Opinion ID: 6536839
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Reasonableness factors

Text: All riparian and littoral landowners have correlative water rights associated with their upland properties. When one landowner's exercise of his or her right interferes with a neighboring landowner's exercise of the same, the court must compare the two uses. The court must consider: (1) whether the injured landowner's allegedly interfered-with use is reasonable, and (2) whether the use causing the alleged interference is unreasonable. To determine the reasonableness of each landowner's use, the fact finder must consider various factors in the context of the specific facts and circumstances of the particular case. The Restatement (Second) of Torts helpfully outlines various factors that a court may consider: (1) the use's purpose; (2) the use's suitability; (3) the use's economic value; (4) the use's social value; (5) the extent or amount of harm the use causes; (6) the practicality of adjusting the use or method of use to avoid harm; (7) the practicality of adjusting  the quantity of water used; (8) existing values of the use; and (9) the justice of requiring the user causing harm to bear the loss. 58