Texas Waters Specialist

The Texas Waters Specialist program aims to develop a corps of 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. The TPWD Conservaion Education Manager is Melissa Felty, ConservationEdu@tpwd.texas.gov

The Hill Country Chapter Texas Waters Coordinator is Deb Youngblood, texaswaters@hillcountrytmn.org

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Texas Water Specialist information page is located athttps://tpwd.texas.gov/education/water-education/texaswatersprogram/texaswatersspecialist

Current Activity

AT25-024 Texas Waters Specialist, Curriculum Study Group
Dates and times for the next Study Group will be found here.

Take a look at what is on the Advanced Training Calendar. The following ATs qualify for Texas Waters Certification:

AT25-039
05/14/2025, 6:30-7:30p
Texas Waters Specialists use: AT: TX Waters Certification Training (Enter AT#, Class Title as posted, Location, and Presenter)
AT25-039 Webinar Dark Waters, Strange Creatures: Amazing Life in Texas Groundwater, Presenter: Dr. Benjamin Hutchins (AT=1h)
Register

AT25-039
06/17/2025, 6:30-7:30p
Texas Waters Specialists use: AT: TX Waters Certification Training (Enter AT#, Class Title as posted, Location, and Presenter)
AT25-039 Webinar Texas WET (Water Education Training) Course: New (Online) Advanced Training Course for Master Volunteers, Presenter: Kelly (Hibbeler) Albus (AT=1h)
Register

AT25-039
07/TBD/2025, 6:30-7:30p
Texas Waters Specialists use: AT: TX Waters Certification Training (Enter AT#, Class Title as posted, Location, and Presenter)
AT25-039 Webinar Impacts of Urban Water Supplies and Water Demand, Presenter: Betsy Marsh (AT=1h)
Register: Coming Soon

AT25-039
08/TBD/2025, 6:30-7:30p
Texas Waters Specialists use: AT: TX Waters Certification Training (Enter AT#, Class Title as posted, Location, and Presenter)
AT25-039 Webinar One Water: Future of Water in Texas, Presenter: Robert Mace (AT=1h)
Register: Coming Soon

Anytime
https://aquiferalliance.org/water-wonks-series/
Watch any videos from this series and enter in VMS for TWS AT credit
AT-VMS: AT TX Waters Certification Training (Enter AT#, Class Title as posted, Location, and Presenter)
AT24-077 Webinar GEAA Water Wonks Lecture Series: Add title as posted, add presenter (AT=1h)

Anytime
https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/water-education/texaswatersprogram/texaswatersspecialist
Watch any videos from this series and enter in VMS for TWS AT credit
AT-VMS: AT TX Waters Certification Training (Enter AT#, Class Title as posted, Location, and Presenter)
AT24-077 Webinar Texas Waters Webinars: Add title as posted, add presenter (AT=1h)

Anytime
San Antonio – Standard Core Water Quality Community Scientist Training. This training is provided by the Texas Stream Team. Use the link below to see the calendar and sign up for a class to become a river water quality monitor.
https://teamup.com/ksos37y3n9acgt5pk5
Be sure to read up on the training before you go: https://www.meadowscenter.txst.edu/leadership/texasstreamteam.html

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Need Texas Waters Specialist Service Hours? Check out these opportunities:

It’s a thing. Recently Patricia Poore, TMN, TWS, participated in a discussion with Kerrville Community Leaders about water.

She spoke to the number of educational opportunities that she has documented–all about water conservation. From her personal experience, she spoke about how she set up a rainwater catchment system at her home for watering her plants. This is what TWSs do: they educate, they point people to resources and they teach. (yes, that qualifies as service.) Rock on, Patricia!!

When trash gets thrown on any road, anywhere, the trash will eventually end up in the river. We want our rivers to be clear of trash. So, be who you are and pick up trash. You can do it for an hour or two or more. You can do it as often as the roadside needs. Use the cross county code for Roadside Cleanup: CC-06-A Roadside and Riparian Cleanup **Note the location of the cleanup in report

We will meet up in the parking lot at 8:00a and work until 10:00a-ish. If you want to bring a kayak, check the river flow before you go.
If you want a T-Shirt you will need to register before June 30, 2025. Matt at UGRA guarantees your requested t-shirt size if you register before June 30th. 
When you register, be sure to indicate you are a Texas Master Naturalist, Hill Country Chapter and that you would like to work at Guadalupe Park. When you do that, Matt will give me your t-shirt which I will pass along to you at the park. I will also pick up garbage bags, vests, pickers and anything else Matthew can equip us with. 
You need to come with sturdy work gloves, long sleeve shirt, long pants, a hat, shoes that can get wet and a happy smile (cause you know you are doing a good thing.)  If you plan to bring friends and family, be sure to register them, too. And yes, I will have their t-shirts, too, if they indicate they will be working with us when they register.
Report your service using KR-08-C-FR Guadalupe River Cleanup and if you are a Texas Waters Specialist, put a check in the block.
Remember, I will have all our t-shirts, supplies, snacks and ice cold water for your refillable water bottles. 
Google Map to Guadalupe Park
https://maps.app.goo.gl/mFoppTGahR4FSdYd8

If you are planning to install a rainwater harvesting system on your property or your neighbor’s property, the time you spend planning, shopping and executing counts towards Texas Waters Specialist Service. While it does not qualify for TMN Service, it does for TWS and you enter it the hours in the same way: go to to VMS, enter the date and time and describe your service. Use this code to report your service:
CC-01-B-FR TWS Home Project: describe your project
And remember, if you are creating a rainwater catchment system in Kerr County, you can go to UGRA to request reimbursement for up to $500. You will have to fill out a form and present your receipts.

As always, any work you do to create healthy habitats counts for Texas Waters Specialist Service. That means that work in pollinator gardens which are located in riparian areas count. Improvements to aquatic habitats also qualify. Just remember that when you enter your service in VMS you will need to scroll down and check the block for Texas Waters Specialist and fully describe the work you did.

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