with those rules posted I think it's safe to say riverbed only, and when in doubt, get ahold of your local chapter president. those types of rules sound like no dredging, and if you're running a recirculating sluice then you have to been X amount of feet from the river. but I would check with your chapters President first, I am guessing this is California or Oregon?

The Fish and Game Code, California Water Code, and the Clean Water Act are some of the regulations used for checks and balances. These codes prohibit an individual from discharging water and waste sediment when using a high banker or power sluice within an area.

They may flow into the region’s rivers, lakes, streams, or other water bodies without acquiring a Regional Water Quality Control Board permit.

In high banking and power sluicing activities, water is pumped short distances from a waterway place. The pumped water in them is allowed to seep into open ground or evaporate so that it does not return to the river, stream, or creek.

Before you are issued a permit to carry out high banking and power sluicing in the California region, you have to file a report about how you will discharge your waste to the Regional Water Board for approval.

The board will then access your report to ascertain whether your planned activities will create or threaten the environment by forming pollution and nuisance in the region.

will remain in place until the time the Department of Fish and Game, which is reviewing the current dredging permitting program, completes an environmental analysis and revise its regulations.

No new permits will be issued to new recreational permit application individuals until the reviews for suction dredging are lifted. You can log into the BLM websites to learn more about the same.

No permit is needed for individuals or companies planning to conduct low-impact gold panning. Places where you can try your luck if you include:

(I)Northern California: This region is believed to have the wealthiest spots to contact gold panning. A place to try your luck in the region is like Marshal Gold Discovery State Historical Park, where you can pan at Auburn State Recreation Area, along the American River, north of Sacramento.

All permanent streambeds in the area are hotbeds to try your luck in finding gold.

Malakoff Diggings State Park is another area to explore where you can pan along 25 mileages in the river that cut across. Gold pan around Tahoe National Forest is also worth trying.

(II)Central California: This region area worth trying include Millerton Lake State Recreational Area, the San Joaquin River Gorge, North of Fresno, northeast of the Fresno area.

(III)Southern Inland California: The park areas in this region are good spots to try your luck though your options will be limited. You can try Red Rock Canyon State Park, streams in the area, east of Bakersfield, toward the Mojave Desert.

(IV)San Diego Area: Panning for gold in this region can occur at the Julian Mining Company. When you visit this place, you will be shown a demonstration and be allocated an hour to the pan.

You need to go with a group of about 25 others, but smaller groups can also be allowed.