetchy dam, National Register of Historic Places in Yosemite National Park, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hetch_Hetchy&oldid=1131920349, History of the Sierra Nevada (United States), Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the National Park Service, Articles with dead external links from May 2019, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2022, Infobox mapframe without OSM relation ID on Wikidata, Pages using infobox bridge with empty coordinates parameter, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Vague or ambiguous time from October 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 6 January 2023, at 11:49. [9] Formerly, a "small but noisy"[10] waterfall and natural pool existed on the Tuolumne River marked the upper entrance to Hetch Hetchy Valley,[11] informally known as Tuolumne Fall (not to be confused with a similarly named waterfall several miles upriver near Tuolumne Meadows). If youre excited about a long hike or backpacking trip, you can continue to Laurel Lake for a 14.2-mile (22.9 km) out and back. Get SPUR news and events delivered straight to your email inbox. Browers Hetch Hetchy: Undoing A Great American Mistake, makes a compelling case for restoring the valley to its previous glory. Due to large cataracts on the Tuolumne River upstream, Hetch Hetchy Valley may have been in the uppermost range for native rainbow trout in the river. ", "The Hetch Hetchy Story, Part II: PG&E and the Raker Act", "The Forbidden Water: San Francisco and Hetch Hetchy Valley", "Idyllic Pulgas Water Temple still offers comfort for weary wanderers", "Chronology of San Francisco's Water Development", "Frequently Asked Questions About Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and the Regional Water & Power System", "Water From Yosemite Is Still Cheap, for Now", "Serving 2.6 million residential, commercial and industrial customers", "Hetch Hetchy water goes through ultraviolet rinse", "A historic bid for limited boating at Hetch Hetchy Reservoir", "Trump team reassigns Yosemite National Park superintendent; timing raises questions", "Western Water Wars: Efforts to Take Over San Francisco's Hetch Hetchy Systems", "Hetch Hetchy Power Debacle: Continuing Yosemite Threat", "Could Hetch Hetchy Valley be worth $100 billion? Like Muir, she felt the beauty of the valley was a national treasure which ought to be preserved. Richard Ballinger was appointed his Interior Secretary. The 68mi (109km) Hetch Hetchy Railroad was constructed to link the Sierra Railway with Hetch Hetchy Valley, allowing for direct rail shipment of construction materials from San Francisco to the dam site. Hetch Hetchy, unlike other water storage facilities in California, is relatively buffered from near-term climate change because of its high elevation. The reservoir is eight miles long and the largest single body of water in Yosemite. The Freeman Report artfully depicted reservoirs in Norway, the United Kingdom and the eastern United States showing how nature and public utility worked together to improve their surroundings and provide long-term benefits for everyone. It carried workers and materials for the dam, as well as tourists, postage and other amenities. In the sum of American economic expansion the intrusion might have seemed a minor, obscure matter, but to [John] Muir immense issues were involved: why had the nation preserved that pure wildness in the first place? From the turn-off, the road winds for 16.5 miles up the old Hetch Hetchy railroad grade (26.5 km) to the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, passing many lonely trails along the way. So the idea of planning for new water supplies need not be on the ballot. Hetch Hetchy is an iconic, rare and spectacular landscape, Hetch Hetchy is part of Yosemite National Park and its damming and flooding is by far the worst destruction of our national parks have ever experienced Restoration would not only make Yosemite whole once again it would inspire people that we don't need to live with mistakes of the past" As the battle lines were drawn, the different methods employed by each side in presenting their case spoke to some of their basic assumptions about the nature of the issue. Pinchot was recognized as a leader of the conservation movement. Muir famously said, Dam Hetch Hetchy! Many examples of red-barked manzanita can be seen along the Hetch Hetchy Road. Construction of O'Shaughnessy Dam began in 1919 and was finished in 1923, with the reservoir first filling in May of that year. One route begins six miles beyond the entrance station. As we all know, there is no use of water that is higher than the domestic use., He went on to say, We come straight to the question of whether the advantage of leaving this valley in a state of nature is greater than the advantage of using it for the benefit of the city of San Francisco.. In November 2012, San Francisco voters soundly rejected Proposition F,[86] which would have required the city to conduct an $8 million study on how the flooded valley could be drained and restored to its former state. After 2.5 miles (4.0 km), youll reach the Wapama Falls Bridge with an up-close view of the lowest section of Wapama Falls. Back in the early nineteen hundreds, when the debate start about The Hetch Hetchy dam being built a large majority of people did not realize or care how valuable nature is. Garfield was responding to critics who believed that the federal governments primary responsibility was to use the nations public resources for development in the service for the greatest number of people. This valley was isolated and remote, twenty miles northwest of the original. Muir predicted that this lake would create an unsightly "bathtub ring" around its perimeter, caused by the water's destruction of lichen growth on the canyon walls,[44] which would inevitably be visible at low lake levels. Mirror Lakes famous spring-time reflections capture the eye and mind. The trail to Wapama Falls is one of the most popular trails in the Hetch Hetchy area for a good reason. Forests might provide for the material well-being of human beings, but they did not exist for this reason alone. This can lead to algal blooms and decreased oxygen levels. About one million years ago, the extensive Sherwin glaciation widened, deepened and straightened river valleys along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, including Hetch Hetchy, Yosemite Valley, and Kings Canyon farther to the south. In Yosemite National Park, the Hetch Hetchy reservoir relies on the annual snowmelt to stay full. benefits of hetch hetchy dam. [5], The valley is fed by the Tuolumne River, Falls Creek, Tiltill Creek, Rancheria Creek, and numerous smaller streams which collectively drain a watershed of 459sqmi (1,190km2). For instance, the WET company helps people see the beauty of water through magnificent water fountains. It would be almost impossible to build a new dam there today. . Plus, the granite walls converge into a narrow outlet at the bottom of the valley the perfect location for a dam. If you love that insider feeling of discovering an often-overlooked gem, plan a stop at Buck Meadows on your way to or from Hetch Hetchy. The law authorizing the dam passed Congress on December 7, 1913. To begin the trail, cross the dam and pass through the tunnel. The regional water system provides water to 2.4 million people in San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda and San Mateo counties. Slow down and spend the day at Tenaya Lake a beautiful and easy-to-get-to alpine lake cupped by granite domes. In the early 20th century, San Francisco flooded the Hetch Hetchy Valley, destroying "one of nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples." This is why the city can now ban new natural gas. 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 Nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples. And Hetch Hetchy's damming has inspired generations of conservationists to protect our natural heritage and to commit to safeguarding our protected areas. But during peak spring flow, the thundering waterfall can wash over the bridge making it dangerous to cross. But how did the dam get to be here? [45], The controversy over Hetch Hetchy was in the context of other political scandals and controversies, especially prevalent in the Taft administration. Standing upon it will give you the chance to appreciate the sublimity of both nature and human achievement. [56] All four pipelines cross the Hayward fault. [5] The valley was slowly becoming known for its natural beauty, but it was never a popular tourist destination because of extremely poor access and the location of the famous Yosemite Valley just twenty miles to the south. As in Yosemite, the sublime rocks of its walls seem to glow with life . Due to its high-altitude location at 3,900 feet above sea level and its snowmelt-fed water supply, water from Hetch Hetchy Reservoir behind O'Shaughnessy Dam does not require filtration. Due to extreme winter weather, Yosemite National Park is closed with no estimated date of reopening. can you smoke on royal caribbean cruise ships benefits of hetch hetchy dam. Hetch Hetchy Dome, at 6,197ft (1,889m), lies directly north of it. Secretary of the Interior, Ethan Allen Hitchcock, refused to give San Francisco a permit to build the dam. It is spectacular: a miles-long placid blue lake nested within towering granite cliffs, from which waterfalls cascade. Yosemite Westgate Lodge offers newly-remodeled and well-appointed modern accommodation. [4] A broad, low rocky outcrop situated between Kolana Rock and Hetch Hetchy Dome divided the former meadow in two distinct sections. The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir also serves to provide energy in the form of hydroelectricity, with a capacity of over 200 megawatts a year. We can't help it either. Most people called it Hetch Hetchy, a mispronunciation of a Central Mohawk word for a plant that indigenous people were harvesting there when the first white man came along.. . Photo: Theresa Ho, Of course, the proposal was immediately opposed by environmentalists including the Sierra Club and John Muir. It is definitely worth to visit Hetch Hetchy area especially in 2021 when main Yosemite area requires booking permits in advance. But Hetch Hetchy, one of nature's perfect . [2] 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. The Great Alaskan Land Fraud and the Pinchot-Ballinger Controversy caused both Richard A. Ballinger and Gifford Pinchot to resign and be fired respectively. Youll just need to see them for yourself. In 1913, Woodrow Wilson appointed Lane his Secretary of the Interior. You can expect one (short) email per month. Have you been to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite? [18], Due to its abundant wetlands and stream pools, Hetch Hetchy was notorious among early travelers for becoming infested with mosquitoes in the summertime. A) human well-being B) renewable energy C) environmental sustainability D) cultural services E) human population growth, The current total world population has just passed ________. During summer, people of the Miwok and Paiute came to Hetch Hetchy from the Central Valley in the west and the Great Basin in the east. Like Muir, he was totally transfixed by the Hetch Hetchy Valley. . Located at 3,900 feet, it boasts one of the longest hiking seasons in the park. 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. The exploitation of Californias natural resources continued unabated in the years leading up to Hetch Hetchy. It has not been demonstrated that Hetch Hetchy is the only available source, but only that it might be the cheapest. By Posted student houses falmouth 2021 In jw marriott panama concierge lounge Within 50 years, vegetative cover would be complete except for exposed rocky areas. This is also a place imbued with history: San Franciscos congressional delegation won the right to build the dam in 1913, to secure a reliable source of water in the wake of the 1906 earthquake. Franklin Lane served as the attorney for the city of San Francisco in 1903. Photo: Kim Lawson. Hetch Hetchy Valley is a treasure worth visiting. Public disapproval nationwide with the Raker Act helped to bring about the creation of the National Park Service. Other trails also continue to Lake Vernon. OPTION 3Give control to the local people of Hetch Hetchy Some hydro-power dams withhold and then release water to generate power for peak demand periods, which is particularly disruptive to migrating fish. He was opposed by then Mayor Diane Feinstein who argued that the dam was San Franciscans birthright. In some cases, however, including the Klamath and Hetch Hetchy, the benefits of restoration clearly outweigh the benefits provided by the dams. When changes are made there are unintended consequences. For thousands of years, Native Americans subjected the valley to controlled bushfires, which prevented forest from taking over the valley meadows. This strenuous 2.5-mile, round-trip hike to the Tuolumne River has 1,229 feet of elevation gain. The surface of the water hides an additional 300 feet of granite cliffs and once-upon-a-time waterfalls within its depths. Above all, one's behavior Argument Against The Hetchy Dam 587 Words | 3 Pages [74] A 2019 study commissioned by Restore Hetch Hetchy argued that draining the reservoir and equipping the valley with a tourism infrastructure comparable to that of Yosemite Valley (which receives around 100 times as many visitors annually as Hetch Hetchy's 44,000) could result in a "recreational value" of up to $178 million per year, or possibly an overall economic value of up to $100 billion. Native American cultures were prominent before the 1850s when the first settlers from the United States arrived in the Sierra Nevada. The idea of punching a hole in or removing the dam and allowing the valley to be restored to its pre-development conditions has been around since the late 1980s. [30] After the valley's native inhabitants were driven out by the newcomers, it was used by ranchers, many of whom were former miners, to graze livestock. It has two trailhead options. Most importantly, San Francisco would lose its source of high-quality mountain water, and would have to depend on lower-quality water from other reservoirs which would require costly filtration and re-engineering of the aqueduct system to meet its needs. If, on the other hand, San Francisco gained control, it would signal in important victory for public power resulting in lower rates for the people. DWRs meta-study found a range of costs from $3 billion to $10 billion for restoration and replacement of water and power sources. The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir created by the dam has a capacity of 360,400acreft (0.4445km3), with a maximum area of 1,972 acres (798ha) and a maximum depth of 306 feet (93m). Photo: Chris Migeon. Each switchback reveals scenic overlooks of the reservoir and Kolana Rock. Environmentalists lost what was the opening battle in a fight to preserve Americas natural wonders. [72] The water storage provided at Hetch Hetchy could be transferred into Lake Don Pedro lower on the Tuolumne River by raising the New Don Pedro Dam 30ft (9.1m). As well dam for . 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. [54][55], After passing through the powerhouses, Hetch Hetchy water flows into the 167mi (269km) Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct which travels across the Central Valley. They would light upon a man's blue shirt and turn it brown, and were voracious as mosquitoes would be. Apply Today! As John Clayton writes, At the height of Progressivism, Phelan and other good-government types believed that the city should administer its own utilities. 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. The Poopenaut Trail begins at a signed trailhead four miles past the entrance station. No picture of the giant sequoia trees in Yosemite National Park manages to fully capture their immense size and majesty. Let us introduce you to some of the unique giant sequoia groves in the Yosemite Mariposa County area the Merced, Tuolumne, and Mariposa Groves are inside Yosemite National Park, and the Nelder Grove is just outside the park boundary to the south. strongly against restoration. This limits their ability to access spawning habitat, seek out food resources, and escape predation. You may take easy hike to Wapama falls ( around 6 miles) or even more challenging hike to Rancheria falls ( around 14 miles). The Hetch Hetchy Dam is destroying a piece of land that is the homes of multiple types of animals. At SPUR, we have done a lot of work on climate change adaptation. [69], In 1987, the idea of razing the O'Shaughnessy Dam gained an adherent in Don Hodel, Secretary of the Department of the Interior under President Ronald Reagan. The new. Should natural resources be used to serve the greatest good for the greatest number? As we learned from Rachel Carsons Silent Spring, humankind can damage the environment while attempting to control it. Dam the Hetch Hetchy! Before they could break ground at the OShaughnessy Dam, more infrastructure was required. Also convince them it would be a good idea to raise the heights of their dams so we can enlarge these reservoirs with our extra water, flooding anew many miles of the Tuolumne River and acres of currently dry land. The O'Shaughnessy Dam and reservoir, and the series of aqueducts, tunnels, and tunnels as well as 8 other dams make up the entire Hetch Hetchy Project. He produced at least four oil paintings of the valley one of which is prominently displayed in Mount Holyoke Colleges art museum. Subsequent proposals for development in our national parks have been defeated by citizen activists inspired by calls to remember Hetch Hetchy. Muir and other defenders of Hetch Hetchy believe the fight revolved around two central issues. These benefits include: Reservoir-based recreation - swimming, fishing, camping etc. The Tuolumne River continues through Tuolumne Meadows and the associated park developments at an elevation of 8,600 feet. Us too! There are four fundamental ways in which dams damage rivers. [2], Wapama Falls, at 1,080ft (330m), and Tueeulala Falls, at 840ft (260m) both among the tallest waterfalls in North America are both located in Hetch Hetchy Valley. The National Park Service concluded that two years after draining the valley, grasses would cover most of its floor and within 10 years, clumps of cone-bearing trees and some oaks would take root. Said San Francisco resident William Denman in 1918, "The first time I went into the Hetch Hetchy the mosquitoes were intolerable. Congress would decide the fate of the Hetchy Hetchy Valley. while birds, bees, and butterflies help the river and waterfalls to stir all the air into music. As of October 2022, Hetch Hetchy was at 77.5% of its capacity. [42] They claimed the valley was not unique and would be even more beautiful with a lake. Restore Hetch Hetchy and the Environmental Defense Funds own studies support a lower cost estimate, ranging from $1 billion to $2 billion. [79] Some observers, such as Carl Pope (director of the Sierra Club), stated that Hodel had political motives[80] in proposing the study. Indeed, Hetch Hetchy today[when?] Instead, it was a more complicated battle which pitted public interests against private interests. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, encompassing 2,000 acres of federal park land, has clearly been maintained for the benefit of San Francisco with minimal consideration of the wider public whose tax dollarsand, in the case of visitors, entrance feessupport the national park. Photo: Kim Lawson. The same features that make Hetch Hetchy Valley so spectacular also make it an ideal location for a dam. [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. [48], The Early Intake (Lower Cherry) Powerhouse began commercial operation five years before the O'Shaughnessy Dam was completed. This effort was famously and vociferously fought by John Muir and was the subject of a national debate for years; the loss later galvanized the Sierra Club to successfully oppose large dams in Dinosaur National Monument and Grand Canyon National Park. Once the glaciers retreated, tributaries leading into the main river were left hanging hundreds or thousands of feet above the valley floor, creating the beautiful waterfalls we know today. Related. A full breakfast is served in the dining room. We're not going to remove this dam, and the funding is unnecessary. California needed secure, reliable access to drinking water for their burgeoning populations. As well dam for water-tanks the peoples cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man.. The proposed ballot measure calls for the creation of a task force that would spend $8 million to develop a long-term plan for improving water quality and reliability, remediating environmental damages caused by the water supply system, and identifying new water and renewable energy supplies so that Hetch Hetchy Valley could be returned to the National Park Service. This is a place considered by John Muir to be equal in beauty to Yose. As well dam for water-tanks the peoples cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man . [31], During this time, the upper Tuolumne River, including Hetch Hetchy Valley, was visited by prospectors attracted by the California Gold Rush. Had it been, the Sierra Clubs members would have presented a united front in opposition to its development. [21] Miwok names are still used for features, including Tueeulala Fall, Wapama Fall, and Kolana Rock. A) 5 billion B . In the distance, long white plumes of water cascade hundreds of feet down from rocky heights. Located at 3,900 feet, Hetch Hetchy boasts one of the longest hiking seasons in the park and is an ideal place for thundering spring waterfalls and wildflower displays. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. San Francisco assumed from the outset that there would not be significant opposition to using the Hetch Hetchy Valley, even if it was in a national park, for the high and noble purpose of providing water to one of the nations great and growing metropolises, so their efforts in Washington, DC, were conducted discreetly. Now San Francisco wanted to dam one of the two principal watersheds in the park, the Hetch Hetchy valley through which ran the Tuolumne River, to create a reservoir for its water supply. In the 19th century, the first white visitors to the valley did not realize that Hetch Hetchy's extensive meadows were the product of millennia of management by Native Americans; instead they believed "the valley was purely a product of ancient geological forces (or divine intervention) this was fundamental to its allure as a destination and subject. John Muir knew that without public support, the Hetch Hetchy Valley would be lost. He discovered it a few of years later. [28][29] About 1853, his brother, Joseph Screech (credited in some accounts for the original discovery of the valley)[27] blazed the first trail from Big Oak Flat, a mining camp near present-day Lake Don Pedro,[30] for 38mi (61km) northeast to Hetch Hetchy Valley. But tearing OShaughnessy Dam down now in order to restore Hetch Hetchy Valley would be a disaster. The water is transported from the reservoir by the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct which is made up of 170 miles of gravity-driven pipelines, dams, and other reservoirs. history. The proposed study would also have been required to identify potential replacements for the water storage capacity and hydroelectric power production.[87][88]. Some years later, water began flowing to San Francisco. According to a local legend, Nate spotted a valley to the east that was too far to visit. Once again, the political pendulum would swing. Located 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas, the dam captures water from the . A large part of today's incentive for restoration is that when the dam and the Hetch Hetchy reservoir were authorized by President Woodrow Wilson in 1913, as the Raker Act, the Hetch Hetchy Valley . The water winds between granite features like Kolana Rock and Hetch Hetchy Dome. Earn $27.3125 per hour. What part should mountains, rivers, natural meadows or wild creatures play in American life? Teams completed the OShaughnessy Dam in 1923 and the reservoir filled for the first time in May of that year. In 2007, in approving the environmental impact report for the Water System Improvement Program an investment of more than $4 billion to shore up the seismic reliability of the Hetch Hetchy water system the SFPUC gave itself, and its wholesale customers on the peninsula, ten years to develop a plan that would identify reliable alternative sources of water to meet the regions future growth in demand, rather than diverting more water from the Tuolumne River. Use good judgment and stay safe. Required fields are marked *. For example, plan to stop at the Lucky Buck Cafe on your way to or from a day of exploring Yosemite. The Hetch Hetchy Valley was within Yosemite National Park and protected by the federal government, leaving it up to Congress to decide the valley's fate. Albright, along with Stephen Mather, became instrumental players in the creation of a national park system three years after Congress decided the issue of Hetch Hetchy.