Carex riparia has a broad distribution over Europe and Western and Central Asia, with isolated occurrences in North Africa.

[1] It can form large stands along slow-flowing rivers, canals, on the edges of lakes, and in wet woodland.

[Note 1][1] It is easily confused with Carex acutiformis, the lesser pond sedge, but can be told apart by its greater number of male spikes, which grow close together at the top of the culm.

[3] The leaves of C. riparia are up to 160 centimetres (63 in) long by 6–20 millimetres (0.24–0.79 in) wide, glaucous, and narrowing at the tip to a trigonous point.

[3] The stems are 60–130 cm (24–51 in) tall, rough, and sharply triangular in section,[3] making C. riparia Britain's largest species of Carex.