If you have waterfront property, your property line extends to the natural boundary of a lake, river, stream, or coastal water. This boundary is usually represented by the high water mark (in freshwater areas) or by the high tide mark (if you are on the coast).

Use of surface water (from creeks, rivers and lakes) is regulated by the Water Management Branch, Land and Water BC (LWBC). Even though you own the property bordering a creek, river or lake, if you want to take water from it, you must apply for a permit.

Penalties of $60,000 can be charged to you by Land and Water BC for modifying or
placing improvements on Crown land without proper authorization

However, as an owner of waterfront property, you do have a few rights and they are called: “riparian rights” and they include:
1. Right of access
You have the right of access, to and from your property to deep water. This means that no one can prevent you from accessing your land from the water.

2. The right to protect your property from erosion
You may build erosion control structures on your own land – that is, above the natural boundary of the lake or river or ocean (the high water mark, or high tide mark). However, approval of various agencies, including local government, is usually required to do this. You should also check for any leaseholder regulations, or covenants or easements held by a third party which might limit activity (kind of like the Profit á Prendre from the UNDER YOUR LAND section) and if you want to build things below the natural boundary of the water body , you would need to get approvals.
3. The right to acquire land
Sometimes land may build up slowly in front of your property through natural processes over time. If it is considered to be an “accretion” , then you can apply to have it registered as part of your land title.