[OSM-talk] difference between waterway=canal and waterway=drain

[Richard Fairhurst]

Karl Newman wrote:

> Wow, that's not obvious to the casual (non-UK) observer. In the US, the
> usage of "canal" is different. They're almost never navigable, and even
> small drainage ditches are commonly called "canals". Almost no-one here
> would call any kind of waterway a "drain". Definitely clarify that on the
> Wiki.

It's a fairly classic confusion - "canal" vs "channel" (same root).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_canal

cheers
Richard