Water cannons (typically coin-operated) aimed along the path are sometimes installed alongside the flume. To increase the chance of being soaked, the flume can be designed to be turbulent, or to run underneath waterfalls. The amount of splash can be controlled by using rubber belting of differing widths and differing heights. A second lifthill then culminates with an exciting drop and a splashdown finale. In a typical course, the boatful of riders floats through a small section of channel upon leaving the station, then engages a lift hill that takes them on a winding course in the water-filled trough. The flume is usually made of fiberglass, concrete or galvanized steel. Log flumes are generally out in the open, though some may contain enclosed or tunneled sections. Other manufacturers eventually followed with Intamin building its first log flume in 1986 and Mack Rides in 1987. In 1976, the French company Reverchon Industries started building flumes and in 1979 Hopkins Rides entered the flume building business. In the 1960s and early 1970s Arrow had a monopoly on the log flume business, producing over 50 flumes by 1979. When Six Flags Over Mid America opened in 1971, it featured twin flumes. Cedar Point added Shoot the Rapids in 1967, and Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags Over Georgia both added second flumes in 1968. The ride was so popular that some parks started adding second flume rides to help reduce the long lines. Log flumes proved to be extremely popular and quickly became staples at amusement and theme parks throughout the world. The Mill Race, Arrow Log Flume number two, opened just a few weeks later at Cedar Point. The first modern day log flume amusement ride constructed by Arrow was El Aserradero at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas, which opened in 1963 and is still in operation.

It was not until Karl Bacon of Arrow Development got involved and studied hydrodynamics that the use of water flow in an amusement ride was fully exploited. Both of these types of rides took rather simple approaches to handling water flow. Shoot the Chute rides continue to be built today. Log flumes are a variant of the chute rides and old mill rides that were popular in the United States in the early 20th century.

Walter Knott and Bud Hurlbut ride the Timber Mountain Log Ride at Knott's Berry Farm in 1969

Flume ride