It is the Atlantis of modern American environmentalism: a lost paradise of unsurpassable beauty in the California highlands that sank beneath the waves of a reservoir almost a century ago.
When the Hetch Hetchy valley - often called the prettier twin of its famous neighbour, Yosemite - was flooded in the Twenties, no one thought it would be seen again. Its loss was mourned by the nascent environment movement, and especially by the naturalist John Muir, who had fought to save what he called a 'mountain temple' because of its spectacular scenery.
Now hopes are high that Hetch Hetchy will re-emerge in one of the biggest restoration projects on American soil. It could cost billions and take years, but its proponents say it would herald a new age of restoring damaged eco-systems. 'It is an idea whose time has come. This is a signal of hope. This will show that the Earth can restore itself,' said Ron Good, founder of Restore Hetch Hetchy, the group spearheading the project.
There are certainly grounds for optimism. Knocking down the dam and restoring the valley to wilderness has been an ambition of many people ever since it disappeared. A concerted effort in the late Eighties came to nothing, but this summer the California state government published the findings of a huge probe into the viability of the project. Its conclusion: that restoring Hetch Hetchy was both viable and potentially desirable. Environmentalists have also been given an unexpected boost from Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The film star won a second term based mostly on a dramatic shift towards being green and has said the project needs more research. 'The political winds are moving in the right direction,' said Good.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1951688,00.html
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