… A recent study “Same data, different analysts: variation in effect sizes due to analytical decisions in ecology and evolutionary biology” highlights concerns for how we draw conclusions from scientific study and how science can inform policy. … Collaborative synthesis science is one way to strengthen consensus and to understand the roots of disparities between different studies and approaches, leading to more robust science. In the realm of California water, contemporary models of collaborative synthesis include the CVPIA Science Integration Team and subgroups, Interagency Ecological Program Project Work Teams, and working groups at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis. At its best, this approach brings together cooperative teams with diverse perspectives and expertise to achieve highly innovative solutions to research problems.