Gauley River Whitewater Rafting Kicks Off

• {West Virginia}...The whitewater rafting season along the Gauley River kicked off Friday. The Army Corps of Engineers releases water from Summersville Lake through the dam every year to get water levels down during the winter. This year, engineers will lower the water level 132 feet instead of the typical 77 feet to allow them to conduct inspections that are done once every 10 years. Officials say the increased water volume will make the Gauley 25 percent larger and extend whitewater season by one week. The 25-mile area already has more Class IV and Class V rapids than any other river in the eastern United States. The river is referred to as "The Beast of the East."