253.141 Riparian rights defined; certain submerged
bottoms subject to private ownership. ---
(1) Riparian rights are those incident to land bordering upon
navigable waters. They are rights of ingress, egress, boating, bathing, and
fishing and such others as may be or have been defined by law. Such rights
are not of a proprietary nature. They are rights inuring to the owner of the
riparian land but are not owned by him or her. They are appurtenant to and
are inseparable from the riparian land. The land to which the owner holds
title must extend to the ordinary high watermark of the navigable water in
order that riparian rights may attach. Conveyance of title to or lease of the
riparian land entitles the grantee to the riparian rights running therewith
whether or not mentioned in the deed or lease of the upland.
(2) Navigable waters in this state shall not be held to extend to
any permanent or transient waters in the form of so-called lakes, ponds,
swamps or overflowed lands, lying over and upon areas which have heretofore
been conveyed to private individuals by the United States or by the state
without reservation of public rights in and to said waters.
(3) The submerged lands of any nonmeandered lake shall be deemed
subject to private ownership where the Board of Trustees of the Internal
Improvement Trust Fund of Florida conveyed the same more than 50 years ago
without any deductions for water and without any reservation for public use
and when taxes have been levied and collected on said submerged lands since
conveyance by the state.
(4) Where private ownership of submerged bottoms outward from the
shore has originated in a Spanish or other land grant approved by the Congress
specifically describing an area in which was included navigable water, or by
patent out of the United States prior to the date on which Florida became a
state likewise containing a description including navigable water, or upon a
valid conveyance out of the state, the submerged land included in such grant,
patent, or conveyance shall be subject to taxes lawfully
imposed.
History: ss. 1, 2, ch. 28262, 1953; s. 2, ch. 61-119; s. 31, ch. 82-226; s. 200,
ch. 85-342; s. 140, ch. 95-148.
Note. Former ss. 192.61(1)-(4), 271.09, 197.315(3),
197.228.