Rapids

At the rapids, the river is shallow and flowing very quickly over rocks, boulders and stones sticking out above the water level.

Rapids	Rapids at McBee Creek, Oregon

Formation
Rapids form in a similar way to waterfalls. The river bed drops down steeply, but not as a cliff, otherwise a waterfall would form. Rapids can often be found above waterfalls where the river bed is starting to drop. Rapids form a layer of hard rock on the river bed.

White water rafting
The sport of white water rafting has become popular. But large boulders and rocks in the river can make rapids dangerous for boats.