The Water Sluiceways offer different experiences because the surface area of the Gold Miner’s sluice is flat and wider, whereas the real Log Sluiceway has a narrower channel carved into the real log, so each allows kids to explore different concepts about water flow.

Shown in the photos are sections of the 4’ long Sluiceways (each section is sold separately) plus our Famous, completely sealed, stainless steel pump which is NOT included!

Water always tries to find the lowest level, so even with the slight incline of our Gold Miner’s Sluiceway, water will flow downhill, so anything the kids put in its pathway will affect the flow. For instance, if the kids spread a little sand on the sluice, the water will build up behind it until there is enough “head” (pressure) against the back side of the sand that it finally breaks through.

Or if they take small pieces of wood and place them on the flat sluice, and then angle and offset them, the water will flow around them in the path the children design.

Children also love to put other things in the path of the water to see what happens, or to watch items float down with the movement of the water.

We call this the Gold Miner’s Sluiceway, because gold miners used to use a flat sluice box to extract gold from placer deposits. Placer deposits are the heavy materials remaining after water has washed away the lighter materials. In gold mining days, heavier materials in streams would include small rocks and other debris.

The sluice was constructed with “riffles” (depressions) in the bottom, so that the REALLY heavy materials (such as gold and other dense materials) would drop into the riffles, while the lighter rocks and other less dense materials (the “tailings”) would wash down and out the bottom of the sluice.

So though it’s unlikely your children will find gold :), they will learn that if they put a handful of dirt/sand/pebbles on the sluiceway, the lighter materials will wash away leaving the heavier ones sitting there! Cause and effect! Discovery! Fabulous!

NOTE: Water needs a slope to flow/move, which is why our sluices are built with a slight pitch.

Each Gold Miner’s Sluiceway (low, medium, and tall) is made of one four foot (4') long 12” wide board with sides and 2 supports to hold it off the ground and at the right slope for the water to flow down it.

Each Log Sluiceways is made with real a hardwood log with a channel cut into the top sluiceway and two H-supports made with kid-friendly, treated lumber. Installation instructions included.

If you wish to purchase more than one sluiceway, make sure to order different heights (low, medium, tall) so they can be offset vertically to create a slight waterfall -- which gives the entire water play area a lot more character (see paragraph above). See the attached pictures.

Comes with installation instructions, and all parts are clearly marked.

Please don't hesitate to call if you want us to make you a sluiceway that is customized for height, width, length, and number of drops. .

If you want one of our waterwheels at the end of the sluiceway, we may be able to install it depending on the beginning height and desired slope of the sluiceway.

NOTE: PUMP NOT INCLUDED!