Which term describes groundwater rights shared among users based on proportion?

• A. Correlative rights
• B. Linear rights
• C. Absolute ownership
• D. Escheat rights

Answer: (A)

Correlative rights describe groundwater rights shared among users based on proportion. In a basin treated as a common pool, each landowner is entitled to a portion of the groundwater roughly proportional to their land ownership, and everyone must use water in a way that preserves others' proportional shares. If pumping becomes excessive, it can reduce the available supply for neighboring users, so pumping is managed to protect everyone’s proportional rights. This concept differs from absolute ownership, which would imply owning all water beneath your land, and from escheat rights, which relate to property reverting to the state when there are no heirs; there isn’t a standard doctrine called linear rights in groundwater law.