Can they divert my water?

Minnesota has a huge amount of water right now but that could be changing. We are in extreme drought and I'm seeing lots of wetlands dry up. Some of our lakes are down 4' and still dropping.

I'm starting to get concerned about my fish farm because I use well water. The aquifer I'm using is pretty strong I think but things do change. That water has to come from somewhere and if it slows down or stops so will the aquifer.

I agree that we are heading towards some nasty fights over water even in areas besides the arid parts of the US.

Have you filed for water rights? If you did (or purchased them with your property) you have some protections and can follow-up that way. Go talk to your local water people (here in Alaska it is Dept. of Natural Resources).

'Round here the District of Soil and Water Conservation sez what people can do and can't. If I build a pond, I can't necessarily dam off a swale to collect water if it will change how the water flows to another property. Just like having to put up silt fences whan I build a house. Anything someone does to change erosion, water run-off, collection, drying up, flooding, etc. is controlled by the district.

I would go to the local and/or state government.....somewhere along the line I'm betting one of them will probably have something to say about it. I'm thinking you should be able to get your natural source of water restored.

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The short answer, at least in the West, is yes. They can divert the water flowing onto your property if they have the rights to it (and you don't).

Who has water rights and who doesn't - and who's water rights are senior to the others with rights to a given body of water - is getting to be a very big deal.

Exact laws will depend on your state.

Typically, it is their land, you have no claim to 'their' water.

It is common in some states to have water piped onto your land, & you get to deal with it. So long as the water is still in it's natural direction - the water is still flowing downhill.

Heard a fellow in the county office the other day - the neighbors were sending more water down the tile line, and it was flooding him out.

However, with the wonderful wetlands laws folks have enacted, he is not allowed to increase his tile lines to handle the extra water flow.

It's going to be one of those 'just how it is' things.

We can't control our neighbors. Much.

If we could, the world would probably be a worse place.

--->Paul

How much water falls on your land? Build your own cistern and keep it! That way you don't have to worry about the neighbors, and the neighbors don't have to worry about you. Oh how wise the words, "Draw water from your own cistern, running water from your own well..." (Proberbs 5:15)! Of course, easy for me to talk...I'm still a city-dweller...still just a wanna-be homesteader. (Some day, the dream will be real! Meantime, it's great to know you guys are living it!) Best of luck with your water situation.

See if they got the required permit to do the work if so required.

Swampy areas are often considered wetlands and draining them or diverting them is sometimes illegal.

Cutting off a person's water supply is illegal.

Check with your local DNR and township building department to see if they can help.

If you can't get any action, get a local lawyer. There are some serious issues here. Your livlihood depends on it.

Here ya go, Illinois law:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs...Act+of+1983%2E

Another piece:

http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/iswsdocs/Wat...2ILEnvConf.pdf

"Whiskey is for drinkin' and water is for fightin' over" Mark Twain (I think)