A gem from the Hetch Hetchy construction contract No. 61 proposal is a plan showing proximity of the construction crew camp to the proposed dam site. In the lower left quadrant of the drawing, the tramway location is reaching down from the loop of Hetch Hetchy Railroad upslope. Other interesting features in the drawing depict…
Category: Regional
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A Look Back in History: Bedrock Contour Map of Hetch Hetchy Dam Site
The original O’Shaughnessy Dam was 226 feet above riverbed. It was raised from its original height in 1938. Today the O’Shaughnessy Dam is 312 feet above riverbed and 430 feet above bedrock. Below is a bedrock contour map developed for the dam. This illustration is taken from Contract No. 61, “For the Construction of Hetch…
How a Little-Known Powerhouse Keeps San Francisco Running
Moccasin Powerhouse is situated near the base of beautiful rolling hills along a creek in Tuolumne County 130 miles east of San Francisco. Unbeknownst to many a visitor passing by, it is a vital resource in the City & County of San Francisco’s Regional Water and Power System. One of three hydroelectric power plants operated…
A Look Back in History: Hetch Hetchy Dam Factoids
The photograph below is the cover to Contract No. 61 of the San Francisco Department of Public Works. The contract is for the construction of Hetch Hetchy Dam. Notice that it is the “Proposal form” of the contract. This contract includes 98 pages of text and 46 pages of drawings. Going through the pages, it…
Construction Work Begins on New Alameda Creek Watershed Center in Sunol
Construction work has begun on the SFPUC’s Alameda Creek Watershed Center in Sunol, which will raise awareness of the natural and cultural history of the Alameda Creek Watershed and the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System. Located next to the Sunol Water Temple in the East Bay at the historic confluence of two creeks, the Alameda…
A Look Back in History: Spring Valley Water Company: Land & Water Rights in Alameda County
The Spring Valley Water Company (SVWC) had envisioned a large reservoir in the East Bay as early as 1875. They started acquiring land and water rights in Alameda County at this time. The first land they bought was in the Calaveras Valley and at the Vallejo Mills properties near Niles. This was the beginning of…