Water Law & Riparian Rights

On July 31, 2026, the Michigan Supreme Court vacated the Michigan Public Service Commission’s approval of Enbridge Energy’s proposed Line 5 tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac and returned the matter to the Commission for further proceedings. In re Application of Enbridge Energy to Replace and Relocate Line 5, Nos. 168335-9 and 168346 (Mich, July 31, 2026). The decision was 6-1, with Justice Welch writing for the majority and Justice Zahra concurring in part and dissenting in part.

For many Michigan waterfront owners, the property line shown on a survey answers only part of the ownership question. The visible, dry-land boundary may be clear. But what happens when that boundary reaches the water?

Michigan’s Great Lakes shoreline is one of the state’s most important natural and legal resources. It is also one of the most misunderstood.

Michigan lakefront property often comes with one of the most valuable rights a property owner can have: riparian access to the water. For many owners, that includes the ability to install a dock, place a boat hoist, moor a boat, swim, fish, and enjoy reasonable use of the lake.

Michigan is defined by water. From the Great Lakes to thousands of inland lakes, rivers, and streams, waterfront access is part of life in this state. But access to the water is not always as simple as walking down a road that appears to end at a lake.