Rising Water.....

[ALewis]

Made it out to mineral bar yesterday on way home from Reno, (got my room upgraded to a suite at the JA Nugget, never happens )

Seems like I am learning new things all the time....my experience on this trip was just how much my trail & gravel bar are effected by the rain we got. about 3/4 of the way to my chosen spot, I get to a "river crossing", wich has never been more than a step and walk across some exposed bedrock. Yesterday was a 6-7 foot wide stretch of running water ! I wouldn't even attempt to wade that part. Crazy to see such a difference after so little rain / snow...

So, after messing around without much success, decided I would head up to Stephens Trail. After some crazy bushwackin, I made it up, and then back down.....only to find the water high enough that my V dam was long gone, and probably under a couple feet of water ! The "good" spot to set-up my sluice was no longer there ! So amazing to see the difference, and this was not even a big storm.

Still have to go through the cons that I brought home, but don't think it will be anything too much. Spent most of my time enjoying the Sun, adventuring & trying not to fall down the cliff

So, all in all, I'd say another successful day on the river !!!

 

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[Lanny in AB]

It is amazing how high or higher water changes things in the stream bed.

It sounds like you've discovered a couple of those things on this last outing. Sorry you've lost your V-dam, but when the stream drops again, you'll get the chance to start all over again.

Thanks for letting me tag along on your little trip. It's a great way to shake off the cabin fever.

All the best,

Lanny

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting-gold/69-bedrock-gold-mysteries.html

 

[DizzyDigger]

You might check on the USGS site to see if they have
any water level gauges that update digitally. If there is
one for your river, you can keep a check on the water
levels before you drive up.

Here is the one that covers the section of river I live on:

USGS Current Conditions for USGS 12194000 SKAGIT RIVER NEAR CONCRETE, WA

Hope that's of some help on your future trips.

 

[goldenmojo]

AL here is water level chart for NFAR. I was out to mineral bar last weekend and it was about 700. It sure makes a difference between 40 cfs and 700 cfs.
No. American - Inflow Lake Clementine

GM

 

[ALewis]

GM

Very cool to see that graph, thanks for the link. I knew the water would be up, but was still surprised to see the difference. And, I was there after it came back down, I should have gone out last weekend just to see it. There must have been water going Over the bar I hike to, a few of my holes were above the water level, but filled back in w/ cobble....

On that note, There was/is a long (4-5 ft) crack that I exposed in the bedrock, at the bottom of the gravel bar, maybe 2 inch's wide...I chisled on it 1x just trying to widen, but figured i'd get back to it when I had a better plan....now that holes filled back in ! Can't even tell that crack is there... Crossing my fingers that it's trapping some more AU this spring & them i'm gonna try & dig & bust up later this summer.....

 

[goldenmojo]

The water level went up to about 10000 cfs so it should have moved some gold into that crack. How Much? Only more digging will tell but that's the fun part of it....I tried the downstream trail last weekend and I knew the water would be high too but it looked like a certain death trap in some areas. I settled for scraping along the edges and got small results. Going back when the level drops below what makes for good kayaking. Saw at least 20 of them in a few hours...

 

[ALewis]

Yep, think I decided the same....I am going to stick w/ Stephen's Trail, as well as a much put off trip to Euchre bar....Don't think I will try that particular stretch of Pennyweight along the river until water goes down a little more.

It was good timing for me to break out my new pair of Xtra tough's....not sure what everyone else is using, but these boots are awesome.....

 

[Gaijun1]

National Weather Service ? Ohio River Forecast Center
thought someone could use this
USGS Current Water Data for West Virginia

 

[Gaijun1]

Sorry
the link can be used anywhere

 

[ALewis]

I usually check the weather sites, etc before I go...Now I'll have to take a look at the water flow's... Thx for the links, will be kind of cool to see the water flow in person, then look at the graph's...


wish I could have run more material Monday, but here is what I got for my efforts....

Found a "Lil" picker, not even sure this qualifies as a "picker", but I picked it up w/ my fingers, so there you go....Nothin crazy, but i'll take it !