Need some Idaho info......

[mike(swWash)]

I also posted this on the Idaho site and hope someone will help me.....

I'm visiting my daughter in Mt. Home in July and want to dip my pan in the S. Boise and if legal, use a sluice and/or

I also have a 2.5" dredge I'd love to use but it looks like the S. Boise R. and all tribs. are not doable for that.

Did I miss something on the dredge info?

Can I pan and or sluice on non claimed land without a permit?

How about regulations using a highbanker drawing water from the river or a creek

Permits needed

Washington laws are pretty straight forward, but I'm really at a loss reading the Idaho regs even reading all the legality info

 

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[Jeff95531]

Can't help much but Mountain Home Idaho is my birthplace which I haven't revisited since the early 90's. However, I would focus on the Payette river from Boise to McCall and even Warren. But, you'll have to do your homework to prevent trespass. (Land Matters) More local and more knowledgeable people will be of great help as well. You might try to pm IdahoJake. http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/gold-prospecting/476604-nice-idaho-gold.html

 

[rodoconnor]

Mike, Get in touch with the Water Resources dept and have them send you the info regarding the letter permit [ for dredging]. Most of the Snake is open and many miles of the Payette also. The better areas are claimed . The are some clubs here that have good claims in some of the better areas. IGPA,NUPA,and local factions of the Gpaa. G/L

 

[OwenT]

I'm with you as to confused there. It seems to me like there are a ton of regs, a lot of which it seems like the local authorities do not enforce/expect to be followed because they are just BS put out by the FS, EPA, etc. Only place I've panned is the S Fk Payette a few miles above Lowman and just a little below. Remember a lot of those rivers are wild and scenic which just means no claims(I think). I found a really nice flake on the S Fk on one bar but then not much more and we had to be on our way. Also saw some dredgers which confused me because I read dredging was illegal, I guess one of those times that nobody cared, if only it were like that in CA. It's a really nice river and I want to spend some more time up there. As for what you'll be able to do I think Jim in Idaho said before just go and as long as your not running a motor nobody will bother you.

 

[rodoconnor]

I don't think they are Wild and Scenic. The Snake [ and others] are considered navigable and therefore not claimable. As far as the epa goes , they decried, with very heavy hands , that almost the entire State is off limits to dredging. Most ,if not all county sheriffs have stated that if any agent of the epa harasses a miner , that agent will be arrested .Members of AMRA dredged quite openly last year. They were harassed by the USFS but not the epa. I don't know what the results have been. There was a thread last summer on TN. If you plan on pumping water , you'll need a permit from Water Resourses.Good Luck

 

[mike(swWash)]

I figure I'll probably just have my sluice and a highbanker since dredging is too confusing to deal with for the short time I'll be there.

If I get a water permit can I use a gas engine or an electric only?.....and what are the regs about dirty water discharge?

Thanks for the info guys, I really appreciate the help

 

[rodoconnor]

With the letter permit -either gas or electric. With a highbanker a holding pond is required. Also no prospecting/mining within 200 feet of a boat launch. Not a whole lot of squirrely rules and regs.

 

[mike(swWash)]

I'm starting to think about only using a sluice and pan. Still may take the high banker in case I find the right spot with a good pre exsisting low spot for a settling pond

I'll probably do some exploring up the S. Boise and Feather river.... maybe even the 2 Smokies.

Thanks for the good info

 

[rodoconnor]

The middle fork of the Boise has some really good gold in spots

 

[NoBudgetMining]

Go up to rocky bar if your heading to featherville. And if you plan on going to the Smokies above Fairfield, go back into the south fork of the Boise headwaters. Its close to the lil smokie. I wouldn't be to worried about running a high banker. IDWR will tell you that you need a permit but in the next sentence they will say that they don't have anyone to enforce it.

 

[winners58]

there's a map here Middle fork Boise is open june 30th to sept 30th looks like the south fork open area starts above Anderson ranch reservoir?
https://www.idwr.idaho.gov/streams/recreational-mining-permits.html

after reading through the "rules" I see what you mean, what a nightmare.
https://www.idwr.idaho.gov/files/st...ational-Mining-Letter-Permit-Instructions.pdf