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Article: Law, Water
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- Water:Science and Issues
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Law, Water
Water law is a system of enforceable rules that controls the human use of water resources. In the United States, these rules are created by statutes, court decisions, and administrative regulations. Much of U.S. water law is rooted in the
common law
system inherited from England. Under this system, courts resolved disputes by setting legal precedents that were followed by subsequent courts. Today, U.S. water law is a complex mix of federal and state regulations superimposed on a system of public and private water rights.
Resolving Water-Use Conflicts
Because water is a mobile (moving) resource, many management problems are created that require legal resolution. As water ...