Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) Practice Exam

By which process does a riparian or littoral owner gain title to new land?

1. Accretion

2. Avulsion

3. Erosion

4. Water level rise

The correct answer is: Accretion

Accretion is the process by which a riparian or littoral owner gains title to new land as a result of the gradual accumulation of sediment and soil by natural forces, such as the flow of water. When the watercourse gradually deposits material along the shoreline or bank, it enlarges the land owned by the property owner adjacent to that water body. This is significant because the owner gains title to the newly created land without having to take any legal action, as the law recognizes that the increases to their property were a result of natural processes. Other processes, like avulsion, refer to the sudden loss or addition of land due to events like floods or landslides, where ownership does not change hands simply or automatically. Erosion, in contrast, leads to a loss of land rather than gaining it, as soil is removed by water or wind. Water level rise might change the physical boundaries of land but does not directly confer ownership of new land to property owners; instead, it may require considerations of land rights and flooding. Therefore, the gradual nature of accretion facilitates the legal process by which riparian and littoral owners expand their land.