Smith Tug & Barge Co. v. Columbia-Pacific Towing Corp.

The predecessors of respondent upland owners acquired their interest in the realty here in question from the United States government. The property as originally patented and meandered abutted the navigable waters of the Columbia and Cowlitz rivers, at or near their confluence.

The government meander line, established by surveys in 1857 and 1863, substantially conformed to the line of ordinary high water as it existed on those dates. However, the location of the line of ordinary high water at the time of statehood is unknown.

During the intervening years accretions have occurred along both…