What is the doctrine of reasonable use?

The doctrine of reasonable use is an important concept in California water law. It requires the reasonable use of water resources, and states that if one water user is using an unreasonable amount of water, another user on the same watercourse has the right to take legal action in order to protect their own reasonable use. The doctrine of reasonable use is based on the principle of prior appropriation, which is an idea of water law pointing to the earliest users of a water resource having priority over later users. This means that the earliest users of a water resource should be able to use it in the most efficient way without others using a disproportionate amount. The doctrine of reasonable use ultimately aims to ensure that water is used efficiently and protects one users’ reasonable use from being compromised by other users. In essence, it puts limits on the amount that an individual can take from a water source without impacting the reasonable use of others. In California, the state Supreme Court has ruled that the doctrine of reasonable use applies not only to surface water resources, but also to groundwater. This means that all water users are held to the same standard of reasonable use, regardless of the source. As water starts to become more scarce in California, the importance of the doctrine of reasonable use becomes increasingly clear.

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What is the doctrine of reasonable use?

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