# What is the definition of Niederstand der Donau?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-definition-of-niederstand-der-donau/831323
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 18, 2019, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-definition-of-niederstand-der-donau/831323 "2019-03-18T17:02:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2019, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-definition-of-niederstand-der-donau/831323/1 "2019-03-18T17:02:50Z")
Hi
What is the definition of “Niederstand der Donau”?
I looks like an unusual word. Does it mean low tide or low water level?
I look forward to your feedback.
> **[20.08.2016 - Wasserbezirksbewerb Gossam](https://www.feuerwehr-ollern.at/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1369:20082016-wasserbezirksbewerb-gossam&catid=86:ereignisse-2016&Itemid=124)**
>
> Als Vorbereitung zum Landeswasserbewerb in Gossam/Melk fanden sich HBI Franz Krippl und BM Michael Reinsperger am 20.08.2016 beim Bezirksbewerb am selben Ort ein.
Beim wunderschönen Wetter und Niederstand der Donau haben mehr als 400 Teilnehmer den Wettkampf bestritten und sind damit bestens für den Landesbewerb gerüstet.
---
### Author:  [@kk\_fusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kk_fusion)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2019, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-definition-of-niederstand-der-donau/831323/2 "2019-03-18T18:07:45Z")
Seems to be a spontaneous formation for low water level, analogous to _Höchststand_.
---
### Author:  [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2019, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-definition-of-niederstand-der-donau/831323/3 "2019-03-18T20:52:31Z")
Agree. Judging from the photograph the Danube seems to have had a moderately low level but by no means a record low. Like many German composites the word does not exist until first used, but then you have a good idea of what it means (assuming it is not a term of art, in which case you need to be cautious).
---
### Author:  [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2019, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-definition-of-niederstand-der-donau/831323/4 "2019-03-19T05:44:23Z")
It’s not a new formation.[At all](http://woerterbuchnetz.de/cgi-bin/WBNetz/genFOplus.tcl?sigle=DWB&lemid=GN05401).
---
### Author:  [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2019, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-definition-of-niederstand-der-donau/831323/5 "2019-03-19T15:48:03Z")
> [@MrDibble](#):
>
> It’s not a new formation.[At all](http://woerterbuchnetz.de/cgi-bin/WBNetz/genFOplus.tcl?sigle=DWB&lemid=GN05401).
Thanks Mr. Dibble. I tried numerous websites, even Duden. I could not locate that word’s definition anywhere. I guess Ebbe or Tiefebbe would be a more usual word based on how infrequently the word seems to crop up online. It may be slightly archaic. I don’t know. Thanks again.
---
### Author:  [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2019, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-definition-of-niederstand-der-donau/831323/6 "2019-03-19T21:24:43Z")
> [@davidmich](#):
>
> I guess Ebbe or Tiefebbe would be a more usual word based on how infrequently the word seems to crop up online.
Kinda, although to me those carry connotations of \*tides \*not low river levels due to drought, and I’d go with _niederigsten Stand_ or the aforementioned \*Niederstand \*if you must have one word - although we have enough actual Germans here that we can get the skinny from them.
---
### Author:  [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-definition-of-niederstand-der-donau/831323/7 "2019-03-20T00:42:11Z")
> [@MrDibble](#):
>
> Kinda, although to me those carry connotations of \*tides \*not low river levels due to drought, and I’d go with _niederigsten Stand_ or the aforementioned \*Niederstand \*if you must have one word - although we have enough actual Germans here that we can get the skinny from them.
You’re right. \*Ebbe \*(low tide) is exclusively used for sea tides, whereas \*Flut \* has two different meanings, (1)“high tide” and (2)“flood” in general which can also concern a river. “Höchststand” and “Niederstand” technically mean the highest or lowest water level of any waterbody, respectively, but in casual speach can also mean a “very” high or low level, maybe the most extreme level of the regarding year.
---
### Author:  [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2019, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-definition-of-niederstand-der-donau/831323/8 "2019-03-20T00:49:19Z")
Too late to edit: I have to admit that I never encountered the word “Niederstand” before, but as a German immediately understood it in context. The more usual synonym would be “Tiefststand”, analog to “Höchststand”.
---
### Author:  [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2019, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-definition-of-niederstand-der-donau/831323/9 "2019-03-20T01:51:33Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#):
>
> Too late to edit: I have to admit that I never encountered the word “Niederstand” before, but as a German immediately understood it in context. The more usual synonym would be “Tiefststand”, analog to “Höchststand”.
Thanks EinsteinsHund for clarifying the distinction between Ebbe and Flut. Thank you all. Very helpful.