The more swirls, the more turbulent the water. Few sights reveal nature's power as clearly as rapids in a fast-flowing river. Water pounds against rocks, sprays into the sky, and boils into white froth. The thought of rafting through such turbulence is scary-unless you are an experienced river runner. Rapids look chaotic, but they are predictable.
Experts can read a stretch of rapids, spotting the hazards and seeing the safest way through.
Knowing the amount of water flowing in a river is important because the river's speed increases as more water flows through it. Double the water means double the speed, so a mild rapid becomes a dangerous one during the rainy season. Laminar describes the smooth-flowing currents in an unobstructed river. Even these currents can be complicated, for their speeds vary. Surface water is slowed by wind, while deep currents are slowed by friction with the riverbed.