The Great Plains

Riparian Water Rights

Current water rights are allocated by each state, which can cause conflict and eventual drought for surrounding states.  Western states employ prior appropriation that allows the usage of water for “any useful or beneficial purpose.”  Eastern states, like the Great Plains follow riparian rights, which allow water rights to owners of water frontage land for reasonable use.  In other words, water rights are acquired by ownership of property touching on a watercourse or overlying an aquifer.

Tennessee is to some extent a regulated riparian state. There is little regulation and legislation regarding water in Tennessee compared to surrounding states.  However, Tennessee still follows the “reasonable use” riparian rights.  Fortunately, if conflict surrounds a water law it is usually because there is too much water rather than not enough.    

http://images.flatworldknowledge.com/mayerlpei/mayerlpei-fig33_002.jpg

http://eerc.ra.utk.edu/divisions/wrrc/water_supply/chapter3.htm