Water and power for San Francisco from Hetch-Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National ParkVilas, Martin Samuel
History
Water and power for San Francisco from Hetch-Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park
Vilas, Martin Samuel
Hetch Hetchy Valley (Calif.); Water-supply -- California -- San Francisco
“That the said grantee shall not divert beyond the limits of
the San Joaquin Valley any more of the waters from the Tuolumne
watershed than, together with the waters which it now has or
may hereafter acquire, shall be necessary for its beneficial
use for domestic and other municipal purposes.
“That when the said grantee begins the development of the
Hetch-Hetchy reservoir site it shall undertake and vigorously
prosecute to completion a dam at least 200 feet high, with a
foundation capable of supporting said dam when built to its
greatest economic and safe height.
“That the said grantee shall upon request sell or supply to
said irrigation districts and also to the municipalities
within either or both said irrigation districts, for the use
of any land owner or owners therein for pumping subsurface
water for drainage or irrigation, or for the actual municipal
public purposes of said municipalities (which purposes shall
not include sale to private persons or corporations), any
excess of electrical energy which may be generated and which
may be so beneficially used by said irrigation districts or
municipalities.
“That the right of said grantee in the Tuolumne water supply to
develop electric power for either municipal or commercial use
is to be made conditional upon its installing, operating and
maintaining apparatus capable of developing and transmitting,
under a general increase in amount, not less than 60,000
horse-power at the end of twenty years. The said grantee shall
develop and use hydro-electric power for the use of its people
and shall at prices to be fixed under the laws of California,
or, in the absence of such laws, at prices approved by the
Secretary of the Interior, sell or supply such power for
irrigation, pumping or other beneficial use.”
The bill further provides that after twenty years the Secretary of the
Interior may require the grantee to develop, transmit and use or offer
for sale such additional power less than 60,000 horse-power as the
grantee may have failed to develop, transmit, use or sell within the
twenty years. In case of the failure of the grantee to carry out these
requirements, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to provide for
the development, transmission, use and sale of such power and power not
developed or used. For that purpose the Secretary “may take possession of
and lease to such person or persons as he may designate” such portion of
the property of the grantee as may be necessary for the purpose in view.
The bill also provides that the grantee shall build certain roads and
trails in and near Hetch-Hetchy Valley.
III. What will be the operative effects of the Raker Bill on San
Francisco and the rest of California, outside the Yosemite National Park?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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