Arkansas River Division 2 Design Report

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Design Report for Canon City Whitewater Kayak and Recreation Park in the Arkansas River • II. Recreational Experience Sought The category of whitewater boating experience sought by Canon City is freestyle kayaking. Kayaking is somewhat analogous to ski sports; there are three main categories of the sport: slalom, extreme and freestyle, and each has equipment modified for that use. Freestyle kayaking appeals to a broader population than the other categories, similar to skiing, from beginner to advanced. Freestyle kayaking can be practiced at a single whitewater feature and repeated multiple times by navigating upstream after being washed downstream. The repeatable nature of freestyle kayaking at a single feature, termed"Park and Play", is what creates a popular destination. A"Rodeo"is the typical name given to a freestyle kayaking competition; these competitions are often staged at individual whitewater features. A whitewater feature is created where there is a"hydraulic jump,"which is an abrupt rise in the water surface of a channel. A hydraulic jump can occur naturally, or can be created(as in a whitewater park)by the placement of structures or boulders in the river bed. The hydraulic jump is what creates the freestyle recreational experience. A hydraulic jump in the river channel is typically referred to as a wave, a hole or a wave- hole. Two features are proposed at Canon City;the "Nessman"and the"Flytrap". Each is designed for different types of dynamic freestyle moves. The recreational experience sought is freestyle kayaking that can be performed at a wave and at a hole. The two • features are designed to work at varying flow levels in order to provide different skill levels for appropriate recreation experiences with the minimal amounts of water. Beginner freestyle kayakers would be able to practice and hone skills at the lower levels, intermediate freestyle kayakers would be able to expand their freestyle tricks by having two dynamic features that work at varying flows, and advanced freestyle kayakers will prefer the higher flows so that the kayak can hydroplane for advanced moves. The venue will be able to host professional"Rodeo"competitions during the advanced skill level flows. The natural class of the rapid in the Canon City course is Class III. True novice boaters are not expected in the course. Even a beginning freestyle kayaker must have certain kayak skills such as"eddy catching", "ferrying", "bracing"and"wet exit"or"combat rolling". III. Desired Flow Rates and Seasonal Windows Different levels of recreation experience are sought for three different periods. Advanced freestyle kayak paddlers require a wave that would allow a boat to hydroplane on the water; this is the initiation for all aerial maneuvers. The proposed structure"Nessman"is • or, 2of16