Merrick Whitewater

At Merrick Whitewater, we believe low-hazard rivers are fun rivers. 💦

Formerly known as McLaughlin Whitewater, we’ve been leading the industry in whitewater hazard mitigation and design for more than a decade. Now, we’re doing it with a name that reflects the full strength of the team behind our work – Merrick Whitewater.

At Merrick, our team leads with safety at every stage of a project – through design, construction, and project start-up. Whether we are retrofitting hazardous dams with bypass channels or designing high-performance river parks, safety always comes first. In fact, safety concerns at an existing dam are often the catalyst for building a river park. Using patented wave technologies, advanced hydraulic modeling, hands-on oversight during construction, and our team’s experience as surfers, paddlers, and enthusiasts, we create river features that are low hazard, high performance, and built to last—for everyone.

Swipe through to see how we’re turning river hazards into fun community assets while making rivers safer, healthier, and more accessible.

Tulsa, OK - are you ready to catch a wave? The new Tulsa Wave Park is now open for business, with seven play zones and two access points (from Zink Lake itself and from the east bank trail system). We designed a 1,100-foot whitewater course for flows up to 800 cfs for tubing, river surfing, and kayaking. Our design includes various play zones that vary in intensity and skill level, meaning there’s something for everyone! and see for yourself!