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Ditch facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Ditch in the Netherlands
Ditch for drainage in Netherlands
Entwässerungskanal
Ditch for drainage in northern Germany

A ditch is created to channel water and can be described as a small or moderate depression. A ditch can be used for drainage, to drain water from low lying areas, alongside roadways or fields, or to channel water from a more distant source for plant irrigation. A trench can be defined as a long narrow ditch.

Ditches are commonly seen around farmland, especially in areas that have required drainage, such as The Fens in the UK and the pro-water management The Netherlands.

Roadside ditches can provide a hazard to motorists, especially in poor weather conditions.

Fortification

Cheshire Regiment trench Somme 1916
World War I trench works and shrapnel shelter
UffingtonCastleDitch 2004-03-27
Ditch as obstacle at Uffington Castle, England

In military engineering and fortification, a distinction is made between a ditch and a trench. A ditch is a barrier, designed to slow down or break up an attacking force, while a trench is a cover, intended to provide protection to the defenders. In Medieval fortification, a ditch was often constructed in front of a defensive wall. When filled with water, such a defensive ditch is called a moat. Today ditches are of no importance as an obstacle for persons, but are still often used as anti-vehicle obstacles.

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Cuneta para niños

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