There are several ways to make artificial water for a model railroad, and some are more permanent and realistic than others. Epoxy resin products are a popular choice for many as they dry hard and clear (although color can be added to the mix). Regular epoxy resin is available art & craft stores in a twin bottle pack. One bottle contains resin and the other is the hardener which causes a chemical reaction when mixed together. The mixture warms up and dries rock solid. When dry it cannot be molded or melted, but it can be sanded. There are also several branded products available for making artificial water including Realistic Water, and E-Z Water.

Making the water look real

In real life water changes color due to reflections on the surface, and/or the clarity of the water, and/or the depth, and/or the movement/stillness, and/or the rocks/debris/sand color on the bottom. So water is not always blue (as you can see from these model railroad photos).

Rivers often have a high particle content so look brown in color. On the other hand a river might be relatively clean, but be discolored in places due to outfall pipes from factories or input flows from another stream. So to look real the clarity and color might not be consistent.

More info on making water for model railroads.

Model the bottom first

When creating a water area on a model railroad, the first job is to model and shape the bottom remembering that is unlikely to be perfectly smooth. Little stones and vegetation can be added depending on the intended water depth. The bottom will require painting prior to pouring the resin mix. The color choice is important and needs take into account the various factors mentioned earlier. Greens, browns, and blue tones are a common choice. Boats, watercraft, vegetation etc is often added to the liquid resin before it hardens. Plants such as fallen branches, reeds, brushes, grasses etc. can be added along a river bank.

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