What is the difference between riparian and prior appropriation water rights?

The difference between riparian and prior appropriation water rights in California has to do with when the water was claimed. Riparian water rights refer to when water was claimed by individuals before 1909 and are based on common law. These rights are shared among landowners who share the same water source, and the water is used for domestic, agricultural, industrial, and commercial uses. Prior appropriation water rights refer to when water was claimed after 1909 and are based on the system of water rights established by the California legislature. The concept of prior appropriation emphasizes the “first in time, first in right” priority, which means that the first rights to the water are given to those who claimed it first. The prior appropriation system is generally used for agricultural and industrial purposes. In both systems, the water belongs to the state, but it is up to the individual water right holders to ensure that it is properly managed. Both riparian and prior appropriation water rights are subject to change, depending on how the California legislature and courts handle their interpretation and implementation of the law.

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What is the difference between riparian and prior appropriation water rights?

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