Under the ______, nonuse for a long period of time may result in loss of water right by forfeiture or abandonment.

• A. correlative rights
• B. riparian doctrine
• C. prior appropriation doctrine
• D. absolute rights

Answer: (C)

Under this doctrine, water rights are earned by putting water to beneficial use and are prioritized by when that use began. Because water is scarce, the system rewards the oldest valid uses first, but it also requires active use to keep the right. If a holder stops diverting and using water for a long period, the right can be forfeited or abandoned, freeing the water for others. This “use it or lose it” principle ensures water doesn’t sit idle and encourages efficient, ongoing use.

This contrasts with how riparian rights work, where those with land adjacent to a watercourse have rights tied to their property and are governed by notions of reasonable use rather than continuous forfeiture for nonuse. Correlative rights involve sharing among owners who divert from the same source, not automatic loss due to nonuse, and absolute rights isn’t a standard framework for water rights in this context.