Under the doctrine of littoral rights, an owner claims ownership of all of the land underlying a lake where there are three other abutting property owners. Which of the following is true?

• A. The owner's claim is invalid, because the state owns the underlying land
• B. The owner's claim is invalid, because the underlying land is shared equally with the other owners
• C. The owner's claim is invalid, because he may only own underlying land to the middle of the lake
• D. The owner's claim is valid, because the lake is navigable

Answer: (A)

Littoral rights along navigable waters place the bed of the lake under state ownership. Private landowners may own the land up to the water’s edge, but the land beneath a navigable lake belongs to the state (public trust). So even with multiple abutting owners, no single private owner can claim ownership of all land underlying the lake. The lake’s navigability confirms that the underlying land is public, not private.