Water crossings, once a prominent feature of cross country courses across the country, now cease to exist. A few years ago, NFHS Rule 8-1-2c was clarified to distinctly prohibit water crossings of any kind (expect for puddles or natural water logs due to rain). This clarification took out a fundamental feature to many courses across the nation. Imagine Fenway Park without the Green Monster!
Water crossings fall into the pure definition of cross country; when the sport was created the goal wasn't to run the fastest 5k time, but rather to beat your peers to the finish of a miserable slop-fest of a course! Generations of athletes remember those grueling races where they sprinted across the water in a bid to dash the hopes of their competitors. Defeating a water crossing provided a sense of achievement in and of itself. It proved to yourself you were tough, and let your rivals know nothing would slow you down.
The primary driver of this rule interpretation was athlete safety. Allegedly. Steeplechase isn't banned despite it posing a much higher risk! Oh, and also not banned? Football... and baseball... and wrestling. The list goes on.
But alas. Running through water posses a risk to athletes while in the water! (Don't tell that to swimmers.)
Athletes could fall on the ground! (Try getting hit by a fastball.)
The water could be moving too fast! (So does a charging linebacker.)
Cross country runners are just too frail. They simply can't run though inches deep water and then be expected to trudge along to the finish! (Look at what sport most triathletes used to compete in...)
All sports pose some type of risk. As does life. We are supposed to prepare student-athletes for these difficulties. Things get hard, it's not always easy, but you need to push through. Instead, we've removed a challenge, a building block for life lessons. (Not to mention the most exciting aspect of cross country.) All in the name of safety.