CALIFORNIA BOUND Tuesday, October 26, 2021
Modern Aggregate Gravel and Gold Mining in the Lower Yuba River with Field Evidence of the Historic Gold Mining Operation
8:00 am – 4:00 pm Leaders: Stephen Testa, CPG-06464 and Will Arcand
This field trip will be highlighted by a tour of active sur- face mining operations in and immediately adjacent to the historic Yuba Goldfields. Upstream hydraulic mining with high-pressure monitors blasted away at river cliffs, expos- ing gold nuggets and releasing over one billion cubic yards of tailings (averaging 22 feet thick). Massive dredges ripped placer gold flakes from gravels buried dozens of feet below the surface. Currently, sand and gravel are California’s most valuable industrial minerals, and voluminous deposits in the Lower Yuba River are desperately needed for a construction industry lacking adequate supplies. Placer gold is still collected in the surface mining process. The field trip will include mod- ern extraction and reclamation activities, as well as a visit to a restoration project for salmonid habitat and flood control.
The lunch stop, Hammon Grove Park in Yuba County, California, provides a view into the rich past of Yuba County’s gold mining history. Encompassing just over 40 acres, Hammon Grove sits where Long Bar was located - an historic town that once flourished but has since been buried under the thick layers of hydraulic mining debris. The land and topo- graphic features are a remnant of Wendell P. Hammon’s vast gold dredging operation, which originally contained 10,000+ acres. Search for forensic clues that are still visible in the park, such as the tell-tale signs of the quartz mining operation of days past. Extensive water canals traverse the park property and lead to the mine tailings brought forth from deep underground sediments. A one-mile hiking trail follows the circumference of the park, allowing visitors an opportunity to experience the essence of the Yuba County foothills.
Closed-toe shoes are suggested for minor walking on potentially uneven ground near Yuba River. Bring hats and sunscreen, although cooler temps and rain are possible in late October.
Mini- Workshops
Monday, October 25, 2021
Drones in Geology - Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Site Assessment and Characterization
7:00 am – 9:00 am
Drones are a tool that is giving the earth science industry a whole new capacity to evaluate a variety of geologic conditions and processes. If you haven’t added this to your geologist tool- box, then join us and jumpstart your effort by incorporating Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) as a method for assessing and monitoring conditions across the landscape, spatially and temporally. This course will familiarize the participant with environmental and risk assessment applications of UAVs, and will provide an overview of the regulations governing their commercial use. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to begin using UAVs.
Yuba River. Image source:
https://yubariver.org/our-work/lower- yuba-restoration/active-lower-yuba-projects/long-bar-restoration- project/
www.aipg.org
This course will introduce remediation, assessment, and site characterization applications of this tool. Topics will include the analysis of imagery from various types of sen- sors, including multispectral and thermal cameras, as well as photogrammetric measurements, magnetometer analysis, and the use of UAVs for sampling the physical environment (i.e., water, vapor). The regulatory landscape governing the commercial use of UAVs will also be covered, as well as the range of available platforms and UAV tools. The course is intended for students with limited background in the use of UAVs, who wish to begin using them, or who want to learn about considerations when hiring a contractor for UAV work. If time and conditions permit, students will have the opportunity to fly a small UAV.
Apr.May.Jun 2021 • TPG 13
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