Jan. 24, 1848 marked the start of the Gold Rush, when James Willson Marshall found gold flakes at Sutter’s Mills. Now, 175 years later, California’s floods have brought forth another wave of gold. 

The recent rains have caused many floods in streams and rivers but have also pushed gold from the mountains into the valley. 

For many living near the valley, the emergence of gold has been a welcome surprise.

The Prebalick family is one group that has greatly benefited from all of this. Terry Prebalick, the family’s patriarch, has been looking for gold since the 1970s. 

Prebalick was able to find two gold specks in his pan. He estimated his initial discovery to be about $100 worth of gold and by the end of the hour, he found $200 worth of gold from the creek. 

Terry’s son, Nate Prebalick said, “The storm created months of work for the family, ripping open channels of dirt along the creek that the three would’ve otherwise had to dig.” He added by pointing to a crevice he was excavating. 

“The rust and layers of clay atop the bedrock meant that humans hadn’t touched this bit of earth in a long time, if ever . . . all the better for his chances of finding gold.”

The Prebalicks use the relative heaviness of gold and the force of gravity to their own advantage. They shift lighter materials out of their pan until gold and other heavy sediments remain. They also shovel dirt into a sluice box and use the creak’s stream to get rid of the material on top. 

In California, it is estimated that only 10 to 15 percent of the gold has been found. However, California law does not allow miners to use big machinery to search for gold when searching for gold, so they have to resort to using gold pans and their hands. 

Ultimately, the rains have reignited the miners’ thirst to find gold in California.