Ditch

For other uses, see Ditch (disambiguation).
A ditch in the Netherlands
Ditches at the Ouse Washes nature reserve.
Waterplants growing in a ditch in the Netherlands, showing Sagittaria sagittifolia to the right.
Major ditch of Sueca, Valencian Community

A ditch is a small to moderate trench created to channel water. 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. Ditches are commonly seen around farmland, especially in areas that have required drainage, such as The Fens in eastern England and much of the Netherlands.

Roadside ditches may provide a hazard to motorists and cyclists, whose vehicles may crash into them and get damaged, flipped over, or stuck and cause major injury, especially in poor weather conditions and rural areas.