Texas Waters Specialist

Through this program, we want to develop a corps ofCreek 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):

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.

Volunteer service hours can be obtained concurrent to obtaining TWS Advanced Training hours. For example: after receiving training from an approved training source (TPWD, CoCoRaHS, AgriLife, Texas Stream Team, etc.), a volunteer can use those skills in volunteer service while obtaining their 8 AT hours.

Reporting TWS service hours: enter service hours as per above Reporting Guide link or TMN Chapter policy. In addition, there will be a statement with a box that says, “This activity qualifies for the following specialization: Texas Waters Specialist.” ONLY check this box for volunteer service hours that are aquatic/watershed related. If you do not see this box and have entered TWS AT hours, contact Melissa.Alderson@tpwd.texas.gov

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 Recorded Webinar, Jenna & Elise slides, Food-grade salt research
    • *Rescheduled: Thursday, March 4 @ 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. Recorded Webinar, John's PowerPoint, MRRP link, Nurdle Patrol, NOAA Marine Debris - Caitlin Wessel email, Recycled line to rings
    • Tuesday, March 9 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - Harmful Algae Blooms, with Brent Bellinger, Senior Environmental Scientist at City of Austin Watershed Protection. Recorded Webinar, Brent's PowerPoint, City of Austin Watershed Protection Dept, US EPA-Nutrient Pollution
    • Tuesday, April 13 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - Upper Trinity Watershed Protection Program, 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