33 U.S.C. § 10 : Navigation And Navigable Waters — Navigable Waters Generally — General Provisions — Waters In Louisiana Purchase As Public Highways Date: 7 Mar 2017 TEXT PDF All the navigable rivers and waters in the former Territories of Orleans and Louisiana shall be and forever remain public highways. (R.S. § 5251.) Codification R.S. § 5251 derived from act Mar. 3, 1811, ch. 46, § 12, 2 Stat. 606.