Tag:subsea=bank

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Public-images-osm logo.svg subsea = bank
ISS018-E-34300 - View of the Atlantic Ocean.jpg
Description
A raised area of seabed where the depth of water is relatively shallow, but normally sufficient for safe surface navigation.
Group: marine
Used on these elements
may be used on nodesmay be used on waysmay be used on areas (and multipolygon relations)may be used on relations
Useful combination
Status: in use

An  Ocean Bank is an area of seabed that is relatively shallow compared to surrounding ocean, but doesn't necessarily get close enough to the surface to count as reef or shoal in its own right. They usually aren’t shallow enough to count as hazards to navigation themselves, but may be frequently avoided anyway if they are prone to shifting shoals or are home to multiple actual reefs.

In some cases these are known for attracting fish, which has sometimes been recorded as natural=fishing_bank.


How to map

If the extents are roughly know these are probably best mapped as areas area with the higher side to the left of the way following the general convention for features representing height differences. A multipolygon relation is probably advisable for larger examples. If only a general location is known a node node (or potentially way) may be used.


Mapping caveats

This tag should not be used for:

  • Features that protrude above the water (although they may surround these features).
  • Features that are generally shallow enough to cause a risk to surface vessels, which would generally be considered natural=reef or natural=shoal. Larger banks may support reefs or shoal, but will not normally be that shallow themselves.


See also