Legal or Illegal in California?

[silverstateprospector]

Hey everyone I have a question I've been interested in buying the super bucket 3/4 inch electric dredge for cleaning up crevices on bedrock but my concerns are if it's legal or not I'm going to post the link to the YouTube video later.

 

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[silverstateprospector]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/56gvLtfaRwI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[taternut]

I'm curious too! That thing is pretty sweet, doesn't seem like it has a lot of power though :/

 

[Clay Diggins]

Currently under the dredging ban it doesn't matter how it sucks. If it sucks gravel underwater it's banned. I don't agree with that and I don't think in the long run the State will be able to enforce it but that is the current position of the Department of Fish and Game.

In my opinion a 3/4 inch dredge is pretty much worthless anyway. If you were in the business of moving sand underwater it might have some value but as a miner I think you will soon find it's more work than it's worth.

 

[2cmorau]

Suction Dredge Permitting Program - California Department of Fish and Wildlife

 

[Hoser John]

illegal,now ain't that a beach-John

 

[silverstateprospector]

Suction Dredge Permitting Program - California Department of Fish and Wildlife

So if it's not motorized it's legal we'll the super bucket is only powered by a little 12v water pump and battery there's no oil or gasoline involved to power it up but clay Diggins says that anything that suctions gravel from rivers is illegal.

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

"The current moratorium originally established by SB 670 and extended by AB 120 and SB 1018 does not prohibit or restrict non-motorized recreational mining activities, including panning for gold."

Emergency revision:
"Suction dredging.
For purposes of this Section 228 and Section 228.5, the use of any vacuum or suction dredge equipment (i.e. suction dredging) is defined as the use of a motorized suction system to vacuum material from a river, stream or lake for the extraction of mineral. These regulations do not apply to, prohibit or restrict nonmotorized recreational mining activities, including panning for gold"

1) Don't use the pump to run a vacuum. Think about a power washer.

 

[fowledup]

I don't like the way it's written. I can see some poor guy getting written up and having to go to court to prove his innocence. One part says no suction or vacuum, the next says non motorized but doesn't specifically list suction guns or recovery pumps. Those of you that duck hunt have seen this type of deal before with the spinning wing decoys- motorized vs. mechanical. Lots of folks got written up because it was subject to interpretation. What if you use your suction gun in conjunction with your power washer? It would be the same premise that was used in going after gravel transfer systems. Not purposely splitting hairs just pointing out their thought process.

 

[Jeff95531]

Suction Dredge Permitting Program - California Department of Fish and Wildlife

So...if I'm reading it right, hand held/operated suction hand tools are permitted? Still?

 

[KevinInColorado]

So...if I'm reading it right, hand held/operated suction hand tools are permitted? Still?

Right. Manually operated is ok....as far as I have seen (watching from a ways away in Colorado tho)

 

[dredgeman]

The Emergency definition of a dredge.

Any suction device that removes material from a river.
The court cases on the 27th may change that, we hope.

 

[silverstateprospector]

The Emergency definition of a dredge.

Any suction device that removes material from a river.
The court cases on the 27th may change that, we hope.

And how can somebody find out if they change it?

 

[nmhunter]

I am not a lawyer or from California, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn once and think this is legal still in every state that allows sluicing with hand tools. Lots of variations on youtube under "gravity dredge"

 

[silverstateprospector]

I am not a lawyer or from California, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn once and think this is legal still in every state that allows sluicing with hand tools. Lots of variations on youtube under "gravity dredge"

Video Link: http://youtu.be/FKbVM_JW3Qs

How long of a hose would you need to make it work properly?

 

[nmhunter]

Depends on your drop. I used to clean my 500 gal fish tank with something similar and used 8'. Some of the youtube videos are using only a 50' garden hose which I do not think would produce enough to justify the set up. Most are between 150' and 250'. I think I even saw one at 500' feet. You actually want to have the shortest length of hose you can get away with to give you the drop in elevation you need to move the material you are working. Every location will be different.

The biggest variable is how much of a drop in elevation you can get between where you are sucking your material and where you can set up your sluice. It works at any drop, but the bigger the drop the better the suction. Personally I would want to run at least 10' drop and a minimum 1" hose. Areas I want to try I should be able to get a 20' drop over 50' run which would give me plenty of working space. Since this is just a big siphon you cannot raise the suction end out of the water while moving around or you would break the suction and need to set it all up all over again.

I wont be able to try this out until Oct or later when I can head to northern NM. For me it is a possible way to dredge without the major expenses of buying or making a motorized one. Dredging is still legal in New Mexico under certain regs, but where I am there is either gold or water not both. For those in Cali it just may give a option that is still legal. I would certainly print out the Cali laws and regs however so that mean old uncle sam does not try bullying me around.

 

[Rdg Sluicer]

Go where they aint and do what you want......I am sick of all these rules. You practically have to have a law degree in Calif just to go out in the woods. Enough is enough.

 

[huntsman53]

Depends on your drop. I used to clean my 500 gal fish tank with something similar and used 8'. Some of the youtube videos are using only a 50' garden hose which I do not think would produce enough to justify the set up. Most are between 150' and 250'. I think I even saw one at 500' feet. You actually want to have the shortest length of hose you can get away with to give you the drop in elevation you need to move the material you are working. Every location will be different.

The biggest variable is how much of a drop in elevation you can get between where you are sucking your material and where you can set up your sluice. It works at any drop, but the bigger the drop the better the suction. Personally I would want to run at least 10' drop and a minimum 1" hose. Areas I want to try I should be able to get a 20' drop over 50' run which would give me plenty of working space. Since this is just a big siphon you cannot raise the suction end out of the water while moving around or you would break the suction and need to set it all up all over again.

I wont be able to try this out until Oct or later when I can head to northern NM. For me it is a possible way to dredge without the major expenses of buying or making a motorized one. Dredging is still legal in New Mexico under certain regs, but where I am there is either gold or water not both. For those in Cali it just may give a option that is still legal. I would certainly print out the Cali laws and regs however so that mean old uncle sam does not try bullying me around.

I believe that this is a unique setup that may get around the ban on motorized suction dredging in California! Have you thought about adding a dredge nozzle to the hose and run a small gravity feed hose from way upstream to the input connection of the nozzle? I believe that this type of setup with the gravity dredge hose, would create much more suction and limit the clog-ups in the main hose. Just something you might try on your next outing!


Frank

 

[silverstateprospector]

Depends on your drop. I used to clean my 500 gal fish tank with something similar and used 8'. Some of the youtube videos are using only a 50' garden hose which I do not think would produce enough to justify the set up. Most are between 150' and 250'. I think I even saw one at 500' feet. You actually want to have the shortest length of hose you can get away with to give you the drop in elevation you need to move the material you are working. Every location will be different.

The biggest variable is how much of a drop in elevation you can get between where you are sucking your material and where you can set up your sluice. It works at any drop, but the bigger the drop the better the suction. Personally I would want to run at least 10' drop and a minimum 1" hose. Areas I want to try I should be able to get a 20' drop over 50' run which would give me plenty of working space. Since this is just a big siphon you cannot raise the suction end out of the water while moving around or you would break the suction and need to set it all up all over again.

I wont be able to try this out until Oct or later when I can head to northern NM. For me it is a possible way to dredge without the major expenses of buying or making a motorized one. Dredging is still legal in New Mexico under certain regs, but where I am there is either gold or water not both. For those in Cali it just may give a option that is still legal. I would certainly print out the Cali laws and regs however so that mean old uncle sam does not try bullying me around.

Well I'm sure going to try it and see how it works next time I go out I'll try to post some pics of the finds.

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

How long of a hose would you need to make it work properly?

Gravity Dredge Plans
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/dredging-hi-banking/170625-newbie-gravity-dredge-info-needed.html
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/gold-prospecting/313505-gravity-dredge.html