Gravity Dredging in CA

[NuggetN8]

I posted about this a while back but back then I didn't have the money to start trying gravity dredging out. Is gravity dredging currently legal in California? I've had people tell me that it is but I just want to be sure before I go out and do it. I bought all the stuff I need to do it earlier today. =]

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Diving for Pleasure and Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[Goldwasher]

yes

 

[NuggetN8]

yes

AWESOME!!! Thanks! Can't wait to get out there and do it. I already tested it in the creek behind my house but there isn't enough drop there so I need to go somewhere else. I know of the perfect spot xD

 

[Reed Lukens]

You only need about 4 to 6 feet of drop from the nozzle.

 

[Hoser John]

First week a april Stopher and the ratz go to the state and then dead,if not before as Karuk/enviro/fishermen went ape over stinkn' cancer club publication of insipid non workable end run around dredging regs and met last week to consider which(of many)new suits,injubctions lawsuits or rules for their cronies to pass. Loose lips sink ships and idjets who post on net the worst so cat outta the bags now. .so 40' of 4" and 12' a drop and good to go or 50' of 2 1/2 and 15' of drop works too. This sucks .......-John

 

[spillercanyon]

I find it odd that fishermen would join in on this. Lets see, they put non-native fish in the rivers that eat all the native food in the area. They throw lead, used as weights, into the rivers. They walk all over the banks of the creeks and rivers killing the vegetation along the banks (as do the rafters). They leave their trash all over the place (as do the rafters). I do fish and have friends that are avid fisherman, just find it odd that they don't see they are next on the enviros agenda. What we need to do is find the enviros weak points and exploit them. Thinking, thinking, ......

 

[calnatv]

I find it odd that fishermen would join in on this. .

It's all about divide and conquer. The environmentalist are experts at it and the fisherman fell for it hook line and sinker (pun intended ) It was a technique used in the 60's. It work on me. No fishing magizine, group or help for the cause, will ever see a dime of my money. BTW, Boycott Sierra Nevada beer. Look it up and you'll know why.

 

[Hoser John]

AMEN CAtv--great beer but they suck. Fly fishermen got the ball rolling and then the resta them just kinda chipped in $$$$ for their MASSIVE warchest,along with the 7 tribes criminals kabul-John

 

[Young gold digger]

Could I go gravity dredging in California ?

 

[mytimetoshine]

Could I go gravity dredging in California ?

Yes, perfectly legal as far as I know.

 

[xaos]

Could I go gravity dredging in California ?

Everything is legal...until you get caught!

https://wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Suction-Dredge-Permits

Defines for the first time by statute what it means to use vacuum or suction dredge equipment, otherwise known as suction dredging, as the use of a mechanized or motorized system for removing or assisting in the removal of, or the processing of, material from the bed, bank, or channel of a river, stream, or lake in order to recover minerals; but also clarifying the definition does not apply to, prohibit, or otherwise restrict nonmotorized recreational mining activities, including panning for gold.

Provides the State Water Resources Control Board or the appropriate Regional Water Quality Control Board may take one or more of three specified actions related to suction dredging to protect water quality, including
(1) the adoption of waste discharge requirements or a waiver of such requirements;
(2) specifying certain conditions or areas where the discharge of waste or other adverse impacts on beneficial uses of the waters of the state from the use of vacuum or suction dredge equipment is prohibited; or
(3) prohibit any particular use of, or methods of using, vacuum or suction dredge equipment, or any portion thereof, to extract minerals based on a determination generally that doing so will cause or contribute to an exceedance of applicable water quality objectives or unreasonably impact beneficial uses; and

Well now.....this is as clear as mud.

A. a mechanical device such as a sluicebox?
B. does the operation cause turbidity?
C. "any portion thereof" ??

I am asking because this law, like most, well all others, especially in CA...is fraught with ambiguities ...

I had a 4" dredge in CA for many years, but when the permits and nonsense started, I just sold it. For me, the laws were NOT on my side, but deliberate vague to allow CA to shut virtually anything down at will.

The fisherman argument always made me laugh...all the time dredging, the fish are all right there, picking at the stuff you stir up...the exposed gravels are much better for the fish eggs, and you create pools for low water fish survival...all good point, but no.....

 

[SchoolOfHardRocks]

Everything is legal...until you get caught!

https://wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Suction-Dredge-Permits

Defines for the first time by statute what it means to use vacuum or suction dredge equipment, otherwise known as suction dredging, as the use of a mechanized or motorized system for removing or assisting in the removal of, or the processing of, material from the bed, bank, or channel of a river, stream, or lake in order to recover minerals; but also clarifying the definition does not apply to, prohibit, or otherwise restrict nonmotorized recreational mining activities, including panning for gold.

Provides the State Water Resources Control Board or the appropriate Regional Water Quality Control Board may take one or more of three specified actions related to suction dredging to protect water quality, including
(1) the adoption of waste discharge requirements or a waiver of such requirements;
(2) specifying certain conditions or areas where the discharge of waste or other adverse impacts on beneficial uses of the waters of the state from the use of vacuum or suction dredge equipment is prohibited; or
(3) prohibit any particular use of, or methods of using, vacuum or suction dredge equipment, or any portion thereof, to extract minerals based on a determination generally that doing so will cause or contribute to an exceedance of applicable water quality objectives or unreasonably impact beneficial uses; and

Well now.....this is as clear as mud.

A. a mechanical device such as a sluicebox?
B. does the operation cause turbidity?
C. "any portion thereof" ??

I am asking because this law, like most, well all others, especially in CA...is fraught with ambiguities ...

I had a 4" dredge in CA for many years, but when the permits and nonsense started, I just sold it. For me, the laws were NOT on my side, but deliberate vague to allow CA to shut virtually anything down at will.

The fisherman argument always made me laugh...all the time dredging, the fish are all right there, picking at the stuff you stir up...the exposed gravels are much better for the fish eggs, and you create pools for low water fish survival...all good point, but no.....

A sluice box is certainly not mechanical (nothing is moving), but one might claim that sluicing can increase a streams turbidity - but the impact would be minimal (minimal to me, maybe significant to others who are super environmentally sensitive).