California Drought Benefits Gold Prospectors

Doriamo · May 15, 2014

It seems that the reduced water levels have brought about some new finds!

California Drought Is Good for Gold Prospectors

dejapooh · May 24, 2014

Get while the getting is good. They are seeing the building of a possible el nino, which could mean huge rains next winter...

El Niño: Is 2014 the new 1997? - NASA Science

bedrock bubba · May 1, 2015

Well, here we are in May 2015, and the el Nino fizzeled out. But a new one is building this summer.

timemachine · May 10, 2015

I totally had the same idea all winter about the California drought. The riverbed in the news were so low they could be crossed on foot. I just kept hoping for some time off work to detect the area. Sometimes, there are winners in tradgedy. Hopefully the water levels return soon, though.

DirtHead · May 10, 2015

The drought does have its benefits. There's a man-made lake near where I live that used to cover up an old mining town dating back to the late 1800's. Ever since they damned up the river back in the 30's it's been under more than 10 ft of water. The town had to move to higher ground. With the drought being so bad the lake is at it's lowest point ever and the old town is no longer under water. You can even drive over it with a 2w drive vehicle. I've been itching to get out there with my MD and see what I can find.

timemachine · May 10, 2015

That was a common occurrence during the dam building era. So many towns were simply drowned. It was similar to mining towns that were supposed to be next in line for a railroad stop, but when the great railroad couldn't make it thru the terrain, towns would just vacate (when the mine wasn't profitable, of course). I'd love to hit up the old ghost towns or even the ones bypassed by the interstate system.

bedrock bubba · May 13, 2015

New update!

The El Nino is coming back now! Good news! California, the southwest and southern states get a lot of rain from El Nino.
In fact, Texas is getting flooding rains right now, and lakes are filling up! And the tornadoes are a twistin too. Its supposed to last thru the winter...good news!

dejapooh · May 14, 2015

bedrock bubba said:
Well, here we are in May 2015, and the el Nino fizzeled out. But a new one is building this summer.

Yeah, another year, another unchanged climate...

We can only hope that there is some rain this year. The people who own the house I rent, want me to water the lawn (and driveway) 4 times a week. Governor has called for a 25% reduction of water use. Easy... Down to 3 days and make my daughter take a shower at her mother's house (that saves THOUSANDS of gallons).

Several cities are requiring watering on Tuesdays and Saturdays only. Fines if you water other days (unless you are a farmer). We may be there this time next year.

UnderMiner · May 16, 2015

Wow, talk about Deja vu', this is the same headline out there today exactly one year later.
Looks like the gold prospectors are the only winners these last couple years

I guess California now regrets selling its water-desalinization plant to those guys in the Middle East.