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

[Lester Caine]

Karl Newman wrote:
>     Both are created by man. A canal is normally navigable and a drain
>     is not. A
>     canal is for carrying goods and people, a drain is for transporting
>     water
>     much like a river but the drain has been dug by man rather than nature.
>     Drains can be anything from quite narrow watercourses to very large
>     constructions depending on how much water they carry.
> 
> 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.

In the US am I right in thinking that storm water drains may only have actual 
water in them under flood conditions. From what I remember of car chases in 
films ;)

-- 
Lester Caine - G8HFL
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