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| Folsom Field Office | |||
Mining, Gold Panning, & Dredging MiningMuch of the public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management's Folsom Field Office is open for the filing of mining claims under the Mining Law of 1872. Under the Mining Law, the claim holder has exclusive rights to valuable minerals which may be found on the claim. Currently there are roughly 5,000 mining claims on the pubic lands administered by the Folsom Field Office. Persons who wish to stake a mining claim should contact the BLM State Office in Sacramento to find out if a site is already claimed or not. The BLM must be notified prior to the use of mechanized equipment on a claim. Mining claims may not be filed for the purpose of living on public land. Gold PanningBecause of the Mother Lode Region's history as a gold-producing area, there is high public interest in casually looking for a gold nugget or two. Unfortunately, the most promising public lands are already under claim, and cannot be worked without the claim holder's permission. Three areas within the jurisdiction of the Folsom Field Office, however, are available for casual prospecting: the South Fork of the Yuba River and the lower Merced River. Gold seekers who use the traditional shovel and pan can try their luck in these areas without having to get permission. Dredging Merced River Dredging permits are not issued until river flow falls below 700cfs. Opportunities exist for recreational dredging on lands administered by the Folsom Field Office which are excluded from mining claims. This type of gold hunting is usually done by people without mining claims, who dredge for the sheer enjoyment of it. This is more of a recreational activity rather than a commercial enterprise. The Folsom Field Office's concept is to provide areas to dredge, set some reasonable rules, and minimize conflicts with other resource users and mining claimants. Those who wish to use a suction dredge need to contact the Folsom Field Office before they go out on the rivers. Permits are required by both the State of California and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The State Department of Fish and Game (DFG) issues the state permits. BLM permits are issued out of the Folsom Field Office. BLM permits are not issued by mail, they must be picked up in person by the individual who will be doing the actual dredging. Permits will be issued starting May 15th for the Yuba and after June 15th or spring runoff for the Merced River.
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