water meadow

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English

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Noun

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water meadow (plural water meadows)

  1. (technical) An area of grassland subject to controlled irrigation or flooding in order to increase agricultural productivity.
  2. A low-lying area of grassland that by a river, which is subject to seasonal flooding.
    Synonym: flood meadow
    • 1967, J. A. Baker, The Peregrine, page 41:
      He was too vivid a mark, as he dazzled slowly across the green water-meadows.

Usage notes

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In technical usage, a distinction is made between water-meadows and flood meadows or floodplain meadows. Flood meadows are naturally subject to seasonal flooding from a river,[1] whereas water meadows are artificially created and maintained, with flooding controlled[2] on a seasonal or even daily basis.

In lay usage however "water-meadow" may be used more loosely to mean any level grassland beside a river.

Translations

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References

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  1. ^ Huhta, Ari‐Pekka, Rautio, Pasi (2014) “Flood meadows in Finland - their development during the past century”, in Nordic Journal of Botany, volume 32, number 6, pages 858–70
  2. ^ Emma Rothero, Sophie Lake, David Gowing, editors (2016), “Floodplain Meadows Partnership”, in Floodplain Meadows – Beauty and Utility: A Technical Handbook[1], archived from the original on 2022-12-24