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White Water RapidsWhite water rapids are places where water undergoes extreme turbulence, so named because of the white appearance the water achieves. The common cause of this turbulence is rocks near the surface of the water. Fast-moving water will move up and over these rocks and cause foaming and the general white appearance as the water reflects more light than usual. Rapids are often traveled by water sportsmen and women, who go down them in canoes, rafts, kayaks and more. Rapids are usually at their highest and most dangerous during the spring as the snow has melted and spring showers have swelled the river. This is the most active time for White Water Sports. Categories of Rapids There are six categories of rapids based on difficulty of traversal. - Class 1 - Easily traveled
- Class 2 - Medium difficulty of navigation
- Class 3 - Difficult, irregular and requires expert navigation to sucessfully travel.
- Class 4 - Very Difficult, irregular, fast and dangerous
- Class 5 - Extremely Difficult, even more dangerous, often includes near waterfall drops
- Class 6 - Completely unrunnable
There are often regulations regarding what class rapids a commercial vessel can traverse. Category 5 is usually the highest allowed. Locations for White Water Sports
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