North of Bend, Oregon, there are large, wide irrigation canals. They are NOT public waterways. They are part of an irrigation system built years ago, and it belongs to & is maintained by the ranch owners who received the water for their animals & crops.
The massive invasion of yuppies into the Bend area has brought another problem. The yuppies like ‘to be outdoors’. But they do NOT purchase large properties. They trespass.
They have been using kayaks & canoes to ‘go down the ‘river’ or ‘stream’, as they refer to the canals.
There definately is barbed wire across the canals at property lines, because cattle & horses need to stay on the correct property. So- many of these avid paddlers have invaded the canals in the spring, especially, and have been seriously injured. They refused to understand that these were mad-made irrigation canals.
YOU CAN’T FIX STUPID.
If people respected the land, and many do, owners wouldn’t try to lock them out.
Even on State and Federal land the lessee has provide liability insurance. Lawsuits have happened time and again.
We need “Loser Pays” laws.