[Tagging] Irrigation: ditches, canals and drains

[Joseph Eisenberg]

Which of the ways of tagging "irrigation" should be used?

"irrigation=yes" works ok, but it hasn't been very popular the last few years
"service=irrigation" is still most common, but the key is a little odd
"usage=irrigation" makes sense and is increasing in usage

See chart of usage over time:
https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:usage%3Dirrigation#Alternative_tagging

I think "usage=irrigation" may be the best option.

On 5/29/19, Joseph Eisenberg <joseph.eisenberg at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Not sure about small rock-cut waterways  with massive impermeable sides,
>> are these ditches or canals or drains?
>
> We don't have these in the western USA, but generally our ditches are
> dug out of the soil, so I would be surprised to see a feature tagged
> as waterway=ditch if it were cut from bedrock or lined with stone.
>
> I'd think waterway=canal would be appropriate for these if they are
> large enough.
>
> One tag that's already used is canal=qanat for "a gently sloping
> underground channel or tunnel constructed to lead water from the
> interior of a hill to a village below", found in the Middle East
>
> If there are small irrigation waterways that area lined with stone (or
> concrete etc), we probably need a new tag, since waterway=drain is
> pretty strongly associated with drainage, not irrigation, and
> waterway=canal probably has a minimum width?
>
>
> On 5/29/19, Martin Koppenhoefer <dieterdreist at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> sent from a phone
>>
>>> On 29. May 2019, at 03:37, Joseph Eisenberg <joseph.eisenberg at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> What, then, should be the distinguishing characteristic between
>>> waterway=canal and waterway=ditch or =drain? Width or importance or
>>> navigability, or should we still mention the usage as the main
>>> difference?
>>
>>
>> IIRR ditches were seen without construction like steel or concrete, just
>> a
>> man made depression to channel water, while drains are required to have
>> their borders (and maybe base) constructed.
>>
>> Not sure about small rock-cut waterways  with massive impermeable sides,
>> are
>> these ditches or canals or drains?
>>
>> Stating the usage explicitly might help interpretation of the data, or
>> while
>> we’re still mapping fragments of an incomplete network, although I would
>> have guessed with a more mature mapping this could already be seen from
>> looking at the network structure and flow directions?
>>
>> What about the practical, human scale distinction we use for natural
>> waterways (can be jumped over), wouldn’t it be equally interesting for
>> man
>> made waterways?
>> Is a canal you can jump over still a canal, or does size somehow come
>> into
>> the equation? Can there be draining canals, or are these always drains?
>>
>> Cheers, Martin
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>