I am trying to make a river in my new world space was wondering how to make water flow in the direction you want it to flow.

Right now I'm working in an exterior Wilderness cell area where I allowed the ocean to remain. Should I change this so that instead of using the ocean, I use my own water type and raise the entire landmass I am working on?

The only way I know is by changing the water type of the object (most likely making your own). You can change how the waves move by adjusting them in 3 ways in the http://www.creationkit.com/WaterType#Noise_Properties.

If you want to set the current speed to affect the player, you can set it in the object itself.