West Virginia § 19-17-2 - 19-17-2. Rivers and streams as lawful fences; establishment or discontinuance.

§ 19-17-2. 19-17-2. Rivers and streams as lawful fences; establishment or discontinuance.

All rivers and streams, and parts thereof, within this state, which are lawful fences at the time this code takes effect, under existing laws, shall continue such until otherwise ordered by the county court of the county. The county court of any county, upon the written application of any owner or tenant of lands on any river or stream in such county, or which constitutes a boundary line thereof, may, in its discretion, by order entered of record, declare and establish such river or stream, or any part of either, a lawful fence as to any stock named in section one of this article. Notice of the application shall be given by publishing the same as a Class II legal advertisement in compliance with the provisions of article three, chapter fifty-nine of this code, and the publication area for such publication shall be the county. Any person interested may appear and oppose such application.

The county court may, upon like application and notice of any person, annul or amend any order made by said court establishing any river or stream, or any part of either, as a lawful fence; but such order shall not be made within one year from the date of the order sought to be annulled or amended, and shall not take effect until six months after it is made.