What part of a non-navigable waterway does the owner of an abutting property own?

What part of a non-navigable waterway does the owner of an abutting property own?

• A. To the low-water mark
• B. To the middle of the waterway
• C. To the high-water mark
• D. None

Answer: (B)

In a non-navigable waterway, the boundary between properties runs down the middle of the watercourse. That means the owner of an abutting parcel holds the land up to the center line of the stream bed, effectively sharing the bed with the neighboring property owner on the opposite bank. The water itself may be used, but the land beneath it on each side stops at the midpoint. This differs from navigable waters, where the state typically owns the bed to the high-water mark, so the middle rule wouldn’t apply.

In a non-navigable waterway, the boundary between properties runs down the middle of the watercourse. That means the owner of an abutting parcel holds the land up to the center line of the stream bed, effectively sharing the bed with the neighboring property owner on the opposite bank. The water itself may be used, but the land beneath it on each side stops at the midpoint.

This differs from navigable waters, where the state typically owns the bed to the high-water mark, so the middle rule wouldn’t apply.