Laminar flow is the fastest water travelling with no restrictions in a straight line down a river. NFPA 1006 surface water rescue is defined as water flowing at less than 1 knot (1.15 mph).
The Everglades is the world's slowest-moving river. When rain fills Lake Okeechobee, in south-central Florida, the lake overflows into the 50-foot wide, 1.5 million acre water filtration system and flows about one meter an hour toward the Gulf of Mexico, at the southern tip of the Sunshine State.
Over millions of years, much of this water is recycled between the inner Earth, the oceans and rivers, and the atmosphere. This cycling process means that freshwater is constantly made available to Earth's surface where we all live. Volcanoes release massive amounts of water from the inner Earth to the atmosphere.
Rip currents are strong currents that can pull you offshore into deeper water. Rip currents account for nearly half of current-related incidents on the Great Lakes. Outlet currents form near water outlets like river mouths. Never swim near water outlets, as the current can take you offshore into deeper water.