Summary: This article focuses on the precise laws in California surrounding water rights. California is the largest state in terms of water consumption given the thousands of acres of agriculture throughout the state. There are two different types of water rights in the state of California: riparian and appropriative. Riparian rights do not require permits or any legal actions, they permit landowners to use waterways that cross through their land. Appropriative have “the force of law” and are used for commercial and industrial operations. This dual-rights system has caused many issues. Owners who hold riparian rights are not required to put the water to good use, and often abuse this power, while appropriative owners are forced to put the water to good use. 

Reaction: This article helped me get an introduction to water rights in California. The dual-rights system is important for landowners but is under a lot of scrutiny. This surprised me because a cooperation with access to a large amount of water should not be issued a permit without proof of how they will use the water. It seems counterintuitive to argue with smaller land owners holding riparian rights because they are most likely using a lot less water.