Legal Definitions - sedge flat

A sedge flat refers to a specific area of land that lies below the ordinary high-water mark of a body of water, such as a river, lake, or ocean. This means the land is regularly submerged or covered by water during high tides or periods of elevated water levels.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Coastal Marshland: Imagine a wide, muddy expanse along the edge of a coastal bay. During low tide, this area might be exposed, revealing mud and perhaps some specialized marsh grasses. However, as the tide comes in and reaches its peak, this entire area becomes completely covered by seawater. This submerged land, lying below the high-water mark, would be legally classified as a sedge flat.

  This illustrates the term because the land is regularly inundated by the ocean's high tide, placing it below the high-water mark.

• Riverbank During Flood Season: Consider a low-lying, sandy bank along a large river. For much of the year, this bank might be dry and accessible. However, during the annual spring thaw or heavy rain seasons, the river's water level rises significantly, causing this entire section of the bank to be submerged for several weeks or months. This periodically submerged land is a sedge flat.

  This example demonstrates a sedge flat in a freshwater context, where the land is regularly covered by the river's elevated water levels, even if only seasonally.

• Lake Shoreline: Picture a shallow, gently sloping area at the edge of a large freshwater lake, perhaps with some reeds or wetland plants. In the drier summer months, parts of this area might be exposed. However, during the spring, when snowmelt and rainfall cause the lake's water level to reach its annual maximum, this entire shallow zone becomes submerged. This regularly inundated shoreline area constitutes a sedge flat.

  Here, the land is consistently below the lake's highest annual water level, making it a sedge flat, even though it might be exposed at other times of the year.