How to win

Don Hodel and Diane Feinstein at Hetch Hetchy

In 1987, Secretary of the Interior Donald Hodel proposed that Hetch Hetchy be restored. But then mayor and current U.S. senator Diane Feinstein disagreed, calling the reservoir “San Francisco’s birthright.”

Situated inside Yosemite National Park, the Hetch Hetchy Valley was described by John Muir as “one of nature’s rarest and most precious mountain temples.” It was one of the most spectacular landscapes on earth, and it was protected for a reason.

Congress, three short years after allowing Hetch Hetchy to be clear-cut dammed and flooded, realized its mistake. It passed the National Park Service act to ensure that our parks were managed for national interests and not simply local benefit. But the dam at Hetch Hetchy remains as the greatest blemish in any of our national parks.

At Restore Hetch Hetchy, we are deeply dedicated to our objective of restoring Hetch Hetchy Valley and making Yosemite National Park once again. To be successful, we have to be aware of the water and power benefits made possible by the existing dam and reservoir. So, we take our mission statement seriously.

Our mission

The mission of Restore Hetch Hetchy is to return the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park to its natural splendor ─ while continuing to meet the water and power needs of all communities that depend on the Tuolumne River.

To make restoration a reality, Restore Hetch Hetchy is engaging passionately, provocatively and constructively with all parties, including:

San Francisco: We do not begrudge San Francisco and other Bay Area communities the use of Tuolumne River water. But the water needs to be stored outside Yosemite National Park. We understand that San Francisco’s water system will need certain improvements, and some hydropower will need to be replaced with renewable power. Some San Franciscans are, frankly, emotionally enmeshed in their “Hetch Hetchy” water and are unlikely to change their minds, but Restore Hetch Hetchy is appealing to those with open minds and especially young people who want to make the world a better place and are not tied to mistakes of the past.
Government Officials: It’s easy to explain the restoration opportunity to elected and appointed officials and we are doing that. But it is challenging to get them to act. As the saying goes, “Politicians are like weathervanes, our job is to make the wind blow“.
The Public. You. Your family. Your friends: We need people to learn the story of Hetch Hetchy’s destruction and the opportunity to bring it back to life. We need people to get involved. If you haven’t signed up, please do and help us spread the word.