Hydraulic mining and the California Gold Rush

When it comes to gold mining during the California Gold Rush, what many people visualize is a gold miner hunched over at a river panning for gold with a tin pan. For placer mining during the Gold Rush, using a gold pan didn’t last long and more environmentally destructive practices were used.

In this video, Kathy discusses hydraulic mining. Hydraulic mining involved using large high-pressure water cannons to wash away hill sides looking for gold veins in quartz. Although it was successful in extracting gold, the widespread use of hydraulic mining resulted in extensive environmental damage, which resulted in increased flooding and erosion. These problems led to the Sawyer decision in 1884, one of the first environmental laws passed in the United States, the regulation of hydraulic mining in California. Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park outside of Nevada City, CA is a great, and unfortunate, example of the lasting impacts of hydraulic mining.

Learning about the California Gold Rush, mining methods, and their environmental impacts is part of our Gold Rush school program. Interested in learning more about our school programs? Check out: http://sachistorymuseum.org/field-trips/

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