Question
I have a 9 year old river birch that is a single river birch
not a clump river birch. We are installing a pool in our back yard and we are concerned about the root system of the tree. If or will it become a problem with the addition of the pool? The waters edge of the pool will be approximately 25 ft. from the trunk of the tree. Not sure about the future of the tree, please advise.

Answer
You should have no problems with a river birch that far from a pool. The width of the branches at maturity is about 15-20 feet from the trunk and the roots spread is about 1 1/2 times that width. BUT the roots are fibrous and will not bother the pool. During construction I would keep machinery from running near the tree this can cause root damage and dieback of foliage. River birch likes water but the pool will be closed and with no leaks the roots will grow that direction or cause any problems with the pool. The only problem would be leaves falling into the pool. If you like the tree I would leave it and enjoy the pool and the tree.