As California's prolonged drought dries up irrigation supplies for agriculture and forces cutbacks in urban water deliveries, it also creates opportunities for prospectors and miners panning, sluicing, chiseling, and diving for gold. In recent years, drought-inspired gold seeking has spiked sales of sluice boxes, gold pans, and metal detectors at Gold County mining stores from Columbia in Tuolumne County to Auburn in Placer County. While the drought, now in its fourth year, has rendered many creeks too dry for panning, new adventures are opening elsewhere as receding waters reveal more treasures.

These days, Albert Fausel, a lifelong gold seeker who owns the historic Placerville Hardware store, is having some of the best experiences of his life. Fausel sets out to the upper Cosumnes River in southern El Dorado County. Once a great spot for swimming and fishing, the river's weakened flows are revealing sediments with "a lot of gold in 'em." Because of the drought, he says, "it's a sad season for fishing—so why not go out and get some gold?"

At Placerville Hardware, founded in 1852, four years after James Marshall discovered gold in the American River in nearby Coloma, modern prospectors now drop in to show off flecks they're harvesting from other high-country creeks. Some bring in old coins and other historic relics found in drying stream beds.

"I see some beautiful gold coming into the store," Fausel said. "That gets my tourists all excited. You come into the store and somebody's got gold in their pocket. It's amazing."

Possible Preaching Angles: (1) Disappointment; Spiritual dryness—This is an updated, interesting take on the old adage "When life gives you lemons (disappointing circumstances, seasons of spiritual dryness), make lemonade." (2) Christians should have the same attitude about seeking treasure in God's Word or in seeking wisdom.