Fertilization: The water brings lime, minerals, and nutrients from the catchment area.
Soil Improvement: Protection against frost, improvement of soil structure, and control of weeds/pests.
Increased Productivity: More and earlier grass for hay or pasture, especially before artificial fertilizers (before the 19th-20th centuries).
Method: Water is diverted using gravity (no pumps).
Various systems exist: Natural flooding of low meadows.
Targeted flow via trenches and bed construction (ridges with trenches in between, especially in the 19th century).
Infiltration of water that slowly sinks through the soil.
The technique was widespread in Europe (the Netherlands, Flanders, Germany, Austria, etc.) and is recognized in the Netherlands as intangible heritage.
Today, it is still practiced on a small scale in places such as Het Lankheet (Twente) and Pelterheggen (North Brabant), often by volunteers.
Current benefits: Climate adaptation (water buffer, biodiversity), sustainable, and low-tech.
It is labor-intensive but is receiving renewed attention.
In short: a smart, traditional way to fertilize grassland and protect it with naturally flowing water.
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