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New laws dramatically changed rangeland management in the 1970s and riparian areas became a public land focus.� Big meadows and problem areas were protected with fences.� Exclosures demonstrated the contrast between management that allowed concentrated and prolonged use that impaired riparian plants and stream functions versus total protection. A focus on stream classification provided a process to stratify and delineate based on hydrologic, vegetation, and geomorphic attributes, processes, and features. Increased emphasis on sage-grouse habitat requirements focused managers on mesic forbs and well-timed grazing.�Streams with significant wildlife and other values occur in mixed ownership watersheds with private and public lands. Watershed scale issues require a water catchment scale management approach.�Focusing communities of stakeholders on physical riparian functions continues to build support for riparian stewardship, for healthy water-loving plants slowing and storing floodwaters across and under broad floodplains.� A search for riparian compatible grazing systems failed to provide the silver bullet, but provided an abundance of tools and strategies that work or don�t work in different settings and for meeting different needs. We now know that riparian areas are resilient and recover with proper management and associated tools.�Grazing to allow plant health with moderate use or short periods of use, adequate recovery periods, and altering grazing periods, provide the focus to improve or maintain watersheds. Emphasizing either planned disturbance with ample recovery periods or decreasing disturbance with limited levels of use provides managers with a fundamental choice. That choice drives management actions, criteria for success, and appropriate criteria for short- and long-term (implementation and effectiveness) monitoring. Adaptive management creates greater resilience and increases management options if it combines practices to maintain or restore riparian functions and values. Adapting management to changing conditions requires flexibility with responsibility, implementation monitoring of local strategies, and effectiveness monitoring of SMART objectives.