Water Levels - Central/Northern Vic atm?

[DigginForGold]

Hi,

So I'm thinking about heading to either Reedy Creek or Slaty Creek (probably leaning towards Reedy) around the 7th-ish of Jan. Just wondering if there will be sufficient water around at that time to run a small sluice?

Judging by previous years posts, water levels can be a little touch and go this time of year up there. It'll be my first ever time out looking for gold so I don't want it to be a bust. Yes, I'm a complete newb.

Just FYI, I went with a AM Grubbstake sluice. Its not the biggest sluice ever so hoping I can get by in some places with lower water levels.

And since I've got you here I may as well ask you another question or two...

I've read that you can classify down to and feed 1/2inch material in to some of the slightly bigger AM sluices but haven't seen to much said in relation to the Grubbstake. So my thought is that it's a smaller sluice so I should probably classify down to 1/4inch, maybe even 1/8inch where it's predominantly finer gold...what do you think?

Also, probably going to head out to Andersons Creek in Warrandyte soon too since that's as close as I can find gold to my house...even if it's not a lot. Anyone know how the water levels fare in Andersons Creek over the summer? How do I know how far I can walk up the creek at Andersons before I'm "out of bounds"? Is it sign posted?

Thanks for your help. I can't wait to get out there. And hopefully, with your help, I'll do it right.

 

[Goldtarget]

Reedy/ Eldorado see my gold trip topic, there's a pic of current levels, Rock wall assistance will get a McKirk sluice going, we ran an explorer and grubsteak. Best to go down to 1/4 inch and despite the size you still need good fall and water speed Imo. The creek was running a foot deep by two feet wide in the narrow sections. It had fallen half a foot since my last outing which surprised me I thought it would have stopped. Hope this helps.

Here's the pic. That was 23/12 in the arvo.

Same section. The flow at the left of this pic (next to the raised gravel bar) is where the two am sluices were. There it's 3 feet across about 3/4 foot deep with a 1/2 foot drop if you built a rock wall. Any narrows atm will be enough flow to do what you need to do. Cheers.

 

[Prospector B]

The grubstake needs good flow to exchange, if you can't get it working with 1/2 inch material there is no point going to 1/4 inch IMHO. I just stick to 1/2 inch.

 

[Beagleboy]

There are orange markers in the Andersons creek in Warrandyte. You can see them from the road. There is water there but not sure if you can run a sluice. Good luck mate.

 

[DigginForGold]

Thanks very much everyone. Very helpful indeed.

Goldtarget
Cheers mate. Can't get much better than photographic evidence. Seems like it might be worth a shot so long as we get a little rain between now and then. And nice job of the trip report thread. I did see the first few threads but hadn't been back too see the latest pics you uploaded until just now.

Prospector B
Now that you mention it, I do recall reading something along those lines with the AM line of sluices...that they need decent flow rates because of the vortex yada yada... so yeah, 1/2inch might be the go. We'll see...

Beagleboy
Thanks mate. Seems fairly straight forward and clear. Bummer about the water situation, but it is quite close by so it wouldn't hurt swinging by to check it out none the less. Maybe try to time it after some decent rains? Again, we'll see...

Thanks again!

 

[bourbon]

I was at reedy creek Boxing Day and was running a highbanker and there was plenty of water still, they forecast some more rain on the 4th of January which will top the levels up a bit

 

[DigginForGold]

I was at reedy creek Boxing Day and was running a highbanker and there was plenty of water still, they forecast some more rain on the 4th of January which will top the levels up a bit

Hi. Thanks for the update. It's looking alright. Hopefully with those rains I'll be able to run the sluice. Otherwise panning will do.

 

[Marked]

Blackwood area very dry. Only a few stagnant puddles in the creeks north of town. A couple of trickles in the bigger ones maybe.

 

[InteroBusteerio]

Anyone know how slaty creek is looking as of the last few days?

 

[deepblue]

Don't know about Creswick but Daylesford has had 10.9mm in the last 4 hours.
db

 

[bmzgold]

hey pot of gold
just wondering how long you are going to be at reedy creek as i will be heading over there
in the next couple of days and could catch up if you are still there and up for it.

 

[DigginForGold]

hey pot of gold
just wondering how long you are going to be at reedy creek as i will be heading over there
in the next couple of days and could catch up if you are still there and up for it.

Sorry was in bed when you sent this mate. Ended up going up there yesterday for the day. I left at 6am so didnt have to to get in touch. Would have been up for catching up too. Oh well... There's always next time.

 

[bmzgold]

Yea would have posted earlier but was on holidays with the family at malacoota, two very relaxing weeks had some prospecting gear with me but never got it out, too busy catching Kingfish and flathead.
always on the lookout for people heading up this way, love meeting other infecties, starting to get a bit hot though, alright in the early morning and evenings but too bloody hot to get a good siesta :lol: :lol: .

 

[DigginForGold]

Oh so you live up that way do you? Well if I head back up I'll let you know.

 

[DigginForGold]

Does anyone know what Slaty Creek is like at the moment? Not great I expect, but is there any flow at all?

Starting back at work on Monday so I'm thinking maybe I can get out for one last hurrah in the next few days...

 

[DigginForGold]

Also, here is a couple of pics of Reedy Creek on the 7th Jan. This is the area I spent the day in. You can see my results in the Alluvial Show n Tell thread.

 

[Goldtarget]

Does anyone know what Slaty Creek is like at the moment? Not great I expect, but is there any flow at all?

Starting back at work on Monday so I'm thinking maybe I can get out for one last hurrah in the next few days...

Maybe post this as a new thread for the locals to comment on. We are due for decent falls in my area but I'm a bit far east to comment. Cheers for the Reedy pics.

 

[G0lddigg@]

had heaps of rain around Ballarat for the past two days i'll scout the creeks tomorrow and post an update

 

[DigginForGold]

Thanks guys. I'm quite hopeful now

 

[Marked]

Just watched U-toob footage of Bendigo Street in flood as of 2 hours ago...