Gold Rush star Tony Beets battles beaver-caused flooding that forces a shutdown at his only producing cut

During the November 14 episode of Gold Rush, Tony Beets’ mining operation at Indian River experienced a temporary shutdown due to flooding caused by a beaver.

The flooding affected the Early Bird Cut, which is Beets’ only producing site at the time. Upon discovering the issue, Beets ordered the crew to stop the wash plant, Sluice-A-Lot. He stated,

“With this gold price any time you shut down, it costs s***loads of money.”

Cousin Mike operated an excavator to clear the blockage, allowing drainage to resume and operations to continue.

Gold Rush star Tony Beets’ Indian River site shuts down due to beaver-caused flooding

Discovery of the flood source

The High-water flooding was first noticed when Tony drove through the area and observed unusual water accumulation. He called over cousin Mike to inspect the situation.

Upon inspection, Mike reported that water from the Early Bird Cut was entering at high levels. Tony then identified the cause of the flooding.

A beaver had plugged the culvert overnight, preventing the first settling pond from draining into the second. Water from the blocked pond subsequently spilled into the Early Bird Cut, temporarily halting gold production.

The Early Bird Cut is a 13-acre site that connects to two settling ponds designed to manage water from the Sluice-A-Lot wash plant.

The blockage caused the first pond to fill beyond its capacity and overflow into the mining area. Once the culvert was cleared using an excavator, drainage resumed, and the wash plant was restarted.

Response and recovery

Following the clearance of the culvert, the Sluice-A-Lot wash plant was brought back online. Despite the shutdown lasting approximately half a day, the Early Bird Cut produced 214.6 ounces of gold. He commented,

“Be damned if I’m gonna get [let] that beaver f*** me around.”

The yield was below the target for the day, but contributed nearly three-quarters of a million dollars in value.

The total gold accumulated by Beets’ operation at that point in the season was more than 632 ounces, approximately a tenth of his 6,500-ounce goal.

Tony Beets’ operation is managed with the assistance of family members. Son Mike oversees Paradise Hill, Monica is responsible for cleaning incoming gold in the gold room, and cousin Mike manages Indian River.

The Early Bird Cut represents the only currently producing site, highlighting the significance of restoring normal operations quickly after the flooding incident.

Operational context

Earlier in the season, Beets began sluicing two weeks into the run, aiming to take advantage of high gold prices. At the time of the November 14 episode, he had already produced 417 ounces valued at $1.5 million.

The flooding at Indian River temporarily disrupted operations, but the site resumed production after the culvert was cleared.

Other miners on the show were also managing operational challenges. Rick Ness continued to plan for Duncan Creek without a water license, while Parker Schnabel maintained a 10,000-ounce season goal for his crew.

Tony Beets’ eldest son, Kevin, faced personnel issues during his second season as a mine boss, as reported in the same episode.

The November 14 incident demonstrates the dependence of Beets’ operation on the Early Bird Cut and the importance of the settling ponds in managing water flow.

The excavation and removal of the beaver blockage allowed production to continue, ensuring the site remained functional for ongoing gold recovery.

Stay tuned for more updates.