Which term describes rights that attach to land adjacent to running water?

• A. Navigable waterways
• B. Riparian rights
• C. Fixture
• D. Air rights

Answer: (B)

Riparian rights govern the use of water from rivers or streams that border a property. These rights attach to land adjacent to running water and typically allow the landowner to make reasonable use of that water, subject to not wasting or harming other nearby owners’ rights. This concept is specific to moving bodies of water like rivers and streams; for still bodies of water, the related term is littoral rights. The other terms don’t describe rights tied to land next to flowing water: navigable waterways refers to whether a water course is navigable (public aspects, not individual land-rights), a fixture is something attached to real property that becomes part of it, and air rights concern space above the land.