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 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 events, sessions, and field trips at the Texas Master Naturalist Annual Meeting
  • Attend Texas Waters webinars. If you missed any of the webinars, you can still use them to earn AT by forming a small interactive study group and watch the recorded webinars (below) with discussion.
  • Small group interactive study (Use the chapters in the curriculum and the "Questions to Consider" to guide your study and discussion.
  • Other approved Texas Waters learning activities such as Texas Stream Team and CoCoRaHS training (Limit-4 hours)

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.

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.

2019 Texas Waters Webinars

  • January 16th 6:30-7:30 pm CST - "ABCs of Apple Snails and eDNA" with Romi Burks, Biology Professor, Southwestern University Recorded Webinar, Romi's PowerPoint
  • February 26th 3:00-4:00 pm CST - "Recovering America's Wildlife Act (H.R. 4647)" with Kelly Simon, Urban Wildlife Biologist, TPWD Recorded Webinar
  • March 19th 6:30-7:30 pm CST - "Senate Bill 2: Instream Flow Study on the San Antonio River" with Gordon Linam, Stream Ecologist, TPWD Register Here
  • April 23rd 6:30-7:30 pm CST - "The Reilly Elementary School Stormwater Retrofit: Water as a Resource and Education Tool" with Staryn Wagner, Environmental Scientist, City of Austin Watershed Protection Department Register Here
  • May 21st 6:30-7:30 pm CST – "Biological Monitoring Using Macroinvertebrates as Bioindicators of Water Quality in a Stream Ecosystem" with Archis Grubh, Aquatic Biologist, TPWD Register Here
  • June 18th 6:30-7:30 pm CST - "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 Register Here
  • July 16th 6:30-7:30 pm CST - "The Importance of Playas in Texas High Plaines" with Don Kahl, Migratory Game Bird Specialist, TPWD Register Here
  • August 20th 6:30- 7:30 pm CST - "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 Register Here

Past Webinars