Marshes dominated by Carex riparia occur mainly in the floodplains of large rivers, while they are rare in fishponds. Their habitats include the banks of rivers and artificial channels, ditches, sand pits, oxbows, alluvial pools and wet depressions in floodplain meadows. C. riparia stands are flooded for only a brief period in spring, but flooding can be deep. The water table gradually recedes by June or July, and then the soil can dry out considerably. In the Czech Republic localities of Caricetum ripariae are concentrated in lowland river corridors.