Judge Rules Little Juniata Open to Public

In a setback for the exclusive Spring Ridge Club, a county judge ruled Monday that the club cannot continue to bar access to the 1.3 miles of stream located on its property. Using the test of navigability first established in 1794, and ruling on a lawsuit filed by the state departments of Environmental Protection and Conservation and Natural Resources, the fish commission, and Allan Bright, owner of Spruce Creek Outfitters, the judge noted that the Club was wrong to stop non-members from fishing on what is fact public property. “‘Essentially my response was private waters are private and public waters are public. I just didn’t feel it was right,’ [Bright] said. ‘It belongs to the people, not some guy who wants to capitalize.'” From an article by Dan Nephin of the Associated Press.