[Tagging] intermittent vs seasonal

[Mateusz Konieczny]

On Thu, 1 Oct 2015 21:03:15 +1000
Warin <61sundowner at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 1/10/2015 5:51 PM, Mateusz Konieczny wrote:
> >
> > According to what I found "intermittent" is not excluding regular
> > changes - see for example "Intermittent streams flow seasonally in
> > response to snowmelt and/or elevated groundwater tables resulting
> > from increased periods of precipitation and/or decreased
> > evapotranspiration." from "Temporary streams" by Margaret Palmer,
> 
> Meaning the streams ONLY flow sometimes and ONLY when there is snow
> melt /rain fall ..
> 
> So the two things combine to say ..
> 
> if there is snow melt or rainfall
> 
> then there MIGHT be water in the stream.
> 
> To me that is not seasonal.. 

I am not sure how it is a problem, because it is definition of
intermittent waterway.

> unless you can say that the rain and
> snow only falls in given parts of the year and at no other time?

That is one of cases where waterway is intermittent and seasonal.

> Given the weather does not conform that well to the 'season's .. I'd
> be more inclined to leave off the seasonal tag.

It depends on location. 

> > There is nothing wrong with adding both intermittent=yes and
> > seasonal=yes.
> 
> intermittent= irregular = not regular.
> 
> seasonal= regular.

According to your second mail one of synonyms of intermittent is also
"periodic". It is not 1:1 mapping, especially as "intermittent"
appears to have a defined meaning in hydrology.

> For me I would simply tag something that is irregular
> intermittent=yes, and leave out the seasonal. 
> If it 'typically' flows seasonally then don't use intermittent, use
> seasonal=yes(winter,summer etc)!

Why not use both in cases of waterways that are not permanently
filled with water? To make it harder to use data?

> Using your above snow melt example .. does snow not fall out of
> season occasionally?

Depends on location.

> >   Also, there is no good reason to break data consumers by
> > removing popular and correct intermittent=yes and adding a new tag
> > (seasonal=yes).
> 
> seasonal is an existing tag. And should be used to mark things that
> are regular on a yearly scale.

I am not protesting adding seasonal=yes, I am protesting removing
correct intermittent=yes tags.

> The intermittent tag should NOT be used for things that are seasonal.

And it should be used for things that are both seasonal and
intermittent.

> We should tag the truth. That is what the consumers expect.

Yes. I am also not aware about anybody disputing this.

> Note that this came about because someone took intermittent to mean
> it happened on a regular yearly basis.. and that is wrong.

Yes. This is clearly wrong.