While a large number of locations have yielded some placer gold, most of the state’s placer production has come from a few productive districts.

My intention was to end this discussion with waypoints and routes, then I found USGS maps of the Plainfield Quadrangle.

So, how much rain does it take to cause a major movement of gravels in a stream and redistribute the gold? The technical answer is enough water to move the bed load of the river.

Placers that are directly associated with lode deposits are sometimes overlooked and may have good potential for those who are willing to search for them.

There are a few questions you will need to ask yourself before you apply for a suction dredge permit from the State Water Resources Control Board.