Private Rights in Waters (Consolidated Laws of New York: Environmental Conservation Law; Article 15 Water Resources; Title 7; § 15-0701) Country/Territory United States of America Territorial subdivision New York Document type Legislation Date 1909 (2018) Source FAO, FAOLEX Subject Land & soil, Water Keyword Prescription/adverse possession Property rights Water rights Court/tribunal Liability/compensation Inland waters Surface water Procedural matters Legal proceedings/administrative proceedings Resource/damage valuation Geographical area Americas, Arctic, East Pacific, North America, North Atlantic Abstract This Title of Article 15 of the Environmental Conservation Law of New York (the Article 15 being known as the Water Resources Law of New York) concerns private rights in waters. Specifically, the Title provides that no action for nominal damages or for an injunction shall be maintainable because of an alteration, as defined under the Title, against any person or corporation, whether a riparian owner or not, on the ground that such alteration is an infringement of the plaintiff's private rights and privileges in the waters of, or with respect to, such watercourse or lake unless such alteration is causing plaintiff harm, or would cause him or it immediate harm if and when begun. Further, the cause of action essential to the initiation and creation of a prescriptive right or privilege against a private riparian owner to continue an alteration in the natural condition of such a watercourse or lake shall not be supplied by such an alteration until it shall have caused such riparian owner harm and then only if it is unreasonable. In addition, the Title provides that any person desirous of ascertaining the extent of the rights and privileges of himself and others in the water of or with respect to the natural condition of such a natural watercourse or lake may maintain an action for a declaratory judgment defining the extent of such rights and privileges. Finally, the Title states that no statute of limitations shall begin to run against a cause of action for such a declaratory judgment until a plaintiff who is empowered by this section to maintain it has been harmed by an unreasonable alteration in the natural condition of such watercourse or lake effected by the person or his predecessor in interest against whom such an action may be maintained. Full text English Website public.leginfo.state.ny.us