The subject of waters is an extremely important and complex one, which embraces a number of distinct (yet sometimes overlapping) concepts, including: (a) State ownership of riparian lands. (b) Governmental regulation of wetlands and coastal areas. (c) The navigational servitude in favor of the United States. (d) Common law rights to use waters abutting or flowing through one's lands. (e) The "public trust" doctrine Each of these concepts will be discussed in this course