Conclusion

Abstract

Bruce Lee, in speaking of his martial arts philosophy, said, “Be formless, shapeless—like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle. You put in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow, or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” This philosophy of martial arts illustrates two broad lessons for water governance. First, water is both a creative and destructive force, and water security requires an awareness of both sides of water. Second, water policies must be as dynamic and adaptive as water itself. Water laws must be more flexible to change with changing water conditions. This chapter discusses improving awareness of both the flow and the crash of water and how to find existing flexibility in water law and improve water law’s adaptive capacity. Finally, water is generous—it enlivens, cleanses, and beautifies. If we are to manage water, we must be water, adaptive and generous. And what better subject of our generosity than water itself. It is essential to life and is perhaps the essential cause and solution to many of life’s problems.