Word is that the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife have been contacting some local miners to help save salmon beds in the Columbia River.
Members of a local club to the Portland area, Northwest Mineral Prospecting Club (www.nwmpc.com) are being called by a Roger Shaw to use their suction dredges to help repair damaged salmon beds in the immediate future.
If this plays out this could be HUGE for our cause, especially is we can get the media involved...
MINERS SAVE SALMON HABITAT....Story at 11:00..
The number given for Roger is (360) xxx-xxxx if you are in the Northwest and can help out!
CALLING ALL DREDGERS!!
:o What a great opportunity for us!!
I wish I lived closer. Are you trying to contact the media?
Have you told Redpaw? Silly questions! ;)
Denise
I'm wanting to know how they are going to get past all the supposed mining laws and restrictions for Inwater Timing guidelines?
How they are going to restore salmon beds in a period that should have eggs within the gravel?
I'd like to know who signed the emergency declaration determining that there will be NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT from the mass dredging? and who signed off on this?
Color me skeptical and willing to film it.
Hey all,
Freedom of Information Act Request!........Ask for all the details! QJ
I've posted all I know at this time, I didn't call the guy since I don't have a dredge.
If Shane gets more info on when his fellow NWMPC members are to do this, or if they have a specific day planned for all involved I'll post it.
I'm willing to put up my dredge and its use for participation in this dredge party to save the salmon.
I cannot dredge at this time, but I will allow my dredge to be used along with my permits as long as I can film it and document the entire process...
Heck I even have a 7mm wetsuit with gloves and booties for use also.
So who is going to use my dredge? John? Timmy?...Shane?.....
call me guys and lets work out the details, I have a truck and will transport the dredge to you.
I will do whatever it takes at this point to promote this....if its real.
Rp
Shane is a hell of a lot closer to fitting your wetsuit than me LOL... he also said he'd be more than happy to run the dredge and thinks filming it would be a good idea.. I just tried to reach that Roger Shaw fellow and it was his home number. Given that I'm taking out his # from the original post. If anyone wants it just email or PM me.
Copy of email sent from NWMPC president:
Emergency
The Washington Fish and Wildlife has asked for OUR Help.
They need the sand removed into a stream up by Bonneville Dam so the Fish can get up.
The plan is for this weekend and to use 4" and bigger Dredges.
Will know more after today Board Meeting,
e-mail Bob Elskamp if you can help at rm.elsie@juno.com
Thank, Bob bob@nwmpc.com
Looks like he has sent this to the Portland GPAA as well.
I just accessed my personal email and I have messages from both NWMPC( Northwest Mineral Prospectors Club) and the Portland Branch of GPAA. It appears that a stream below bonneville is plugged with sand.
"Emergency
The Washington Fish and Wildlife has asked for OUR Help.
They need the sand removed into a stream up by Bonneville Dam so the Fish can get up.
The plan is for this weekend and to use 4" and bigger Dredges.
Will know more after today Board Meeting"
Is the content of the email I received.
I've sent an email to rm.elsie@juno.com inviting him(them) here to add their thoughts.
whoa!!! is there an echo in here?
Good job LilTimmy......We welcome anyone willing to communicate !
I only have a Highbanker Dredge Combo of the 2" size.....
But I will still be willing to lend out the wetsuit and dredge if still needed?
The Pressure hose from the 2" pump can be used to displace the packed gravel to allow the larger dredges easier suck up. ( Think underwater hydraulicking )
Just a thought....Heres another one:
I think the WDFW is going to find that they have so restricted and destroyed the economy and Mining Rights in Washington that there will probably no such person that has a dredge bigger than 4" in the entire state.
another thought, Why after being SCREWED by WDFW would anyone come to the Aid of the WDFW after their abuse of authority and misdeeds to the general mining Community.
somehow I feel that this will only allow Washington Agencies to further hurt the mining community shortly after the mining community offers up and delivers a needed hand. I would get everything in writing and assurances that during the excavation of the gravels that proper studies be implemented and published immediately and then used to OPEN UP ALL THE CLOSED RIVERS
Color me Jaded and Crispy....but still willing to oversee the use of my dredge and full participation on my part.
Anything to help the Washington Miners !!
Good point... there really should be reciprocation of some kind by the DFW.
"Please help us, we really need you...but if we catch you helping us without a copy of Gold and Fish we're gonna fine you $5,000!"
Update...
I spoke in length with Bob Elskamp, the gentleman heading this whole affair up. Sounds like he has a good deal of equipment together but could still use help.
Primarily they would like to see 4" dredges but anything would be helpful. Also it would be nice if anyone could come up with extra waders or wetsuits and whatever other support would be appreciated. Sounds like we're looking to run shifts as the water will be around 40 degrees. I'm thinking some good propane heaters would be nice to warm folks up after a shift in the water.
I guess the deal with this one is that the salmon done laid there eggs in gravel, then they got buried under about a foot of sand. The result is they are suffocating before they can clear the sand layer. Just a thought, maybe we could find some salmon fisherman that would like to lend some muscle? Any ideas on who to talk to?
Anyway. Bob's gonna be on SE Riverwood Lane in Vancouver WA, just off Evergreen HWY at or around 8 on Saturday. Work will be in progress all weekend.
I'll try to get more info as the week goes.
If you are looking for fisherman, I'd check with a mgr at places like Fishermans Marine or Stevens Marine. Stevens is closer to where you will be.
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