Drawing off surface water?

[MaineShark]

Anyone know what the "rules" are regarding streams and the like?  I want to irrigate my garden with water from the stream that runs along the edge of my property, but I live right near a main road so I don't want to spend a good bit of time and money installing a system, only to have some busybody from the State make me rip it out.

So, if anyone knows what sort of restrictions they place (if any) on drawing water from streams, I'd appreciate the info.

Joe

[atr]

Since your property abuts the stream, you are a riparian landowner with the right to take a "reasonable" amount of water from the stream. So long as your withdrawals do not interfere with the general flow of the stream (i.e. with others' riparian rights), you'll be just fine.

See this page for some discussion of riparian rights in NH.

[MaineShark]

Thanks.

Joe