What is suction dredging?

What is Suction Dredging?

Suction dreding, (more formally, Motorized Recreational Mineral Prospecting, MRMP) constitutes a suite of placer mining techniques that use motorized equipment to process stream sediments in search of gold. “Suction dredging” is an MRMP method by which the bed of a stream, lake, or river is vacuumed-up and processed through a sluice using a gas- or electric-powered motor. “High-banking” is a similar activity that involves excavating streambanks with the objective of processing the fluvial deposits adjacent to the stream. Once sediment is processed by equipment, it is released back out into the stream or river in a large sediment plume.

What are the impacts of suction dredging?

·       Involves excavation of the streambed and stream banks, which increases erosion and sedimentation in our watersheds.

·       Creates large sediment plumes that can smother incubating fish eggs and invertebrates.

·       Mobilizes mercury and other heavy metals buried in stream sediments.

·       Causes physical impacts to eggs, juvenile fish, invertebrates, and other aquatic organisms that are “processed” by the suction dredge or other equipment.

·       Disturbs riparian vegetation at equipment access points and due to long-term use.

·      Often involves moving boulders and instream logs to access gravel deposits, which interrupts of natural stream geomorphic processes and habitat.

Hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent on fish habitat restoration efforts throughout Washington State’s watersheds over the past 20+ years, and MRMP undermines these efforts by unraveling the beds and banks of streams that are critical to the survival of the native fish species these projects are designed to benefit.

Where is suction dredging happening in Washington State?

This is not an isolated issue. Suction dreding occurs across Washington State: from the South Fork Nooksack River with its spring Chinook salmon that are on the brink of extinction to the Peshastin Creek watershed near Leavenworth with its steelhead trout that must travel 500 miles and navigate 7 dams to return to their spawning waters. The Nooksack River, Skagit River, Skykomish River, Wenatchee River, Yakima River, Okanogan River, Upper Columbia River, and Lewis River watersheds are some of the hotspots for suction dredging in Washington.

What are the current MRMP regulations?

Of the states in the continental U.S. that support the remaining populations of Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed Pacific salmon and steelhead, Washington is the only state that still allows unpermitted suction dredging and other forms of MRMP in streams critical to supporting the survival of these species.

Due to the proven habitat degradation caused by this form of placer mining, California, Oregon, and Idaho have all enacted statutory reforms that institute strong regulatory controls on suction dredging in Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed fish habitat. As of 2009, California has instituted a moratorium on these activities in all rivers, streams, and lakes. In 2014, Oregon instituted a permit cap for suction dredging in “Essential Salmon Habitat”, and each operation is carefully tracked through the state’s permitting system. As of 2013, Idaho has closed all “Endangered Species Habitat Areas” to suction dredging.

However, in Washington State:

·       Suction dredging is allowed in virtually all Washington State rivers and streams, even those listed as Critical Habitat under the ESA.

·       95% of suction dredging operations occur without any tracking by the state agency charged with regulating these activities, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). Washington allows most suction dredging to occur under the auspices of a blanket statutory rulebook that operates like a programmatic permit for all  recreational mineral prospecting, titled the “Gold and Fish Pamphlet.”

·       There are no licensing or permitting fees for suction dredging.

·       There is no system for monitoring or evaluating cumulative impacts of suction dredge operations.

·       WDFW has limited enforcement authority for violations, and repeat offenses are commonplace.

The State does not have ESA “take” coverage from NOAA Fisheries and USFWS for administration of the Gold and Fish Pamphlet and potential impacts to ESA-listed salmon, steelhead, bull trout, and Critical Habitat.