If a property borders a river, what rights does the owner have?

• A. Littoral rights
• B. Riparian rights
• C. Egress rights
• D. Avulsion rights

Answer: (B)

When a property sits along a flowing river, the owner holds riparian rights. These rights relate to access to the water and the ability to use the water in a reasonable way. So, the landowner can use the water for purposes such as domestic needs, irrigation, and other reasonable uses, and they have reasonable access to the water from their property. These rights are tied to the land and must be exercised without unreasonably interfering with neighboring riparian owners or with public rights, such as navigation on a navigable river.

This is different from littoral rights, which deal with still bodies of water like lakes and seas, where the boundary and use considerations follow different rules. Egress rights aren’t about water use at all, but rather the ability to leave or exit a property, and avulsion is a change in land boundaries due to a sudden event, not a type of water-right. So the scenario of a property bordering a river is best described by riparian rights.