River Classifications

By Ken Whiting

Whitewater is rated on a scale of increasing difficulty from Class 1 to Class 6. This classification system provides a useful guide to the technical difficulty of a river, but there are so many other variables that can have a huge impact on the difficulty or danger of a river. Is it continuous in nature or drop and pool? Is the water warm or freezing in temperature? How remote is the run and how far away is help? Can you walk out if need be, or is it in a canyon? Is portaging an option for all rapids, or are you committed to running everything? As you can see, there can be massive differences between two rivers of the same class. For this reason, it's your responsibility to find out more about any river you're considering paddling. For many areas, there are guidebooks with detailed descriptions and images of the rivers, and more of these are available each year. It's always a good idea to pick one of these up. You can also ask questions on On-line chatboards or stop in at the local retailer for information. You can never be too well informed.

The classification system is still very useful for giving a river a general level of difficulty. It must be accepted that this system is in no way an exact science, and that it's open to interpretation. Here are some general guidelines for the whitewater classification system.

Class 1 (Easy): Fast-moving current with small waves and few obstructions that are easily avoided. Low-risk. Easy self-rescue.

Class 2 (Novice): Straightforward rapids with wide-open channels that are evident without scouting. Occasional manoeuvring is required. Trained paddlers will easily avoid any rocks or medium-sized waves. Swimmers are seldom injured.

Class 3 (Intermediate): Rapids with moderate, irregular waves, strong eddies and currents. Complex manoeuvres and good boat control are required. Major hazards are easily avoided. Scouting is recommended for inexperienced paddlers. Self-rescue is usually easy and injuries to swimmers are rare.

Class 4 (Advanced): Powerful, turbulent, and predictable rapids with large, unavoidable waves and holes or constricted passages. Fast and reliable eddy turns and precise boat handling are needed to navigate safely through. Scouting is necessary, and rapids may require "must-make" moves above dangerous hazards. Strong Eskimo roll highly recommended, as there is a moderate to high risk of injury to swimmers. Self-rescue is difficult, so skilled group assistance often needed.

Class 5 (Expert): Extremely long, obstructed, or violent rapids with exposure to substantial risk. Expect large, unavoidable waves and holes, or steep, congested chutes. Eddies may be small, turbulent, difficult to reach, or non-existent. Reliable Eskimo roll, proper equipment, extensive experience, high level of fitness and practiced rescue skills essential for survival. Scouting highly recommended, but may be difficult. Swims are very dangerous and rescues are difficult.

Class 6 (Extreme): These runs exemplify the boundaries of difficulty, unpredictability and danger, and have almost never been attempted, if ever. The consequences of errors are very severe and rescue may be impossible. Only expert teams with ideal conditions and extensive safety systems should ever consider these rapids.

Classification of Rapids, Water Level, and Canoeists

By I. Herbert Gordon

Part of the planning of a canoe trip entails knowing what to expect on your trip. This is not so difficult to figure out when you are canoeing on a lake. For canoeing on a river, however, you should learn about the ratings given to rapids, water level, and even canoeists.

Rapids

A skier is aware that a black diamond run is a lot steeper and more difficult than a green circle slope. Rapids, like ski slopes, vary in their intensity. The International Rating system classifies rapids as follows:

• Class A: Lake water. Still. No perceptible movement. met. Even nor
• Class I.- Easy. Smooth water; light riffles; clear passages, occasional sand banks and gentle curves. The most difficult problems might arise when paddling around bridges and other obvious obstructions. classification
• Class II.- Moderate. Medium-quick water; rapids with regular waves; clear and open passages between rocks and ledges. Maneuvering required. Best handled by intermediates who can maneuver canoes and read water.
• Class III.- Moderately difficult. Numerous high and irregular waves; rocks and eddies with passages clear but narrow and requiring experience to run. Visual inspection required if rapids are unknown. Open canoes without flotation bags will have difficulty. These rapids are best left to canoeists with expert skills.
• Class IV- Difficult. Long and powerful rapids and standing waves; souse holes and boiling eddies. Powerful and precise maneuvering required. Visual inspection mandatory. Cannot be run in canoes unless the craft is decked or properly equipped with flotation bags. Advance preparations for possible rescue work important.
• Class V- Extremely difficult. Long and violent rapids that follow each other almost without interruption. River filled with obstructions. Big drops and violent currents. Extremely steep gradient. Even reconnoitering may be difficult. Rescue preparations mandatory. Can be run only by top experts in specially equipped whitewater canoes, decked craft, and kayaks.
• Class VI.- Extraordinarily difficult. Paddlers face constant threat of death because of extreme danger. Navigable only when water levels and conditions are favorable. This violent whitewater should be left to paddlers of Olympic ability. Every safety precaution must be taken.

Water Level

The characteristics of a river can change remarkably as the water level rises or falls. As you might expect, a set of Class II rapids can become raging Class IV when the water is abnormally high following spring runoff or heavy storms. Conversely, a Class IV can turn into a shallow pussycat when the water level is low in the late summer. Even normally calm stretches become turbulent and dangerous at flood stage, because the force of currents slammed this way and that by rocks and obstructions creates powerful and dangerous surface conditions.

An International Rating system has also been devised to describe river flow. The classification for a specific river may change from season to season; the following letter designations are used to describe water level and rate of flow:

• L, or Low. Below-normal levels for the river. Below-normal depth may interfere with good paddling. Shallows may turn into dry banks and low areas become muddy sandbars.
• M, or Medium. Normal river flow. Medium water generally is used to describe good water for rivers with slight gradients and enough depth for passage on the steeper sections.
• MH, or Medium High. Higher than normal. Faster flow on gentle gradients. The best flow for more difficult river sections with enough water for passage over low ledges and through rock gardens.
• H, or High. Water is becoming difficult to handle. he river is well above normal stage. Canoeists may refer to the strong currents as "heavy." Small debris may come floating by, a warning that the river is dangerous and better left to skilled kayakers or canoeists whose craft are supported by flotation bags.
• HH, or High-High. Very heavy water. Hydraulics are complex. Even slight gradients become treacherous. Debris frequent. Only for experts.
• F, or Flood. Abnormally high water, overflowing the banks; current extremely violent; low-lying areas underwater. TV crews show up to shoot tape for the evening news. Not for any boaters except those with appropriate equipment on dangerous rescue missions.

Canoeists

The Appalachian Mountain Club rates canoeists on a scale of I through V. Check your competence against their ratings:

• Class I.- Beginner. Is familiar with basic strokes and can handle a tandem canoe competently from the bow or stern in flat water; solo canoeist is familiar with basic strokes.
• Class II.- Novice. Can handle more advanced whitewater strokes solo or in either bow or stern of a tandem canoe. Knows how to read water; can negotiate easy and regular rapids with assurance.
• Class III.- Intermediate. Can negotiate rapids requiring linked sequence of maneuvers; understands and can use eddy turns and basic bow-upstream techniques; is skilled in either bow or stern of a tandem canoe; can paddle Class II rapids in a solo canoe or kayak.
• Class IV- Expert. Has established ability to run difficult (Class III and Class IV) rapids in bow or stern of a tandem craft; can paddle solo in a properly equipped canoe or kayak; understands and can maneuver in heavy (Class H) water.
• Class V- Leader. Is an expert canoeist; possesses the experience, judgment, and training to lead a group of any degree of skill on any navigable waterway and in the wilderness.

To the preceding list I would add a "Class A" to describe one who has virtually no familiarity with canoes or canoeing.

Should You Paddle That River?

Three elements must be evaluated before you are competent to judge your ability to handle a river: (1) your ability; (2) the class of rapids; and (3) the river flow level. You should have no trouble deciding whether you should paddle an unknown 12-mile stretch of the Foamy River when a friend tells you:

"The first couple of miles are sort of flat, but then you'll run into five or six sets of Class II rapids just after you pass the old covered bridge on Route 6. There's a rock garden after the river swings past the only island you'll find on your trip. After that it's clear sailing, but the river normally runs pretty fast for the last 2 miles. Of course, you gotta keep in mind we've had a lot of rain the past two weeks, and I know before that the river was running maybe a little below Medium, but it could be Medium-High right now. If it is, you can run a set of ledges to the left of the island. Otherwise, stick to the right. And that rock garden might be a Class III set of rapids, a helluva lot of fun-it's usually just a lot of maneuvering.

A helluva lot of fun is right, that is, if you and your partner have the experience to handle this kind of water.

The moral: Know what to expect from a technical description of a river and from your own skill at the class of rapids and expected water level. Don't put yourself and your partners at risk. If in doubt, personally inspect the river first, or don't run it.

Canoe livery operators are excellent sources of information about the rivers they service and usually are quick to warn customers about any unusual situations. When the waters are dangerous because of high levels or unusual cold temperatures, most operators will cancel all rentals. The better ones will give out rain checks. Even if you have your own canoe, operators will be as ready to warn you about dangerous conditions as they are their own customers.