From bayous to artificial whitewater parks?

It's been done elsewhere, even in flat places like our own. The above photos were taken in South Bend, Indiana. Their facility is used for world-class competitions and training. Maybe this would provide the incentive we may need to construct what we already need to help solve our low water pressure problems in the city.

The picture below is an artificial course at the United States National Whitewater Center.

Sure does look like some of our bayous, minus the current and rocks. You'd think we'd have access to enough water from the Red River to do this, and while pressure could be issue for our plumbing, other places have used damns, or "weirs," to create the current.

Wikipedia has some info on the different kinds of courses and channels that have been constructed.

Below is a list of artificial whitewater courses for canoe, kayak, and raft around the country, either existing. (source: www.trailsrus.com/whitewater/otherparks.html)

ARTIFICIAL CHANNEL - EXISTING East Race - St. Joseph River South Bend IN Dickerson Whitewater Course Dickerson MD Lock 32 Erie Canal Pittsford NY ARTIFICIAL CHANNEL - PLANNED Adventure Sports Center International Wisp-McHenry MD Mississippi River Minneapolis MN Catawba River - U.S. National Whitewater Center Charlotte NC ARTIFICIAL CHANNEL - PROPOSED Arkansas Whitewater Park Fayetteville AR Susquehanna River Havre de Grace MD Columbia Canal Columbia SC POSSIBLE PROJECTS - UNCONFIRMED Feather River Oroville CA Inglis FL Cedar River (Shell Rock, Waverly, Cedar Falls and Waterloo) Peoria IL StreamTeach, Inc. St. Louis MO Williamsport PA Park City UT

Word is that our own "Bayou Chapter" of the Ozark Society has proposed constructing something like this for us. You go, paddlers!