Which term describes land rights alongside a lake or sea?

• A. Riparian
• B. Littoral
• C. Alluvial
• D. Allodial

Answer: (B)

The concept here is the terminology for land that borders bodies of water and the rights that come with that frontage. Land along lakes or seas is described by littoral rights. Littoral comes from shore, so it specifically covers property adjacent to large, standing bodies of water like lakes and oceans. These rights typically govern use of the shore and the water up to the legal boundary, which in many places is the mean high-water line, though exact boundaries can vary by jurisdiction.

Riparian rights, by contrast, apply to rivers and streams, where access and use are connected to flowing water. Alluvial relates to soil and deposits from floodplains, not ownership of water-adjacent land. Allodial describes ownership free of feudal duties, not a type of water frontage right. So the term that describes land rights alongside a lake or sea is littoral.