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Hetch Hechy Dam Research Paper

524 Words3 Pages

Hetch Hetchy: To Dam or Not to Dam? As a result of the industrial movements in America, there was a new kind of movement: the environmentalist movement. Some citizens were concerned that the rapid growth of America’s market and urban areas would negatively affect the natural aspects of America. The debate in the early 1900s over the Hetch Hetchy dam showcased the uprising of citizens deemed as protectionists, such as John Muir, and how they differed from conservationists, such as Gifford Pinchot. The arguments and results of this issue are still relevant today, as there is currently a debate concerning whether or not to restore Hetch Hetchy to its former glory. Gifford Pinchot supported the building of the dam because he was a conservationist. This means he believed the dam could be a beneficial natural resource because it would provide water to San Francisco. He opposed protectionist views, like Muir’s, in the reading “Giving a Dam!” and refuted preservationist’s policies. He argued that the natural beauty would be conserved for the most part, but it would be used for advantageous …show more content…

Environmentalists have dreamed of restoring Hetch Hetchy to its original state for years and scientists concluded that it was possible. Measure F is a government policy that would empty the reservoir and replace the electricity and water it provides to citizens in the Bay Area, and San Francisco voters could be voting on it within the next year. This would require funds consisting of millions of dollars, which excludes the potential issues that could arise in the process, especially concerning the landscape. On the other hand, species of animals and plants could return to the valley in just as quickly as five years. Sarah Null, an assistant professor of watershed at Utah State University, states, “Most people could go there in 40 or 50 years and not even realize that there was ever a dam

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