Water Law
LAW 690 | 2-3 Hours
The laws governing ownership of water contained in rivers, creeks, lakes, aquifers, and the like have been hugely important in the American West since the pioneer days. Only in the last twenty years, however, have such laws gained attention in the Eastern states. Water law comprises the laws governing ownership of flowing water, groundwater, and the land underlying water. This class will cover water law in both the Western and Eastern American legal regimes and in international law and will touch on many areas of the law that intersect with water law, including Indian law, constitutional law, and federal jurisdiction. Students will also study emerging political issues in the control of what is perhaps the world’s most important resource.