Merced River

[panner59]

Has anyone been to the Briceburg area lately? My wonderful loving wife bought me some new prospecting equipment for my birthday and was wondering how the water level was. I've got the time to go digging and that's the only place that kinda close. I have access to the north fork of the Merced but it's about dried up. It's going to be a very dry year so I want to grab some cons while some of the water is still flowing.We drove back from Oregon two weeks ago and all the rivers that we crossed were pretty low on water.Thanks for any information.
Panner59

 

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[Oakview2]

 

[Oakview2]

Briceburg is pans and sluices only.No motorized equipment.

 

[63bkpkr]

Hi Panner59,
From the USGS site the MERCED R At POHONO BRIDGE NR YOSEMITE CA is running 975 cfs. The river has been running above 'normal' levels since about February and has just dropped below normal.

The lowest recorded value was 300 cfs in 1977, no input on the time of year but likely late summer. As the river has been running above normal for some time I would expect that this summer it will be very low. You mentioned the North Fork of the Merced but I was only able to find the above location. Hope this gives you some idea of what to expect.

What new equipment did your "Super Wife" birthday gift you with Best of luck with it..................63bkpkr

 

[panner59]

Thanks for the info. Last year when we set up our sluice box on the Merced a Ranger came by to check us out I guess. He turned out to be the nicest Ranger I ever met. Even helped me set up my (then new high banker) seen in the pic. He said that as long as it was only a battery operated pump and I used wet to wet material I was fine. He said the "no motorized equipment" meant gasoline engines. I've seen other people with this type of equipment in the area before. I don't know...Go figure.
Thanks again Oakview2, 63bkpkr

 

[Oakview2]

I have met a similar ranger up there who gave our group that showed all the granfathered claims, but he also said no motorized equipment of any kind. Good health and good hunting, I hope you knock them dead...

 

[deserdog]

If the river is going to be that low, think of all the areas that you can use a metal detector on. Merced River has easily detectable size gold.

 

[Hoser John]

Kalif is in drought for sure as all natural rivers and creeks lower than I've ever seen this time a year up her in shasta/trinity/klamath area-bummer as it makes ya more easily traceable,harder to disappear-John

 

[AUMIKE]

When you go across the bridge going north on 49, park on the left side of the road. Cross the road and you will come to a cattle gate. Go through there and walk up the stream bed. I cleaned out some bed rock and found some nice flakes. Some of the bed rock has grass on top, take that with you. Lots of float in the roots.
Good luck!
AUMIKE

A Man's gotta know his own limitations!!!

 

[panner59]

 

[panner59]

This was when I had my claim on Gentry creek. There is so much area to explore. I even found an old ancient river bed that crosses the north fork of the Merced Pounds of AU in the area.

 

[63bkpkr]

Sigh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for sharing! It looks like it Was fun! And, I hope it is again.................63bkpkr

 

[AUMIKE]

How did you do last week? You find the spot?
Mike

 

[panner59]

Went to a spot that I have worked over the years and it has yet to fail. Big hole in the middle of the creek. Tried my new Gold-N-Sand dredge out and it did great! Not a lot water in the hole but enough to try it out. Sucked out 3 foot of H2o in no time. Found a nice 1/2 gram nugget and some flakes on the very bottom. Had a good time. Getting hot in this area of Cali. and the snakes ARE OUT! Had to kill one that wouldn't leave. Don't normally do that but this one was determined to bite me. Oh well Mr. Red tail had a good dinner!

 

[dredgeman]

Hope you had fun. The area before the north fork on the main stem upstream is claimed. The Blm guy keeps taking down our signs. We have since put cameras in the area. Halls gulch and good gulch have claims also. Charlie had the claim by the big pipe died recently and his daughter has the nugget king 2 now. Fritz, Jim H, Ziggy, and Leroy are all gone now.

 

[Drawman]

Hope you had fun. The area before the north fork on the main stem upstream is claimed. The Blm guy keeps taking down our signs. We have since put cameras in the area. Halls gulch and good gulch have claims also. Charlie had the claim by the big pipe died recently and his daughter has the nugget king 2 now. Fritz, Jim H, Ziggy, and Leroy are all gone now.

Hopefully will be up there this Saturday. I will be mindfull of claim markers. I want to hike into the area where the NF enters the main river.

 

[Trulyrich]

Heading up to the BLM campgrounds by Briceburg with two of my young sons to show them how to pan a little. I know that Railroad Flat and Willow Placer have claims on them but is there a chance of finding a little color around the McCabe Flat campground? We don't have anything fancy, just a couple of pans and a shovel. We do have a cheaper detector and I might be able to borrow a small sluice.

 

[Fullpan]

Welcome to the forum, Trulyrich - hope you have a wonderful time showing your kids the finer things in life!

 

[Trulyrich]

Thank you Fullpan. I hope that there are at least a couple flakes so they can see how rewarding digging in the dirt can be.

 

[MHRprospecting]

Hope you had fun. The area before the north fork on the main stem upstream is claimed. The Blm guy keeps taking down our signs. We have since put cameras in the area. Halls gulch and good gulch have claims also. Charlie had the claim by the big pipe died recently and his daughter has the nugget king 2 now. Fritz, Jim H, Ziggy, and Leroy are all gone now.

hey dredge,
this is where the 8'diameter one is right?
can i get bills # if so pm me please.