What we have learned may not be applicable everywhere, but the basics can be used broadly. Agriculture may well hold the key to our water future as far as wildlife conservation. That segment of our economy has been the first to appreciate the true value of water - through the lack of it. They, more than anyone else, have demonstrated on a landscape scale how to solve water problems and solve them in a way that sustains the environment around them. There are a lot of examples of solving water problems while keeping fish and wildlife in the equation.
More challenges remain and there is plenty left to learn and examples to show.
In my studies of water and wildlife conflicts around the world I have found many common elements. There is truly nothing new under the sun in this arena. It can be very frustrating for anyone who has had the opportunity to see first-hand the ecological mistakes, even disasters, that have occurred when we have not fully considered the consequences of our decisions. It is doubly frustrating to see them being made once more. People tasked with the job of making sure we have water for the future do the best they can under difficult circumstances.