Artificial whitewater

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Eiskanal in Augsburg, Germany

Kayaking and Rafting at Holme Pierrepont, England

U.S. National Whitewater Center

An artificial whitewater course (AWWC) is a site for whitewater kayaking, whitewater Racing, whitewater rafting, playboating and slalom canoeing with artificially generated currents.

1 Course types
2 Olympic whitewater courses
3 Other notable courses
4 Under planning or construction
5 External links

[edit] Course types

Three main types of course exist:

[edit] Natural flow diversion

These work either by diverting natural river flow through the use of boulder placement or damming, or by creating a new channel next to an existing river, possibly by a weir.

[edit] Tidal action

Often found in estuaries with large tidal reaches, a barrage is created across the river. The barrage is opened during a rising high tide to allow the sea water in, then shut as the tide turns. The water stored above the barrage is then forced through an artificial channel to provide water features.

[edit] Electric pumped

The nature of artificial whitewater courses necessitates the need for a drop in the river, and enough water flow to provide hydraulics. When this isn't possible, especially in flat low-lying areas electric pumps are used to re-circulate the water, these courses are often circular or U-shaped.

Pumped courses are extremely expensive to run, typically 1-2 megawatts of power is needed to pump 15 cumecs of water down a course with a 5 meter drop in height.