Texas Waters Specialist

Through this program, we want to develop a corps of Creek well-informed volunteer specialists who provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of aquatic resources and aquatic habitats within their communities for the state of Texas. Questions? Please direct them to Melissa Felty (Alderson), Conservation Education Manager, melissa.alderson@tpwd.texas.gov

Program Requirements

Accumulate at least 8 hours of Advanced Training utilizing the Texas Waters curriculum:

Attend Texas Waters live webinars. If you missed any webinars, you can earn AT by forming a study group and watch the recorded webinars (below) with discussion.
Read Texas Waters curriculum. Form a study group and use the "Questions to Consider" or TW Chapter quizzes (below) to guide your study and discussion.
Attend Texas Waters Day event or aquatic/watershed based sessions and field trips at the Texas Master Naturalist Annual meeting.
Other approved aquatic or watershed learning activities or trainings (Limit-4 hours)

Texas Waters Specialist and Webinar Flyer 2021

During times of COVID-19, modifications to obtaining TWS certification AT hours (not a requirement but options for AT as social distancing continues):

previously recorded webinars can be viewed independently. (TMN: Group discussion still required)
Texas Waters curriculum chapter quizzes. To receive credit, a score of 100% is required; the quizzes can be taken more than once. Results are saved, therefore, no need to send an email to Melissa Felty (Alderson) of completion. For credit, remember to properly log your AT hours (up to 1 hour of TWS AT eligible per chapter). (TMN: per TMN policy-quizzes are not approved for your Chapter AT but will count toward TWS certification)
Texas Water curriculum, Download PDF or request a hard copy by sending your name and address to Melissa.Alderson@tpwd.texas.gov

Texas Waters Specialist - Volunteer Registration and Reporting Guide

Texas Master Naturalists should enter their Advanced Training hours under the "AT:TX Waters Certification Training" opportunity for AT credit. The hours required to obtain certification and for community service are not on top of existing chapter requirements; instead, can be counted toward your annual chapter requirements (except for Chapter quizzes).

Annual Renewal Requirements

Participate in at least 10 hours of volunteer services in the area of water and watersheds. Projects should be pre-approved. Some examples can be found here.

2021 Texas Waters Webinars

Thursday, January 21 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - From Micro to Macro: Shark and Fish Larvae Impacted by Microplastics, with Elise Pullen, Scientific Illustrator and TPWD VISTA & Jenna M Karr, Graduate Researcher at Center of Marine Debris Research at Hawaii Pacific University Register
Thursday, February 18 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program (MRRP) & Nurdle Patrol, with John O'Connell, Coordinator of MRRP at Texas Sea Grant.Register
Tuesday, March 9 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - Harmful Algae Blooms, with Brent Bellinger, Senior Environmental Scientist at City of Austin Watershed Protection. Register
Tuesday, April 13 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - Watershed Protection Programs, with Blake Alldredge, at Upper Trinity Regional Water District. Register
Wednesday, May 19 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - Native American Cultural Connection to Water, with Bryant Celestine, Historic Preservation Officer at Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. Register
Tuesday, June 15 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - Regenerative Land Management for Healthy Watersheds, with Philip Boyd, Director of Science and Communications, and Casey Wade, Vice President of Ranching Operations, at Dixon Water Foundation. Register
Wednesday, July 14 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - Aquatic Vegetation Management, with Brittany Chesser, Aquatic Vegetation Management Program Specialist at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Register
Wednesday, August 18 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - One Water and Water Conservation, Kimberly Horndeski, Coastal Fisheries Natural Resource Specialist, TPWD. Register

Past Webinars

February 27, 2017 “The characteristics, components and value of healthy Watershed Ecosystems", with Megan Bean, TPWD, View Recorded Webinar, Megan's PowerPoint
April 18, 2017 "The Ecological Significance of Natural Flow Regimes", with Kevin Mayes, TPWD. View Recorded Webinar, Kevin's PowerPoint
June 22, 2017 "Instruments of Watershed Change", with Nikki Dictson, Extension Program Specialist with the Texas Water Resources Institute. View Recorded Webinar, Nikki's PowerPoint
August 22, 2017 "Texas Water Law and Planning", with Cindy Loeffler, Chief, Water Resources Branch, TPWD. View Recorded Webinar, Cindy's Presentation
December 19, 2017 "Aquatic Invasive Species" with Monica McGarrity, TPWD, View Recorded Webinar, Monica's PowerPoint
February 15, 2018 "Urban Stream/Bayou Management/Challenges" with Mateo Scoggins, City of Austin Watershed Protection, View Recorded Webinar, Mateo's PowerPoint
February 27, 2018 "Groundwater/Surface Water and Freshwater Inflow" with Andy Sansom, The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, Recorded Webinar, Andy's PowerPoint
April 10, 2018 "Guadalupe Bass/Small Mouth Bass Introduction/Removal" (Chapter 1) with Gordon Linam, TPWD, Recorded Webinar, Gordon's Presentation
May 29, 2018 "Groundwater and Surface Water Rights" (Chapter 9) with Robert Mace, PhD,
The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment Associate Director, and Chief Water Policy Officer, Recorded Webinar, Robert's PowerPoint
June 26, 2018 "Texas Water Entities" (Chapter 9) with Cindy Loeffler, TPWD, Recorded Webinar, Cindy's PowerPoint
August 7, 2018 "Coastal Ecology and Issues" (Chapters 1, 2, 6, 7, 8) with Holly Grand, TPWD, Recorded Webinar, Holly's PowerPoint
August 28, 2018 "Our Changing Climate and the Impact on Texas' Fish, Wildlife, and Habitats (Texas Waters Chapter 8)" with Katharine Hayhoe, PhD, Texas Tech University Climate Scientist, Recorded Webinar (re-recorded by Dr. Hayhoe), resources provided by Katharine: NOAA's Climate at a Glance; Fourth US National Climate Assessment; Third US National Climate Assessment; Skeptical Science; PBS Digital Series, Global Weirding; Katharine's website
January 16, 2019 - "ABCs of Apple Snails and eDNA" with Romi Burks, Biology Professor, Southwestern University Recorded Webinar, Romi's PowerPoint
February 26, 2019 - "Recovering America's Wildlife Act (H.R. 4647)" with Kelly Simon, Urban Wildlife Biologist, TPWD Recorded Webinar, Kelly's PowerPoint
March 19, 2019 - "Senate Bill 2: Instream Flow Study on the San Antonio River" with Gordon Linam, Stream Ecologist, TPWD Recorded Webinar, Gordon's PowerPoint
April 23, 2019 - "The Reilly Elementary School Stormwater Retrofit: Water as a Resource and Education Tool" with Staryn Wagner, Environmental Scientist, City of Austin Watershed Protection Department & Amy Grossman, Landscape Architect Associate, Austin Parks and Recreation Department Recorded Webinar, Staryn and Amy's PowerPoint, Passive Rainwater Harvesting System Information
May 21, 2019 – "Biological Monitoring Using Macroinvertebrates as Bioindicators of Water Quality in a Stream Ecosystem" with Archis Grubh, Aquatic Biologist, TPWD Recorded Webinar (audio only), Archis's PowerPoint, Archis's Management Project Video Clip
Aquatic Science Education Apps
June 18, 2019 - "Freshwater Mussels: Assessing the Status and Distribution of Unionids within the Tributaries of East Austin" with Liz Johnston, Environmental Program Coordinator, City of Austin Watershed Protection Department Recorded Webinar, Liz's PowerPoint
July 16, 2019 - "The Importance of Playas in Texas High Plaines" with Don Kahl, Migratory Game Bird Specialist, TPWD Recorded Webinar, Don's PowerPoint
August 20, 2019 - "Devils River: A multi-disciplinary approach to saving one of the last great wild rivers in Texas" with Sarah Robertson, Aquatic Biologist, River Studies Program, TPWD Recorded Webinar, Sarah's PowerPoint
January 14, 2020 - "One Water: Managing Water Resources to Sustain Healthy Aquatic Ecosystems" with Cindy Loeffler, P.E., Water Resources Branch Chief, TPWD Recorded Webinar, Cindy's PowerPoint
February 12, 2020 - "New Tools for Environmental Flow Information" with Kevin Mayes, Natural Resources Specialist, TPWD; Instream Flow Council-Resources (Scroll down to Texas) link to Environmental Tools, Recorded Webinar, Kevin's PowerPoint
March 18, 2020 - "CoCoRaHs" with Bill Runyon CoCoRaHs-Texas State Coordinator, Retired, National Weather Service CoCoRaHS newsletter (Scroll down to Texas) The Crowd and the Cloud video (Click on CoCoRaHS to the left) Recorded Webinar, Bill's PowerPoint.
April 7, 2020 - "Groundwater Conservation Districts" with Natalie Ballew, Manager, Texas Water Development Board TWDB webpage, Recorded Webinar, Natalie's PowerPoint
May 19, 2020 - "Estuaries to Edwards: Aquatic Species Research with the Texas Comptroller's Natural Resources Program" with Chelsea Jones, Senior Research Analyst, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts CPA Natural Resources Program webpage Recorded Webinar Chelsea's PowerPoint
June 17, 2020 - "Urban Water Cycle and City of Waco Water Drop Tour" with
Nora Schell, Lake Waco Wetlands Coordinator, City of Waco-Water Utilities & Melissa L. Mullins, Environmental Education Specialist, Baylor University-Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research Recorded Webinar, Nora Schell's PowerPoint
July 14, 2020 - "Salt Bayou Watershed Restoration: Upper Coast Wetland Ecosystem Project" with Mike Rezsutek, Project Leader, TPWD Recorded Webinar, Mike's PowerPoint, Salt Bayou Watershed Restoration Plan
August 13, 2020 - "River Restoration Guidelines" with Ryan McGillicuddy, Conservation Biologist, TPWD & Michelle Bertelsen, Ecologist and Land Steward, Ecosystem Design Group & John Hart Asher, MLA, Senior Environmental Designer, Ecosystem Design Group, Hill Country Restoration Design Guidelines, Recorded Webinar