Pick any cliché -- herding cats, playing Whac-a-Mole.

The point is this: It's just real tough to find the right mix of water policy changes and financing that wins enough votes to pass the Senate and Assembly.

Lobbyists who have done the math say so. And water negotiations have progressed to
the point where vote counting has begun.

Here's the problem in a nutshell:

The top demand for liberal Democrats is a strong policy bill that wins the support of environmetnalists on changes such as new conservation laws and giving the State Water Resources Control Board new powers to enforce water rights laws. The GOP's goal is a new bond to pay for dams and other water projects.

But at the moment, Republicans aren't totally satisfied with the policy changes. They, for instance, think the water board gains too much power and could levy expensive fees unfairly for alleged illegal diversions of water. Democrats counter that the powers are needed to capture more water savings.

Republican votes aren't needed for the policy changes (it's a majority vote bill). But the GOP says it won't put up the votes for a bond -- which requires a supermajority -- until their policy demands are met. But if the policy bill changes much at all, environmentalits have threatened to walk away. And that will cost Democratic votes.

One of the bigger mysteries is how many Republicans and Democrats will vote for a bond, even if they are OK with the policy bill.

Some fiscally conservative Republicans philosophically oppose borrowing much at all. And Democrats alligned with public employee unions are being pressured to vote 'no' for fear that the borrowing would take money from other programs. (Bond proposals rolled out today are for $9.4 billion, which at their peak in a few years would cost the general fund $600 million annually, according to testimony given today by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office)

So here's another cliché: Finding the sweet spot.

Meaning, one possible, but difficult, path to success is finding enough Republicans who favor dams and other big water projects -- such as members in the San Joaquin Valley --to team with moderate Democrats to approve the bills.

Is it possible? The answer could come within days. In a recent memo, Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg's office told members to prepare for a vote as soon as Monday.

But, as always in Sacramento, timelines are subject to change.