A river runs through it: bring fun and fantasy to your residential pool clients with lazy rivers

Pool & Spa News, Nov 19, 2004 by Suzanne Hurt

Whitewater churns through Florida's Palm Beach County where rapids should not exist. Rafters float downriver past islands and rocks--sometimes through caves and waterfalls--into a tropical lagoon.

Today, it's not uncommon for residential pool designers such as Sean Shiers, owner/president of Pooltime Services Inc. in Lake Worth, to create what had previously been found only in water-parks and megaresorts--lazy rivers. These unusual water-features are just as the name implies: narrow, long and languorous imitation rivers that allow people on rafts to leisurely float around their backyards.

When adding a lazy river to a backyard environment, you're creating a unique experience. For example, in one of the projects done by Shiers' company, swimmers can float around in a lagoon-style pool or plunge down a 12-foot-tall slide that launches into a 135-foot jungle river. A massive waterfall caps off the ride.

"The kids love [lazy rivers]," says Kevin Kraft, owner of Ozzie Kraft Enterprises Inc. in Las Vegas. "For the rest of us, just the movement of slowly floating along adds a certain mystique and relaxation you don't get from lying still on a raft."

Builders' bookkeepers also appreciate them. While costs vary based on region and other factors, a lazy river packed with amenities can bring in approximately 1 1/2 times the net for a comparably sized pool, Kraft says.

Here are four ways to make lazy rivers more fun, safe and beautiful:

1 Allow enough space.

The best lazy rivers take up plenty of real estate. A half-acre usually provides enough space for the pool, spa, deck and other amenities, Shiers says. However, Kraft has been able to make lazy rivers work in 5,000 to 8,500 square feet of space, depending on whether or not a pool also was on the property.

A lazy river should be at least 100 feet long so people can leisurely float around the waterscape. Circular or ovular rivers can be smaller because they have no termination point, says Gary Brill, project manager at Neuman Pools Inc. in Beaver Dam, Wis., a Pool & Spa News T.p Builder. In these configurations, he has built them as small as 30- to 40 feet.

Rivers also need enough width to work correctly. Builders report that their residential rivers average 6 feet in width, and shouldn't go less than 5 feet. That way, rafts and tubes have room to spin.

There are ways to save space. Generally speaking, a river will wrap around an island. Smaller islands enable the river to bend more tightly, thereby saving space. You can even build a lazy river in place of the pod, outfitting it with the same waterfalls, grottos, landscaping and spas.

2 Utilize your creativity.

Creative flourishes make lazy rivers more fun. Waterfalls, rapids and spray features boost the movement factor. Bucket dumps add the element of surprise. Hung from a raised structure such as a bridge, these devices constantly fill with water and dump back into the river--or on an unsuspecting swimmer. Sometimes the features are disguised as tree stumps or small boats.

A builder can add several other touches to bring the fun of a waterpark into a residential lazy river. For example, move the water so the raft or inner tube will glide along effortlessly. The shallower the river, the faster the water will flow. While waterpark lazy rivers usually are approximately 2 1/2 feet deep, residential versions should be a bit deeper--3 1/2 feet--so they don't move quite as fast.

"Speed's not what we're looking for," Shiers says. "We're looking for movement. It's not supposed to be Class V whitewater rapids."

Lazy rivers can flow as fast as 1- to 2 mph, builders say. For more movement, you can use swim jets or other stronger devices. Some swim jets not only provide faster movement, but also have the option of injecting air to create a turbulent, whitewater effect.

Place the jets or inlets 7- to 9 inches below water level and point them in the direction you want the water to move, advises Kraft. Don't direct them toward the floor or straight out toward the opposite wall. Instead, angle them about 30 degrees toward the water's surface.

Kraft generally uses one jet for each change of direction. "As they come to a corner, we place the jet so as to redirect their direction of travel and keep them in the middle of the river," he says. "Once you get the water in the river moving, the whole body of water is turning." If one section spans 30 feet or longer, he'll include a second jet.

Place the river's entry for easy access and maximum enjoyment. If the pool has a slide, you can have the river entrance nearby. That way, users can exit the slide and head straight down the river.

3 Follow safe guidelines.

Design the river so users don't bump into anything. Install bridges high enough so floaters can't hit them. Point jagged rocks in the travel direction to prevent bead-on collisions with them.

Rivers should be easy to exit. Make them shallow enough so users can stand if necessary, and narrow enough to easily reach the sides. Include handholds and stairs in several areas.