Mining & Dredging Seasons
in California
Important Note: The State of California recently
passed a law which has placed a statewide moratorium on
suction dredging
in California until the Department of Fish & Game (DFG) completes an
updated Environmental Impact Report (EIR). This EIR process has already
begun. Under the present schedule, public hearings will begin in November
of 2009. DFG is projecting to complete the process by the spring of 2011.
Click here
for more information.
Just in case you didn’t know, this new law only stops suction dredging
within California’s active waterways. It does not have anything
to do with the other types of prospecting or mining that we do in
California. Unaffected prospecting activities include
panning,
sniping & vack-mining,
sluicing & high-banking,
booming, electronic
prospecting and other types of
prospecting
that do not use a suction nozzle within an active stream, river or creek.
It also does not affect our
group weekend
projects.
There are no seasons imposed upon these other types of
mining activity. In other words, you can do them at any
time of the year.
Please be advised that these other types of mining activity along
New 49’er properties
are subject to a strict set of
Surface
Mining Operational Guidelines.
As the suction dredging seasons in California have been
suspended, we have identified some fantastic suction
dredging opportunities for our members
in
Southern Oregon.