Aanwas means increase. The term can often be found in reference to increase in land because of river deposits.
Laws specified who owned the aanwas. Sometimes neighbors argued about the rights to the newly created land, for example if one property owner lost land because of erosion while his neighbor gained land due to deposits. These conflicts can create civil court records, sometimes including old maps showing the disputed land.
Map showing the aanwas in the Meuse river near Driel, 1699. Credits:
F. Bellig[n]an, collection Gelders Archief (public domain)
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