77-1-102. Ownership of certain islands, abandoned riverbeds, and riverbeds. (1) The following lands belong to the state of Montana to be held in trust for the benefit of the public schools of the state:
     (a) all lands lying and being in and forming a part of the abandoned bed of any navigable stream or lake in this state and lying between the meandered lines of the stream or lake as shown by the United States survey of the stream or lake;
     (b) all islands existing in the navigable streams or lakes in this state that have not been surveyed by the government of the United States; and
     (c) all lands that at any time in the past constituted an island or part of an island in a navigable stream or lake, except those lands that are occupied by and belong to the adjacent landowners as accretions.
     (2) State-owned riverbeds are public lands of the state that are held in trust for the people as provided in Article X, section 11, of the Montana constitution.

     History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 36, L. 1937; R.C.M. 1947, 81-2301; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 371, L. 2011.