Where does our water come from? The Hetch Hetchy Water System transports Tuolumne River water 156 miles from the Central Sierra to the San Francisco Bay. While another water system, The East Bay Municipal Utility District, supplies cities on the east side of San Francisco Bay with Mokelumne River water. Check out the interactive map to explore our watershed.
Our Local Watershed Interactive Map
There is a debate between environmentalists and city officials about whether the O'Shaughnessy Dam, part of the Hetch Hetchy water system, should be removed or not. Research more about the dam using the sites below.
Suggested resources:
http://www.hetchhetchy.org/
Our Local Watershed Interactive Map
There is a debate between environmentalists and city officials about whether the O'Shaughnessy Dam, part of the Hetch Hetchy water system, should be removed or not. Research more about the dam using the sites below.
Suggested resources:
http://www.hetchhetchy.org/
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/environme…
http://www.evergreenlodge.com/hetchhetchy.html
Which side are you on? Should they restore the dam or tear it out? Examine the pros and cons of each and support your stance on the issue with evidence from your research.
Respond in a minimum of one paragraph to the post above. You MUST include a quote from the resources to support your statement. Then comment on two other students responses. Please sign your first name only and period to your post. Posts must be approved by the teacher and therefore may take some time to post.
http://www.evergreenlodge.com/hetchhetchy.html
Which side are you on? Should they restore the dam or tear it out? Examine the pros and cons of each and support your stance on the issue with evidence from your research.
Respond in a minimum of one paragraph to the post above. You MUST include a quote from the resources to support your statement. Then comment on two other students responses. Please sign your first name only and period to your post. Posts must be approved by the teacher and therefore may take some time to post.
i just wanted to reply but no because a whole ecosystem would be living in it and than a sudden rush of water might push out plants and this is not even for home work i was just bored
ReplyDeleteHemi Per:5
Deleteyou have a point there but what if we just chip away alittle bit so that the water is regular or almost regular and just make the hole bigger and bigger until its all chipped away.
You know they can just break it down bit by bit so little streams of water can enter, then as they keep chiseling it down, more water, little by little, comes out. This will be tiring but it will work. And since the dam is there, it'll just reduce the amount of fish and water animals living in that ecosystem. It will also decrease the amount of plants, which are some animals' food, then those animals die out, then the animals eating THOSE animals will die, etc. The Hetch Hetchy Valley was described by John Muir as “one of nature’s rarest and most precious mountain temples.” How about we keep it that way? And anonymous, if u were bored, y bother making that post.
Deleteyes that is true
Deleteok i agree with all of you about the chisiling part or maby you could put a net of some sort and cach the animals nd than you could let them go in a diffrent lake so that the water is still good or yiou know how we were just learning about channles and stuff maby you could create a few channels and let the animals go but make it almost like a rest lake
DeleteI agree with nitish
DeleteThat is actually true and you can't chip little by little because people can die and the whole level would just gush all of the water out and would flood the whole plain.
Deletenatalie 6 period
Deletenitish i agree with you
I agree with Danial that the whole thing would just come crashing down. And chiseling it down would take years and years and years
Delete@ Grace Keene,
DeleteThis probably would not work because it would be hard to take every single animal in the system, plus, some might resist and try to escape.Also, the matter of transporting all these animals to a safe place would be extremely difficult.And even if they manage to do it, it would probably be more expensive taking them to a safe place then taking down the dam itself.
Right the land around it is beautiful and if we kept it that way there would be more nature on this Earth. I also think that if we let the dam break on it's own, the plants and animals around there would just have to move or die but there's nothing we can do about that.
DeleteI agree with grace p.7 that the animals should be held captive of some sort so that they would live and be in another happy home in another happy lake. I really only hope that the animals are OK. Michaela Riter p.1
DeleteThat's smart Nitish, and they also should make a path way for the water so that there isn't such a big water bed so the animals and plants around it can still grow and not drown. Michaela Riter p.1
DeleteI think the dam should be removed so the water runs freely because they were made to run not get blocked by cement.It would also help fertilize the soil better
Deleteyour thinking is AWESOME because yes! the water was originally made to flow without interference.
DeleteI think they should not tear out the dam because it is very special. It is a very old dam. So you should preserve it not tear it down. It shows a significance for the Yellowstone National Park.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with you because you just said it's a very old dam, so it would break anyway.
DeleteI agree that the dam should stay and if it breaks we would loose all the wonderful animals that lived there. But if the dam does get torn down they could build a sturdier and stronger one and if they don't then that's more water for us to have. As the dam gets older there is more of a chance it will break, so we should just let it be and wait till it's ready to break on its own. I have pros and cons for both sides, but over all I think we should leave the dam be.
DeleteIf we tear down the dam then we would loose the beautiful habitat and all the animals around it. The dam is slowly breaking down anyway so we should just enjoy it as it is and wait till it's ready to break. But if we do break it down then we could build a new sturdier dam, and if we don't then that is more water for us to use and drink. Over all i believe that we should keep the dam there until it's ready to break. Michaela Riter P. 1
Delete“One of nature’s rarest and most precious mountain temples,” Is what John Muir described the valley as. I think that we should take the dam down, this valley is a resource that people in Yosemite need considering the fact that most of the waterfalls are dried out. this valley is also the home of different animals like, bears, bobcats, rushes, and eagles.
ReplyDeleteHemi Per:5
Deletei agree, the animals are important to the environment. But the water is also important to us. on both sides we have to look at our needs and the animals needs so we can balance it out.
i agree with you because yosemite is a place where you go to explore and see nature, not a place where you go to see a dam
DeleteThe water is important to us so why take that away? It also has captured the hearts to all it's visitors.
Delete-Fiona McHugh Per 2
i agree i think thays so true. they could break it down bit by bit.
Deletei agree we should take it down. but slowly not harming the environment.
Deletehemi per 5 has a point
DeleteI disagree with Vedhant because you can see a dam and see other stuff at the same time. Maybe they should just hide the dam.
DeleteI think they should keep it up because even though it is hurting the animals, the water will never come if it is not there,at least not very easily.
ReplyDeleteHemi per:5
Deleteso in that sense i completely disagree with you. because i love animals. animals also help so no i dont think they should restore the dam
Hemi Per:5
Deletehow can you not think about the animals? well we have our needs too but we could help the river flow by digging little downward slopes then it would come easily.
I agree with Nicholas that they should keep it since it's a natrual habitat and that water won't come
DeleteThere is also irrigation, not just dams. And i would break the dam open, but slowly because like anonymous said, it would just rush through and kill animals.
DeleteI agree with you completely. We need the water to survive.
DeleteHemi Kang Per:5
ReplyDeleteI think that they should not restore it because it is hurting the animals and it stops the flow of the water.
Hemi Per:5
ReplyDeletepro: it would wipe out the surrounding forest because of the build up behind the dam, and its a resemblance of the national park.
Con:it would help all the animals in the surrounding area with a fresh supply of water.
Stephanie Silva Period: 1
ReplyDeleteI believe we should keep the dam. The dam supplies the San Francisco Bay Area with water. "San Francisco secured a reliable and pure water source (an important source of hydroelectric power)." I don't want the city of Pleasanton to run out of water! It is a shame though how the animals got removed from their natural habitat. I don't agree with Marina about tearing the dam down, however I do agree with her that the valley was the home to many animals like bears and bobcats. I do agree with Nicholas about keeping the dam. My quote is from www.evergreenlodge.com/hetchhetchy.htm
Stephanie, I totally agree with you that we should keep the dam in. It supplies a lot of water to Pleasanton a long with a bunch of other cities. I also think that the wildlife is an important factor in that to.
DeleteI agree with you stephanie because it's important for San Francisco bay area to be supplied with water. I also think it's important for Pleasanton not to run out of water. I also think it would be horrible for the animals to get removed from their habitat. I think we should keep the dam because it would slowly kill all the animals and wreck their habitat. And we don't want to hurt the animals or damage their habitat, its just like animals wrecking our house and we for sure would not like it.
DeleteI agree with you stephanie because it's important for San Francisco bay area to be supplied with water. I also think it's important for Pleasanton not to run out of water. I also think it would be horrible for the animals to get removed from their habitat. I think we should keep the dam because it would slowly kill all the animals and wreck their habitat. And we don't want to hurt the animals or damage their habitat, its just like animals wrecking our house and we for sure would not like it.
DeleteI think they should keep the Hetch Hetchy in. There is a ton of wildlife and we don't want to destroy it. John Muir once said, One of nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples. That's what he said. Therefore keeping it in.
ReplyDeletei belive that we should take it down . We need the water, but we can get it from somewhere else. Animals are important to nature and us. They carry pollen in their fur and transport it to plants that need it. Plants provide oxygen which we need to breath.
ReplyDeletei think we should take it down too its expanding the environment. which i think will be good
DeleteThey should break down the dam because sooner or later, the Hetch Hetchy ecosystem will become extinct. And they don't have to blow it up, they can just melt it (which would kinda be a bad idea) with heat waves, or chisel it down (which would take a while but would still work,) and they could also dig a tunnel underneath the dam. These are just my ideas. If you want to say anything or add anything or correct me, just reply.
ReplyDeletei totally agree with you Nitish, i agree that we should break it down very slowly an try not to damage the ecosystem
DeleteI think all of your ideas of yours are great but, I think they should keep the dam in. The wild life that is there would disappear if we take it down. All of the wildlife would be lost.
DeleteI totally agree with you and my post agrees with you because you are right, the life will disappear, I don't agree with you at the tunnel under the dam thing because that would be either impossible or really expensive.
Deletei definitely think that we should break the dam. If someone like John Muir has worked to stop the making of this dam, i would definitely follow. i do not mean to disrespect the animals who live near the dam. i may not love animals but i still respect them. Again,if John Muir, one of the most influential and nature loving person in the united states wanted to do something, i would definitely follow him.
ReplyDeletei bieleve we should remove the dam. it will give animals down stream water and food. and more life. think of it as expanding the river. soon or later animals will need water
ReplyDeletei think they can just let it be i mean why break it there is no reason to, i mean it is a whole ecosystem and for no reason at all you want to break it down fish live in it so the birds eat he fish and we may eat the fish plants grow in the lake and if you were to break down the dam it will rush and kill everything with the speed of the water and i agree with the first post with anodynes #1 so thats me pleas reply soon
ReplyDeleteGrace, I totally agree with you! Don't you think that if we tear the dam out it will do tons of damage to all sorts of different habitats.
DeleteI think they should keep the dam."Overall, the reservoir stores some 117 billion gallons of water and provides the San Francisco Bay Area with 180 million gallons per day. In addition, the purity of the water is such that no filtration is required whatsoever."It stores so much water and gives us so much too! Why should we tear it down if it supplies us the necessary water to survive? Also if they were to break the dam, the sudden gush of water might destroy the plants and animals living in our ecosystem. Quote from http://www.evergreenlodge.com/hetchhetchy.html
ReplyDelete-Fiona McHugh-Per. 2
@ Fiona McHugh,
DeleteI see what you mean, however,we could break the dam little by little to prevent a flood. Also, the water the dam holds has already, as quoted from http://www.hetchhetchy.org/:buried this extraordinary wilderness valley under 300 feet of water.There is nothing left to destroy.
Vinay Srinivasan period 7,
ReplyDeleteI think we should not actually ter it down because it is special and shows significance to america and it we need the water we need all the water we can get there is wildlife in the dam and we don't want to lose it. KEEP THE DAM!!!
They should break down the dam caouse it will break down and they will be sorry when it douse right now the dam is eroding and it will break and leave a mess but if the workers our someone breaks it now the bay and all of the rivers and even the ocen will be more filled with water and not droned up with died dirt in some way ever river and strem will be avacted couse of the dam.
ReplyDeleteI disagree Samantha period 2 because erosion takes millions of years for it to do much. Therefore we have at least 5 million years before its destroyed by nature.
Delete-Myles Period 7
I would keep suggest building a new dam because "Modern engineering advances afford us the opportunity to remove the reservoir and create one of the most ambitious and exciting environmental restoration projects in human history."http://www.hetchhetchy.org/
ReplyDeleteBut also lots of chemicals would flow into the river and eventually into the ocean causing harm to the animals surrounfing it along its path.Overall i think that we should reconstruct the dam into a newer and a better dam.Basically its better for the human race and its water.
I don't think they should take down the dam cause they should leave nature alone. But i think they should take it down but non violently and not loudly because they would just disturb people and nature.So i say yes but Non violently.
ReplyDeleteThis is cooper Petty Period 8
i couldn't figure out how to put my name there.
I think that they should keep the dam because it is a sign of natural sources. This might be kind of weird, but I think of these natural sources as stuff that we depend on to live. And they are not for blowing up!
ReplyDeleteI don't think the dam should be removed because It is part of the water system and if we remove there might be a disadvantage because we might get less water
ReplyDeleteI agree nm because we're letting billions of gallons of water slip out of are hand and become polluted.
Delete-Myles Tollefsen Per. 7
I think they should tear down the dam because “everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul” said John Muir. He said that for a reason, because if we keep the dam up it will dam the life of the ecosystem. Although humans need water, don’t we have enough? The flood that is released by the dam won’t hurt it as much as it will help it.
ReplyDeleteI think they should tear down the dam because “everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul” said John Muir. He said that for a reason, because if we keep the dam up it will dam the life of the ecosystem. Although humans need water, don’t we have enough? The flood that is released by the dam won’t hurt it as much as it will help it.
ReplyDeleteMr. Riddle's 7th period
I think we should keep the dam because it supplies the bay area with water and electricity. It would be cool to stand on the dam and look out over the valley. I do care about the animals, but i don't know how they wil get hurt. That's why I think we Should keep the dam where it is and not bring it down.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they should tear down the dam beacause they will most likely use explosives and that could pollute the water even more than it already is. Also if we tear down the dam we will harm the animals in the water. Since the dam is a whole ecosystem if we tear it down we can never get it back exactly the way it was before. Also if we tear down the dam there will be a huge flood. I mean it stores around 117 gallons of water for us to use and then puts it into the bay. We all know the bay is polluted so why should we waste billions of gallons of water?
ReplyDeleteMyles Tollefsen per.7
I don't remember how to get my name at the top
I think they should take the dam down, however, little by little to prevent a flood. John Muir said that Hetch Hetchy is "one of nature’s rarest and most precious mountain temples". The O’Shaughnessy dam took over this environment and many animals lost there homes.
ReplyDeleteAnumitha Aravindan Period 7
ReplyDeleteI think that the O'Shaughnessy Dam should not be taken down. For instance, we use up many gallons of water in a day, and even more in larger cities. The dam supplies us with fresh water since we don't have rivers in Pleasanton. However, the water we get should be closer and easier to reach so water does not have to constantly get transported. In all, we should keep the O'Shaughnessy Dam.