How to straighten out a stream of water

[BlueBerryGarden]

Just recently I started working on my garden out back, a complete disaster from start but is suddenly coming along, I found there is actually dirt where I want my garden...not just weeds anymore! lol. Anyway, right next to my garden area is a small stream of water, it comes from our washer machine so its not a constant water flow but its there. Over time it made itself its own little path but I'd like to take that path and make it look nice. Any ideas on what to do with it? It just looks like mush mud right now, I was thinking some small pebble rocks at the bottom and maybe some garden stone edging around it...is there anything I should know about working with streams before I get started? Like should I put any plastic on the bottom or anything? Thanks guys! (the stream is only about 8 feet long and about a foot wide)

[bullthistle]

Code in your jurisdiction could dictate. Should be hooked up to the sewer or septic. Aside from that various sizes of cobble stones might work with a bottom of black heavy plastic. Places do sell cobble and get a mixture of large and small, but if you go that route the stream will only get longer, water needs to go somewhere.

[Handy]

I had the same thing in my backyard. I found some blue small pebbles on a web site and put them in the bottom w/o any plastic. I also took some small rocks, flat if possible, and lined the bank where the water a cut it away. I might have to refresh the pebbles twice a year, but it looks great.