How does riparian law relate to prior appropriation law?

Riparian law and prior appropriation law are two different types of water laws in Washington State. Riparian law grants rights to landowners whose property borders a body of water. Under this law, the property owner has the legal right to use the water for any reasonable purpose, so long as it doesn’t harm other riparian owners. By contrast, prior appropriation law grants water rights based on who uses the water first. This law was created to ensure that farmers and other users of water had a reliable system to access the resource. Basically, it states that the first person to use the water for a beneficial purpose has the right to keep using it, as long as their water use is not wasteful or unreasonable. The two laws are related in that they both govern water use in Washington. However, they operate in different ways. Riparian law governs land rights while prior appropriation law governs water rights. In Washington, these two laws work together to ensure that people can access and use the water they need while protecting riparian owners’ rights.

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How does riparian law relate to prior appropriation law?

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