Dredge mining poses significant threats to fish, wildlife habitats, riverbanks, and waterways. This harmful process involves using a high-powered vacuum to suck up gravel and sediment from riverbeds, passing the material through a sluice box to capture any gold, and then returning the sediment and gravel back into the water. The disruption to ecosystems can be devastating.
In a landmark ruling, Chief Magistrate Judge Ronald E. Bush of the Boise federal court determined that a suction dredge miner had polluted the South Fork of the Clearwater River without the necessary Clean Water Act permit. This ruling set a critical precedent for protecting rivers from illegal dredging activities.
To aid in conservation efforts, GCS provided custom mapping solutions that helped identify areas of illegal dredge mining activity along the Clearwater River.
About Friends of the Clearwater (FOC)
Since its founding in 1987 by Steve Paulson, a former Forest Service smoke jumper, Friends of the Clearwater (FOC) has been at the forefront of advocating for the protection of Idaho’s Clearwater Basin. What began as an informal group monitoring Forest Service activities has grown into a leading 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving roadless wildlands, restoring degraded habitats, and advocating for the recovery of imperiled native fish and wildlife populations.
FOC’s mission is to defend the Clearwater Bioregion’s wildlands and biodiversity through various initiatives, including their Forest Watch Program, litigation, grassroots public involvement, and outreach and education efforts. The northern half of central Idaho’s Wild Clearwater Country—part of the “Big Wild”—contains crucial habitats for rare plant and animal species, and FOC is committed to preventing industrialization on these public lands while promoting the restoration and protection of these vital ecosystems.
Featured Services and Resources:
- Custom Mapping for illegal activity detection
- Clearwater River Protection
- Wildlands Advocacy
- Wildlife Habitat Restoration
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