Water rights are like claiming a piece of cake for yourself at a party. Just as everyone at the party wants a piece of cake, people who live in a certain area may want to use the water from the same source, such as a river or lake.
Water rights are the rules that say who gets to use how much water from a particular source. It's like a rule book for sharing the cake.
The people who have water rights can claim a certain amount of water from the source for themselves, such as for drinking or farming. The amount of water they can claim is based on a few factors, like how long they have been using the water, how much they need, and what they use the water for.
For example, a farmer who has been using water from a river for irrigation for many years may have a water right that lets them claim a certain amount of water from the river each year. This means they can use the water to grow crops, and they don't have to worry about someone else taking all the water they need.
Water rights can be really important because water is a limited resource, and there's only so much to go around. So, just like how everyone at a party can't have a piece of cake that's too big, people who use water need to share it fairly and make sure they have enough for everyone's needs.