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, Conservation Education Manager, ConservationEdu@tpwd.texas.gov 

Certification Requirements

Accumulate a combination of at least 8 hours of Advanced Training (AT) utilizing the Texas Waters curriculum in the following:

  • Attend Texas Waters live webinars (registration links and recorded webinars below)
    • General public: recorded webinars can be viewed individually for AT
    • Master Naturalist: a small discussion group is highly encouraged to view recorded webinars for AT
  • Read Texas Waters: Exploring Water and Watersheds (TW) curriculum
    • General public: read chapters and complete Chapter quizzes (below)
    • Master Naturalist: a study group is highly encouraged to read TW chapters. Use the "Questions to Consider" or chapter quizzes (below) to guide your study and discussion
  • Attend Texas Waters Day event, watershed-based sessions, and/or field trips at the Texas Master Naturalist Annual meeting
  • Other approved aquatic or watershed learning activities or trainings (Limit- up to 4 hours) 

Approved advanced training topics and agencies examples can be found here.

Texas Waters Specialist and Webinar Flyer 2023

Annual Renewal Requirements

Participate in at least 10 hours of volunteer services in water, aquatic habitats, and watersheds. 

Projects should be pre-approved. Approved volunteer service opportunity topics and agencies examples can be found here.

Getting Started and Reporting Hours

There is no formal application process. Whether you are a Texas Master Naturalist or obtaining certification as General Public, follow the steps below. There currently is no time limit to obtain Advanced Training for initial certification.

General Public - Follow this Texas Waters Specialist - Volunteer Registration and Reporting Guide PDF

Texas Master Naturalists

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

Advanced Training

  • Request from Chapter VMS coordinator the "AT:TX Waters Certification Training" opportunity
  • Enter eligible AT using "AT:TX Waters Certification Training" and describe with some detail the AT

Volunteer Service

  • Can be obtained concurrent to obtaining TWS certification
    • 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.
  • Enter service hours as per Chapter policy.
  • Click on the shown box ONLY for volunteer service hours that are aquatic/watershed related.Texas Water Specialist Service box
  • If you do not see this box and have entered TWS AT hours, contact ConservationEdu@tpwd.texas.gov

Curriculum Chapter Quizzes

A score of 100% is required; the quizzes can be taken more than once. Results are saved, therefore, no need to send an email of completion.

Up to 1 hour per TW chapter is eligible for AT. Master Naturalist: per policy, quizzes may not be approved for Chapter AT but will count toward TWS certification using "AT:TX Waters Certification Training" opportunity.

Texas Water curriculum, Download PDF or request a hard copy by sending your name and full address to ConservationEdu@tpwd.texas.gov

 

2023 Texas Waters Webinars

    • Tuesday, January 17 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - Walt Bailey, Regional Interpretive Specialist-Region 4 with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Interpreting Early Texas Cisterns - Recorded webinar, TPWD's Historical Imagery Viewer (on TPWD Lands tab), Lake Somerville Birch Creek State Park Facebook video "The Hidden History of Cisterns"

    • Tuesday, February 7 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - Taylor Keys, Program Director with Texan by Nature

Texas Water Action Collaborative (TxWAC) - Recorded webinar, Taylor's PowerPoint, Texan By Nature, TxN's Conservation Service Resource Guide, TxWAC 21/22 Impact Report, Texas Water Foundation (Texas House Water Caucus and Texas Water Day at the Capitol), Texas 2036: Legislative Blueprint for addressing Texas' water infrastructure crisis, NBS Benefits Explorer, Forests to Faucets 2.0 Assessment

Other resources mentioned: Texas Litter database (STOP) and Dark Skies Initiative

    • Thursday, March 9 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - Marty Kelly, Natural Resources Specialist-Coastal Fisheries with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Texas Water Resource Data - Recorded webinar, EPA How's My Waterway?, EPA ECHO (Enforcement and Compliance History Online), USGS Texas Water Dashboard (scroll to 'Explore the Texas water dashboard'), TCEQ Surface Water Quality Web Reporting Tool (scroll to Data Viewers), Water Resources Database Demonstration handout, Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) Data & Monitoring team, #TMNTuesdays (Texas Waters: March 14)

    • Thursday, April 20 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - Elizabeth McGreevy, Ecological planner and Roots in Karst CEO

Mountain Cedars: the Limestone Junipers of Texas - Register

    • Wednesday, May 10 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - Rachel R. Fern, Statewide Wetland Program Leader with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Texas Wetlands - Register

    • Wednesday, June 21 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - Wendy Anderson, Spatial Analyst-Wildlife Division with Texas Parks and Wildlife 

Mapping Texas Landscapes on the Go: Texas Parks and Wildlife Departments’ TEAMgo Tool - Register

    • Tuesday, July 11 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - Ally Schlandt, Program and Outreach Specialist with The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment

Texas Stream Team - Register

    • Wednesday, August 9 @ 6:30-7:30 PM CT - Robert Mace, Executive Director & Chief Water Policy Officer with The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment

One Water & Water Conservation - Register

    Past Webinars