The Allocation of Riparian Water Rights

Abstract We take an axiomatic approach to the allocation of riparian water rights. We formalize ethical or structural properties as axioms of allocation rules. We show that several combinations of these axioms characterize focal rules implementing the principle of Territorial Integration of all Basin States in various forms. We complete our study with an empirical application to the allocation of riparian water rights in the Nile River, which have long been in dispute.