Hessian Ried

The Hessian Ried (German: Hessische Ried) is a low-lying, agricultural region that forms part of the northeastern area of the Upper Rhine Plain. It is situated in South Hesse in west central Germany.

The Hessian Ried lies between the River Rhine to the west, the Bergstraße route in the east and between the town of Lampertheim in the south to town of Groß-Gerau.

In former times the lowlands of the Ried were largely marshland and repeatedly affected by serious flooding of the Rhine and Weschnitz. During the time of the Roman Empire the area was therefore avoided and the road, the Strata Montana, on the Bergstraße, built higher up along the edge of the Odenwald. Later Lorsch Abbey became an important centre in the middle of the Ried.

Not until the regulation of the Rhine and Weschnitz did it become increasingly suitable for agriculture. In addition, widespread drainage produced land for agricultural use in the wake of the "General Cultural Plan" of 1925. In the mild climate asparagus and tobacco thrive. Because of the proximity of the large centres of population nearby (the Rhine-Main and Rhine-Neckar regions) vegetables and lettuce are grown widely. Due to the low precipitation in the Hessian Ried, increasing amounts of artificial watering is needed.

...
Wikipedia