Water Rights 101

Complete water rights guides for all 50 US states. Understand the legal doctrine that governs water in your state, how to buy and sell water rights, forfeiture rules, and the permit process.

Correlative Rights

1 states follow this doctrine

Nebraska

Dual (Prior Appropriation + Riparian)

1 states follow this doctrine

California

Dual (Prior Appropriation + Rule of Capture)

1 states follow this doctrine

Texas

Prior Appropriation (Hybrid)

1 states follow this doctrine

Oklahoma

Prior Appropriation

14 states follow this doctrine

Alaska Arizona Colorado Idaho Kansas Montana Nevada New Mexico North Dakota Oregon South Dakota Utah Washington Wyoming

Public Trust

1 states follow this doctrine

Hawaii

Reasonable Use

7 states follow this doctrine

Illinois Indiana Iowa Michigan New York Ohio Wisconsin

Regulated Riparian

6 states follow this doctrine

Connecticut Florida Georgia Maryland Massachusetts Minnesota

Riparian (Civil Law)

1 states follow this doctrine

Louisiana

Riparian

17 states follow this doctrine

Alabama Arkansas Delaware Kentucky Maine Mississippi Missouri New Hampshire New Jersey North Carolina Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina Tennessee Vermont Virginia West Virginia