Where does the boundary line typically default in the absence of specification regarding a non-navigable stream?

In the context of land surveying and property boundaries concerning non-navigable streams, the boundary line typically defaults to the center of the stream. This principle is based on the understanding that, in the absence of specific indications or agreements between property owners, the right to the bed of a non-navigable stream is shared by the adjoining landowners up to the centerline of the stream. This means that each landowner has rights to use the water and the land up to this midpoint.

The rationale for this is rooted in property law and land ownership practices. Non-navigable streams are recognized as private waterways, and since the flow of such streams does not affect the public's right of transit, the courts have established the midpoint of the waterway as the dividing line for ownership. This boundary can have implications for land use, access to water resources, and environmental considerations.

The other choices, while they may hold relevance in different contexts, do not apply to the default boundary in this situation. For instance, establishing boundaries at the highest tide mark is more applicable to coastal properties adjacent to navigable waters, while historical transactions generally pertain to legally defined and previously established boundaries, not the default condition for natural features. Fixed geological features can also serve as boundaries