Science facts about the river
- Approximately 12 million gallons of city water has been pumped into the channels. Treatment of the water is done
with filter, ozonation, an UV, not chlorination
- The Whitewater Center boasts three different types of moveable obstacles aiding in creating adjustable waves :
pneumatic, pinball flippers and pegboard.
- In under 20 seconds the Whitewater Center pumps could fill an Olympic-sized pool.
- The Whitewater Center’s seven pumps move more than 536,000 gallons of water per minute. That’s 1,250 cubic
feet per second, or 9,000 gallons per second.
- The river channels are approximately 4,000 linear feet in length (1 mile) or three times longer than any current
man made course. That’s 500,000 square feet of channel surface area.
- The total elevation drop from upper to lower pond is 21 feet.
- Each of the seven pumps weighs 12,500 lbs and can thrust 80,000 gallons
- There are 4,000 cubic yards of boulders in the channel.
Pictured below is USNWC course designer. Scott Shipley three-time Olympian, four time kayaking world
champion playing at Big Drop




