What is the doctrine of reasonable use?

The doctrine of reasonable use is an important concept in water law in Michigan. This doctrine is used in order to protect water resources and ensure that they are used in a reasonable way. The doctrine of reasonable use essentially states that a person may have the right to reasonable use of surface or ground water, but the use of the water must not interfere with other people’s use or rights to the water. The doctrine of reasonable use is based upon the common-law principle that a person cannot use a portion of the water available to them to the point where it deprives another of the ability to use the water. This means that a person must use a reasonable amount of water in order to protect the water supply for everyone. It also means that a person cannot use more water than necessary and must not use the water in a wasteful manner. In Michigan, the doctrine of reasonable use is applied to both surface and ground water resources. For surface water, the doctrine of reasonable use prevents users from diverting more than their fair share of the water; for ground water, the doctrine of reasonable use determines how much water can be withdrawn without having an impact on neighboring water users. This doctrine is important to ensure that everyone in Michigan has access to the water resources they need.

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What is the doctrine of reasonable use?

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