Out of curiousity

[taternut]

I know in California if you high bank you can't let your dirty water run into the creek because of all the silt. What if you're digging on an upper bench, can you put your material you're working in a bucket with water before you run it through a stream sluice? Or is that a big no no too?

 

[Alex Burke]

You mean like a 100gallon bucket you need more than 5 gallons to wash the dirt properly, if you kept filling 5 gallon bucket you'd be diverting water in a diff way than usual and could have problems idk. Also research how high up the river bank you can dig too if that's what you meant by upper bench they prob enforce that too now. I bought a recycling sluice to hopefully stay out of trouble. Hope that answers your question.

 

[Goldwasher]

I dont think he means to run the banker with it?? Are you asking if it is lawful to get dry dirt from above High waterline wet in a bucket? And then sluice it? Technically no. However it is done all the time. I think F.S. would have more of an issue. It is clearly forbidden in their regs.I dont remember how it is worded in the BLM regs. If you have a chance of running into an L.E.O in the field carry the regs with you and make sure you know them. There is a good chance you will know them better than he/she.One of the reasons to run a powersluice out and away from the water is, to run that dry material and not introduce that material into the waterway.That is why having a good settling system and showing that you are actively preventing "pollution" is key in the eyes of the state waterboard.It does take research but, read carfully and you can figure out how you can legally run your banker and sluice.I won't really get too specific on a forum and in no way want this to turn into a "Loophole" thread just wanted to toss in my two Pennies.Btw..

 

[taternut]

Yeah I just meant dig on the higher bank and put it into water to make it a "wet concentrate" and run that into my sluice that is setup in the stream. From what you guys are saying it sounds like a no lol. But everyone says to try the higher bank? What do I do then? Just classify dry materials then bring it home to pan

 

[Goodyguy]

Yeah I just meant dig on the higher bank and put it into water to make it a "wet concentrate" and run that into my sluice that is setup in the stream. From what you guys are saying it sounds like a no lol. But everyone says to try the higher bank? What do I do then? Just classify dry materials then bring it home to pan

It's all California BS! One good rain washes tons of material into streams from higher elevations per mile of stream per hour. What's a few 5 gallon buckets of that same type of material run through a sluice gonna hurt?

 

[Alex Burke]

Yeah I just meant dig on the higher bank and put it into water to make it a "wet concentrate" and run that into my sluice that is setup in the stream. From what you guys are saying it sounds like a no lol. But everyone says to try the higher bank? What do I do then? Just classify dry materials then bring it home to pan

I have used a reg sluice in the past right in front of LE up there even as recently as last year and no one ever said anything, but apparently only a pan has been the rule for a few years in rec area. I guess in the past its like jaywalking they didn't enforce it now maybe they will I'm not sure. I would think they would warn you to take it out of water I've never heard of anyone getting busted for sluicing but maybe some one else has. This year could be different tho. The digging above high water mark they'll enforce tho I bet.

 

[taternut]

Yeah I'm sure they would too. I never really see Fish and game up here just fish and wildlife and they always tell me they're just geologists and they're not there to enforce rules. Ill just stick to digging in the creek lol

 

[Goldwasher]

Sluicing isnt illegal, Indroducing earthen material to a waterway is. Material dug from below Highwater mark is excluded.Sluicing is prohibeted in a few state rec areas. Not A.S.R.A.Fish and game is no longer they are now the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife.

 

[Alex Burke]

Cool thanks for clarifying and keeping us out of the clink.

 

[Goodyguy]

Sluicing isnt illegal, Indroducing earthen material to a waterway is. Material dug from below Highwater mark is excluded.Sluicing is prohibeted in a few state rec areas. Not A.S.R.A.Fish and game is no longer they are now the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife.

Oh... they changed their name from Game to Wildlife. Guess the enviro wackos had another victory by eliminating the hunting reference from the name.
I suppose now they are working toward being named.... Department of "Humans Keep Out"

 

[63bkpkr]

GoodGuy,
How dare you insinuate that mother nature puts more dirt into any river or tributary than a miner could in a century, modern day miners that is. For shame you should speak badly of the Fish & Game Departments millions of dollar in cost to produce study that so clearly showed, through lies, that they were in the right. I mean just because that was stated at least at the Sacramento meeting and the person was just ignored, really how low of you to stab "them" in the back! Oh, Good for You!........................63bkpkr

 

[goldog]

Can Someone explain the high water mark? They also use the term wetted perimeter. Is that different?

I would think any material with rounded river rocks would be below the high water line.

 

[fuseboxxx]

GoodGuy,
How dare you insinuate that mother nature puts more dirt into any river or tributary than a miner could in a century, modern day miners that is. For shame you should speak badly of the Fish & Game Departments millions of dollar in cost to produce study that so clearly showed, through lies, that they were in the right. I mean just because that was stated at least at the Sacramento meeting and the person was just ignored, really how low of you to stab "them" in the back! Oh, Good for You!........................63bkpkr

Oh the millions of dollars that came out of our paychecks? Lol. We the people forever!

 

[russau]

Can Someone explain the high water mark? They also use the term wetted perimeter. Is that different?

I would think any material with rounded river rocks would be below the high water line.

thats the normal highest the flood waters have been! you can usually tell by the erosion on the banks. just stay below that mark!