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Oroville Dam Spillway Emergency Creates Golden Opportunity On Rivers

YUBA CITY (CBS13) — A wet winter in California is spurring a summer Gold Rush, as panners are heading for the rivers and not leaving empty-handed.

This year's storms, snow melt and the disaster at the Oroville Dam Spillway are setting the stage for the best gold finds in a very long time.

When the spillway failed and with the use of the auxiliary spillway, new channels were cut into the ground, taking soil off the bedrock.

Stores like Yuba City Coin and Bullion are cashing in on the finds.

"It's great business for us, because we buy gold all day long," said numismatist Angela Dimmick.

It's more than just gold flakes coming out of the water, some nuggets are even being dug up. On average, people walk out with anywhere from $40 to $300 in a trip.

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