Legal Definitions - navigation servitude

Navigation servitude is a type of servitude that allows the federal government or state to regulate commerce on navigable water without having to pay compensation for interference with private ownership rights. It is an easement that grants the right to use a waterway for navigation purposes.

For example, the federal government can use navigation servitude to regulate shipping and boating on a river or lake. This means that private landowners cannot interfere with the government's use of the waterway for navigation purposes.

Another example is a state using navigation servitude to regulate fishing or recreational boating on a lake or river. This means that private landowners cannot interfere with the state's use of the waterway for these purposes.