Köttelbecke

Explanation/Description: A Köttelbecke is the informal term for a formerly natural small river or ditch that can also be channelized and is misused as a sewage channel. That was common practice in the days of coal mining in the Ruhrgebiet (Ruhr Area) as there were no alternative ways of sewage disposal. Köttelbecke is a typical Ruhrdeutsch (Ruhr Area dialect) word. Köttelbecke is also used for any not channelized river that smells bad, in a rather humorous fashion. Translation: Köttel is an informal Ruhrdeutsch word for Kot (feces, dung) and is also used in combination with other words like Pferdeköttel(horse-dung). Becke is a word describing small rivers.