Björn Vrooman Jul 27, 2016:

@Elli Thanks and it's fine, I understand. Mostly, KudoZ is my way of taking a break from translating while keeping my mind alert. Incidentally, some of the terms popping up on this forum will later show up in some form or another in my own documents, so the time's well spent, I guess.

Enjoy your day!

Eleanore Strauss Jul 27, 2016:

@Bjorn Don't really have time for all this interesting discussion... but I guess I should have entered the floodplain at the outset.
Thanks for the enlightening conversation.

Björn Vrooman Jul 27, 2016:

Correction After revisiting Shakespeare (specifically King Lear), I'd reluctantly drop my objection to meadow, as the second meaning given in the Oxford dictionary may apply (http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/meadow ). Not the same in US dictionaries, though.

Also interesting:
"Flood-meadows are distinct from water-meadows in that the latter are artificially created and maintained, with flooding controlled on a seasonal and even daily basis."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood-meadow

So one other answer is most likely out of the race as well.

Although I usually don't like pointing to bilingual dictionaries, this one was at least by an ENS:
https://books.google.de/books?id=6fFWBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA308&lpg=P...

There it says:
Au/Aue/Flussaue = floodplain

(also mentions "Niederung" as a synonym, that's the tricky part here)

Would be really interesting to know what you chose in the end, Ingo.

Best wishes

Björn Vrooman Jul 26, 2016:

bottomland The Shire comparison is flawed, not least because Tolkien was British and "bottomland" is primarily used in the US (even Wiki cites it as an example of AmE additions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_English ).

As the question came from the UK, I doubt it'll be a good solution here.

I also would like to reiterate that "Auen" cannot be accurately described by being full of trees or meadows or riparian - they may or may not have these characteristics.

Can't even agree to the most recent answer given, since it lumps together alluvial plain and floodplain.

Honestly didn't think the whole issue would turn out to be so complicated.

Björn Vrooman Jul 23, 2016:

@Wendy The BBC link seems somewhat incomplete (hence, "Bitesize"). See here for "middle course" and "flood plain." It's the same GCSE (revised!):

http://www.sln.org.uk/geography/schools/blythebridge/GCSERiv...

Also BBC:
"Flood plains are found in the middle and lower stages of a river. This area is often used for farming as the land is flat and fertile."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/landscapes/lev2_rivers_...

Aue and Flußniederung can mean one and the same:
http://retropedia.de/Wortgeschichte.12.0.html?&no_cache=1&tx...

That's why I said you may need a workaround somehow. But it still says "Landschaften," neither meadows, nor pasture (low plants).

Wendy Streitparth Jul 23, 2016:

@ Björn: This time I disagree! A flood plain is very much part of the lower course of a river (see your BBC link for Niederungen), whereas Auen are/can be much farther up. Thinking of the Rhineauen near Karlsruhe, which is by no means the lower course of the Rhine.

Björn Vrooman Jul 23, 2016:

With pictures Auwald:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auwald

"meadow" and "pasture" seem to be completely wrong here. Sadly, though, Berit or Elli have not entered the floodplain suggestion.

Björn Vrooman Jul 23, 2016:

There is no reason... ...for calling this a "meadow," which may not even be the case:
http://www.naju-wiki.de/index.php/Flussaue

Duden:
"(landschaftlich, dichterisch) [an einem (fließenden) Gewässer gelegenes] flaches Gelände mit saftigen Wiesen [und verstreuten Büschen oder Bäumen]"

It says "mit," not "bestehend aus." The meadows are called "Auewiesen."There is also the term "Auwald."

I think Elli's floodplain is a good match. It also avoids any Wiese/Weide issues.

Eleanore Strauss Jul 22, 2016:

Flood plain or floodplain Does anyone actually still use 'riparian'..?
Agree with Berit, flood plain does not in any way have a negative connotation!

Wendy Streitparth Jul 22, 2016:

Ein allgemeiner Ausdruck wäre "riparian area/zone"

Riparian areas are created by transitional habitats between the terrestrial and aquatic systems providing a wide range of ecosystem functions and services. ... However, the increased conversion of riparian areas to agricultural land has negative effects on the freshwater environment.
http://www.refresh.ucl.ac.uk/webfm_send/2416

Berit Kostka, PhD Jul 22, 2016:

Riparian meadow/grassland/forest wären sonst vielleicht auch noch eine Möglichkeit, wenn es etwas mehr scientific sein soll.

Berit Kostka, PhD Jul 22, 2016:

Floodplain scheint in diesem Dokument gar keine negative connotations zu haben und geläufig zu sein.

Scheint sogar eine eigene Organisation zum Erhalt von floodplain meadows/pastures zu geben in UK:
http://www.floodplainmeadows.org.uk/sites/www.floodplainmead...