What term describes rights regarding the use of land adjacent to waterways?

The term that describes rights regarding the use of land adjacent to waterways is "riparian rights." These rights pertain to landowners whose property borders a river, stream, or other body of water. Riparian rights allow these owners to make reasonable use of the water, typically including the right to access the water for swimming, fishing, and other recreational purposes, as well as the right to use the water for irrigation and other domestic needs.

Riparian rights are especially important in determining how water is utilized and shared among neighboring landowners, as they establish an understanding of permissible use while ensuring that one landowner's use does not infringe on the rights of others. This concept helps prevent conflicts over water usage and supports the ecological balance of the surrounding environment.

The other terms listed relate to different aspects of property rights. Fiduciary duty concerns the responsibility to act in the best interest of another party, primarily seen in relationships like those between agents and their clients. Air rights refer to the rights to the space above a property, which can be bought or sold independent of the land itself. Surface rights are the rights to use the land's surface layer for activities like farming or construction. While each of these rights is relevant in property law, they do not