How are rights to navigable waters generally defined by state law?

The correct answer relates to the concept of riparian rights, which governs how property owners interact with navigable waters. Under state law, property owners typically have rights to the land adjacent to the water, but these rights are usually limited to the boundaries of the riverbank or the high water mark. This means that owners do not own the water itself or the land beneath it when it comes to navigable waters, emphasizing that the public generally retains access to these waterways.

This framework is important because it balances private property rights with public access to water resources, ensuring that everyone can utilize navigable waters for recreation and transportation. As a result, while landowners benefit from their proximity to these waters, they do not have unrestricted claims over the water or the full extent of the riverbed, which is often reserved for public use.

The other choices do not accurately reflect the legal principles regarding ownership and rights to navigable waters as defined by state law. They misrepresent the extent of ownership that property owners have concerning these bodies of water.