KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Understanding Riparian Rights on Big Fish LakeAs lakefront property owners, it is important to understand the legal rights and responsibilities associated with owning waterfront property in Michigan. Riparian rights are specifically tied to the ownership of the bank or shore of an inland lake or stream. To help keep our community informed and our waters protected, here is an overview of these rights, limitations, and public use rules.
Basic Riparian Rights As a riparian property owner, you enjoy several foundational rights:
(Disclaimer: This guide is intended for general community reference. Riparian rights continue to evolve due to legislative revisions, local ordinances, and court rulings. Please consult with a qualified riparian rights attorney for expert counsel regarding specific issues.)
Basic Riparian Rights As a riparian property owner, you enjoy several foundational rights:
- You have the right to access the water of the inland lake upon which you own property.
- You are permitted to install a dock anchored to your specific riparian bottomland.
- You may anchor a boat on your bottomland or securely moor it to your dock.
- You have the right to the reasonable use of the water strictly for domestic purposes.
- You retain the right of accretions, which is the ownership of the gradual accumulation of sand, silt, or organic matter on your shoreline.
- You legally own the bottomlands of the lake extending to the middle thread of the water body. However, this ownership does not abridge the navigation rights of other riparian owners or the general public.
- You cannot anchor a raft or moor a boat over the bottomlands of another riparian owner.
- Docks must not be of an unreasonable length or angle that interferes with the navigability of the lake or the rights of neighboring properties.
- Riparian rights cannot be legally transferred to another person.
- You cannot restrict members of the public from using the surface of the lake.
- Significant shoreline alterations—such as dredging, placing fill, removing aquatic plants, or altering the natural shoreline—require a permit from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) under the NREPA of 1994, Public Act 451, Part 301.
- Seawalls and jetties cannot be built closer to the water's edge than the ordinary high-water mark, and constructing a seawall requires an EGLE permit.
- If public access to navigable water has been established by the state or a local government entity, public users enjoy the same recreational boating and fishing rights as riparian property owners, which includes the incidental use of the bottomlands.
- Public users do not have the right to enter or depart the water from privately owned uplands. Furthermore, walking along private inland lake shorelines generally constitutes trespassing.
- Michigan Public Act 56 of 2012 strictly regulates public road ends at inland lakes. These areas cannot be used for boat hoists, overnight mooring between midnight and sunrise, or any activity that obstructs access to the lake.
(Disclaimer: This guide is intended for general community reference. Riparian rights continue to evolve due to legislative revisions, local ordinances, and court rulings. Please consult with a qualified riparian rights attorney for expert counsel regarding specific issues.)
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