Description

Water Boundaries VI – 1.5 Contact Hours
The case-in-chief is State of Iowa v. Burlington, Iowa Supreme Court 2002. In this case an island in the Mississippi River, Keg Island, was currently on the Illinois side of the main channel of the river. The main channel of a river (often referred to as the ‘thalweg’) separating two states is considered the boundary between the two states, each state having equal navigation rights. As the channel moves, over time, so does the common boundary between the states, unless otherwise settled by agreement or channelization efforts. Burlington held title to the islands through the State of Illinois. No patent had ever been issued for the island and Iowa had never recognized anyone’s title. The question became when was the island formed and the location of the channel relative to the island, first by considering when Illinois became a state (1818) and then when Iowa became a state (1846). This is a 2-Page Letter covering 1 Court Opinion consisting of 13 pages. This 15-Page document has a 10-Question examination based on the text of the newsletter and the attached cases.

OBJECTIVES: To enhance professional competency and improve practitioner’s knowledge of the law as it relates to the practice of land surveying.