Dry situation

[lookn4yellow]

Hi everyone Ive been out and about lately having a look around daylesford and creswick and getting used to my new highbanker and have noticed that most of the creeks are drying up real quick.Just curious as this is my first year of chasing gold do a lot of the creeks start drying up so early in the year or is it just getting worse each year ? yes i expect dry up periods during summer but was surprised to see that where i was 2 weeks ago had water and was mud on weekend.Makes it frustrating chasing water as well as gold.

 

[AtomRat]

Gday mate. The flows we call per-annuals and as you get to dig in an area more, you will learn when the lands dry or wet. When its dry it doesn't mean prospecting is useless. Watch as the creek beds dry up and map every spot where a wet or damp spot is left. These are your lowest deposit areas and depending on how strong the flow of the water is at its best depends if gold has deposited in those spots, but a likely place to dig.

When you get in these damp spots, you can usually dig a hole big and deep enough to still pan in if your lucky, or even setup a sluice but you have to control sediment flow so you can recirculate the water from the puddle as long as you can before it gets too silted up for the pump ( which isn't healthy for it either )

Even map the whole creek and label obvious things like cracks, outcrops going across the stream flow, crevaces and boulders which you usually can't see when the stream is flowing as its underwater ( if it gets that deep ). Deep holes after a drop are usually useless as this is where the water has been throwing everything out and pushing it forwards so stay clear of them unless the "waterfall" has a hole that's dips in on itself where gold could deposit behind the waterflow at the base of the drop.

I wish my creeks flowed like yours...

 

[ballarat_gold]

i feel your pain. Was out creswick this morning an most creeks are near bone dry, slatey has a little flowing at a dribble but it'll be dry withn a few weeks. Lack of 4x4 makes it a pain walking all my gear out to where there is still sufficient water to bank all day.

I work in Bendigo, so travel daily from Ballarat an pass plenty of creeks with still sufficient water flow. Joyces creek maldon/newstead way, the loddon and barkers creek castlemaine/guildford way are a couple. There not that much further from where your already at. Might be worth a shot over that way instead mate

I know I'll be heading that way soonish.

 

[AtomRat]

Castlemaine is dryer than talc powder right now

 

[ballarat_gold]

cambells and barkers creek have a flow

 

[lookn4yellow]

Thanks guys means heaps 1 or 2 leads are great i was out and about up daylesford today in sailors creek getting a few smaller gems with my daughter and had a bit of a look also and yep dry most of the other water ways.I might have a look at cambells and barkers creeks tonight on maps and have a go tomorrow with highbanker

 

[AtomRat]

I went to Sailors not long ago down at the bridge / car park. Was my first time seeing colors like that in a pan, its amazing and certainly a spot ill be taking my family too

 

[lookn4yellow]

Yer same spot i went was great finding all different colour gems and even a strange blue stone not sure what it is. Daughter and i had a great time will deff do again at some stage