There is an excellent study by Stephen B. Jones, "Boundary-Making: A
Handbook for Statesmen, Treaty Editors, & Boundary Commissioners" published
in Washington DC in 1945. It has a good chunk on rivers. He was a
geographer, not a lawyer, but (and?) as a lawyer I find it v. useful.
There is more IL learning since then, but I think you cd well find this
useful.
Good luck.
Maurice Mendelson
At 10:03 AM 5/17/01 +1200, [log in to unmask] wrote:
>Dear List Members
>
>I am dealing with a river boundary where the river bed is wide, and filled
>with shingle. There are a number of interwoven channels which can shift
>over time. In some parts of the river there is an obvious main channel but
>other parts not.
>
>The legal definition of the boundary is "the middle line of the river
>following its natural course". That definition is not very helpful in
>practice. It may be necessary to devise some other definition. Although
>currently we are dealing with just one specific boundary, a number of other
>boundaries follow rivers with similar characteristics so what we do here
>might set a precedent.
>
>The boundary is a local government boundary but I would be grateful for any
>references to any literature or decisions on this type of issue relating to
>international, state or local boundaries.
>
>Thanks
>
>Donald Riezebos
>
>Local Government Commission
>PO Box 5362
>Wellington
>New Zealand
>
>Phone 00-64-4-494-0541
>Fax 00-64-4-495-7287
>
>
Prof. M.H. Mendelson, QC
Faculty of Laws
University College London
4 Endsleigh Gardens
LONDON
WCIH 0EG
ENGLAND.
Tel. (+44) (0) 20 7679 1428 (direct 1446); fax (+44) (0) 20 7916 8539.
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