[OSM-talk] Tag for "dry river"

[Maarten Deen]

Joseph Scanlan wrote:

> We often call it a "wash" around here (Las Vegas, Nevada (in the 
> southwest US)).  Wikipedia, however, redirected me to arroyo.
> 
>  	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wash_(creek)
> 
> Whatever name we use, it would be quite nice to have a tag for it. 
> Renderers, editors, etc. can handle the localization.
> 
> I'm reluctant to use seasonal to modify another water feature tag.  You 
> may agree after reading the Wikipedia page.

I know it as a "wadi", which I think is the Arabic term for it 
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadi).

In the Netherlands the term wadi is also used for man-made depressions in grassy 
areas of housing estates to store surplus rainwater during and after rainfalls.
See <http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadi_(infiltratievoorziening)> and 
<http://www.helden.nl/nl/html/algemeen/gemeenteloketten/balies/milieuafval/water/afkoppelen/afkoppelen.asp> 
(one page down under the line "Het water stroomt") for uses of this in the 
Netherlands.
IMHO these are also useful to tag.

My proposal is to use something like waterway=wadi for this, and have it applied 
to ways and areas. I'm also not too fond of a "seasonal" tag for this. Wadi's 
are quote common features in arid regions.

Suggested rendering is a dotted line or a hatched area. That's how paper maps 
also display them.

Regards,
Maarten