Wild and Scenic Rivers

[Mountaineer2020]

In Eastern Oregon a number of the good gold bearing rivers have been designated, "Wild and Scenic". I think that means they have alot of rules limiting what can be done around them. I know you can't put in a new gold claim on a Wild and Scenic river. Can you pan though without a claim? How about sluicing? I did a little bit of research trying to find out what's allowed and what's not and it's not real straightforward. Anyone know where to find the regs on what's allowed? I'm assuming recreational mining is but I could be all wrong and headed up the wrong creek.... without a paddle.

 

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[Oregon Viking]

Here is some info.

Oregon Small Scale Prospecting Permit - Oregon Gold

 

[ArfieBoy]

In Baker City there is a gold mining group. I think it is called the "Eastern Oregon Gold Mining Association" or something very close to that. Baker City chamber of Commerce should have there contact information. I never joined it but I used to attend some of their meetings. There was a lot of knowledge in the group when I went there. Good luck! They can really help you out and are fairly local.

 

[Mountaineer2020]

Here is some info.

Oregon Small Scale Prospecting Permit - Oregon Gold

Very helpful. Looks like I am prospecting and do not need a permit. Hard to keep up with the rules in this state. They change quick. All the links in that article were already broke too.

 

[Mountaineer2020]

Arfie, I joined the EOMA last week. Hopefully I'll get more involved, but I do live 2 1/2 hours away from Baker.

 

[winners58]

panning is considered an existing activity and is allowed on all rivers in Oregon. (respect private property/claims)
several rivers are hands and pans only no tools for digging. prospecting/panning is not mining.
the Wild ans Scenic rivers closed to "recreational mining" https://www.oregon.gov/dsl/WW/Documents/RiversClosedPlacerMining.pdf

other non-motorized like sluicing fall under discharge from a point source.
so they want you to have a copy of the 700pm close by, just print it out.
https://www.oregon.gov/deq/FilterPermitsDocs/700pmPermit.pdf

the other consideration is removal/fill, salmon habitat (ESH) "waters of the state" means below the high water line.
for all streams there is a non-motorized exemption of one cubic yard per spot, five CY per stream per year.
over that in ESH they want you to have the General authorization for digging up to 25cy,
other non-ESH streams its 50cy before needing a removal/fill or joint USACE 404 permit/
https://www.oregon.gov/dsl/WW/Pages/Mining.aspx

off-stream they want you to have a water pollution control facility permit (WPDF 600) but haven't issued any new ones since 2016
people that had them are administratively extended, BLM/FS require one for a PoO or get a surface mining permit from DOGAMI ($$$)
for the weekend miner LEO's don't harass people like they used to for them, IMHO if they don't issue a permit you don't need one...
If you want to say you made an effort to comply you could download a copy if asked just say its administratively extended.
https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/CommitteeMeetingDocument/96041

 

[Oregon Viking]

I was just going to say contact winners58 he will know!

 

[DizzyDigger]

Same basic rules apply here in Washington.

I live on the Skagit River, designated as "Wild and Scenic",
and I've spent many hours panning right on my own beach.
Not much gold bigger than about 80/100 mesh, and bedrock
is something like 80' down.

 

[ArfieBoy]

Arfie, I joined the EOMA last week. Hopefully I'll get more involved, but I do live 2 1/2 hours away from Baker.

Good to hear! If you can make any of the meetings they will be a big help!

 

[billb]

I hope someday to pan for gold,,it must be a thrill of a lifetime to find those elusive nuggets

 

[N-Lionberger]

Hey for those hands and pans locations you can use a steel gold pan as a shovel, you can trim some of the rolled edge off to get a better scoop action. Keene makes nice stout steel pans down to a 6 inch size which is handy as a scoop in such situations.

 

[Oregon Viking]

Hey for those hands and pans locations you can use a steel gold pan as a shovel, you can trim some of the rolled edge off to get a better scoop action. Keene makes nice stout steel pans down to a 6 inch size which is handy as a scoop in such situations.

Great advice! Prospectors on the Smith river (Northern California ) use that technique.

 

[M.E.G.]

Below is a link on topic, but video link does not seem to be good any more. If someone knows how to reach Kerby Jackson, he may be able to restore, or provide a new link to the video: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/g...er-kerby-jackson-hal-anthony-blm-contact.html

 

[Clay Diggins]

River segments can be designated one of "Wild", "Scenic" or "Recreational". There is no such designation as wild and scenic. "Wild and Scenic" is just the short name for the law that allows for one of the three designations.

River segments designated "Wild" have a quarter mile protected zone on either side of the segment. That totals a half mile width that can't be claimed. River segments deignated "Scenic" or "recreational" have the quarter mile designation zone and can sometimes be open to mining claims.

Although the "Wild" designation automatically comes with a protected area the other designations can have their own management restrictions so you really need to read the declaration to understand what you can and can't do there. Obviously Scenic designation probably is going to limit your ability to build a processing plant or build an access road while a Recreational designation is not going to allow major river water diversion or obstruction of the waterway or banks.

To see what river segments have been designated Wild, Scenic or Recreational Land Matters created a Wild and Scenic River Map showing the different designations and providing links to download the Act that created the designation and describes the restrictions on that particular segment.

The several "Buffer" map layers on this map are a rough approximation of a quarter mile zone around each river segment. In particular the "Wild" segments of these rivers have a legal requirement that one quarter mile from each river bank is excluded from location and development. Other segments that are not designated as "Wild" often have the same setback for administrative management. Some river segments have additional administrative areas set aside as well, although these other administrative areas are not currently shown on this project map it is Land Matters goal to eventually discover and incorporate these areas in the map display.

This mapping only covers the current and pending federal WSR designations. A few States have created their own "Wild and Scenic" designations but those don't have the same legal effect as the federal designations and they are not displayed on the map.

Heavy Pans