The other states, at least CA, have been compelled to act by lawsuit.

One question that needs asking is specifically where does the dredging occur? There is very little evidence that I can find to even support serching for gold in a lot of rivers in WA. Most of the mining (successful) was in the Cascades and east as I recall.

If WDFW were to start with "where is the gold to found" and concentrate there with SD regulations I would be more supportive. It would mean, too, that areas without historically recovered gold should simply be closed to SD until such time as other methods (panning??) show that it might work there.