Nagaland’s water governance is built around short time horizons. Every dry season is treated as a sudden emergency rather than a predictable outcome. Protecting catchment areas, regulating construction on slopes, restoring springs, or integrating water planning into urban expansion requires patience, continuity, and the willingness to delay visible rewards. Temporary solutions normalise uncertainty. If Nagaland continues to plan for water one dry season at a time, it will remain trapped in this loop indefinitely.