A MINERS WISH,
Of all the studies that were done on suction dredging. I WISH a study would have been made.on how suction dredging with an environmental plan could be used as a tool to improve our rivers fish habitats. I WISH, the biologists could have studied how I can use my dredge to make good gravel spawning bars as a by-product of dredging, I WISH the EPA could have done a study on how much lead and mercury could be removed as a by- product of dredging, I WISH all the people against dredging could have studied how to use dredging as a tool to improve fish habitats. If I float a turbidity curtain behind my dredge would that change all of the studies negative findings? I WISH people would look at suction dredging as 4000 fish habitat improvement projects being paid for with the little gold that they find, I WISH I could get help to use my dredge to improve fish habitat from all the people involved in the study.
About twenty years ago C.D.F.and G. did a little study on my mining claim. The river bed of my claim is like most river beds, boulder bound with hard pact gravels. With the input of the biologist I put the gravel in one pile,the cobbles in another pile. They asked me to use a spill-proof gas container and NOT to pan my mining concentrates back into the river. The next spring we went to the river and found the winter high water had made a loose gravel bar, perfect for fish spawn, the cobbles turned into perfect habitat for the little fish. The dredge hole turned into a deep cold water pool 12 degrees colder than surface water. By not panning my mining concentrates back into the river I was able to remove over 12.5 oz of lead fish weights and old bullets plus a car battery. I have continued to dredge in a environmentally friendly way since,I feel that dredging could become an effective tool to help fish habitat, if done the correct way and it is just as healthy for the river as rototilling your garden.