Beginning with the 1808 Gallatin Report and extending through the twentieth century, it seems that whenever water policy commissions recommended water developments, such as canals, dams, irrigation projects, and other infrastructure, the recommendations were usually heeded, though sometimes many years after the fact. In contrast, the recommendations that did not involve concrete and cash—such as proposing to change the terms of development, modify economic incentives, and alter the institutions of governance—have not fared as well, even though such recommendations have been piling up for nearly as long….

Janet Neuman: “Are We There Yet? Weary Travelers on the Long Road to Water Policy Reform“