With national news reporting on the potential for catastrophic failure of the Oroville Dam in northern California, other water projects in California are also getting increased attention.
One of those is the O’Shaughnessy Dam, at the center of the Hetch Hetchy Water Project.
The dam, built in the 1920s, transformed a beautiful valley into a reservoir that has delivered drinking water to San Francisco for nearly a century.
There was an extended political battle over the planned dam, but the need for water eventually won out. Protests continue today, with some advocating the removal of the dam and restoration of the valley.
My sister, who died in October 2016, worked as a training officer at Hetch Hetchy for nearly three decades.
I found a DVD among her papers and possessions containing five photographs of Hetch Hetchy Valley in about 1909, before it was flooded. They were copied from versions held by the Yosemite National Park Research Library.
Click on either photo to see a larger version.
And here’s what the same area looks like now.
May 2002 Photo by Daniel MayerDiscover more from i L i n d
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Michael M. O’Shaughnessy was a celebrated civil engineer who designed dams and irrigation tunnel both in California and the Hawaiian Islands. William Irwin engaged him in 1900 to build a tunnel from Maunawili Valley to Waimanalo in order to bring water to his sugar plantation (originally started by High Chief Cummins). It was the first of several to connect spring water from the valley to irrigation flumes on the Waimanalo end.
Ian,
I am Director of Restore Hetch Hetchy – a group dedicated to restoring Yosemite’s Hetch Hetchy. We have witnesses prepared to testify that it can
be done without anyone losing a drop of water supply. We are very practical about the need for water and power, but this is the one time and place in U.S. history where such destruction has been allowed in a national park.
I would love to use your photos with permission and attribution. You say you have five but I only see two.
Best
-Spreck Rosekrans