|  | Dear Stream Team Family,
We are thrilled to kick off the year with some exciting news: we have welcomed Nicky Vermeersch as our new Water Quality Specialist and Adam Berglund as our new Training Instructor! Scroll down to read a brief bio about Nicky and Adam and learn more about their roles. Please join us in giving both a warm welcome!
Texas Stream Team recently convened our annual trainer meeting to update certified trainers statewide on program developments and to set goals for 2024. I'm delighted to outline our top objectives aimed at broadening monitoring efforts and improving resources: Coastal bacteria monitoring program phase I (wrapping up) Database technique study (wrapping up) Social science research (wrapping up) Optical brightener technique study (starting) Spanish translations (starting) Revamped website (starting) Equipment maintenance videos Protocol videos Group leader/coordinator packets Field audit session alert Abnormal parameter alert Trainer interactive map (on website instead of a list) Electronic monitoring form phase II
Just like in previous years, our objective is to achieve as many of these goals as possible by this time next year. Stay tuned for announcements as we progress. We invite our community to share any suggestions or ideas to enhance your monitoring experience at any time.
Check out what Texas Stream Team headquarters has been up to already this year: | Collaborative Education Initiative from our Education Manager, Bess Reisberg: Texas State University's General Science department offers a specialized class for aspiring teachers to gain essential science knowledge and skills. This year, Texas Stream Team and Spring Lake Education collaborated with the General Science Department to design a long-term, field-based water quality research project. The project aims to engage future teachers in meaningful data collection along segments of the San Marcos River, fostering an understanding of the value of outdoor learning and addressing the need for immersive, place-based education. Lab instructors participated in Standard Core, Advanced, and Riparian Evaluation trainings led by Adam Berglund representing the San Marcos River Rangers, earning Texas Environmental Education Advisory Committee credits for each session. The Spring Lake Education team also developed a field trip program for the class, allowing students to practice Texas Stream Team Standard Core protocols, with the Texas Stream Team Educational Curriculum enhancing macroinvertebrate bio-indicator tests. | | Training Collaboration: On March 2, we co-led a Standard Core training with Kendall Guidroz from the Houston Galveston Area Council and Beverly Morrison from the Galveston Bay Foundation in La Marque. Thanks to grant funds provided by Clean Coast Texas, we provided community members near and within La Marque resources to collect water quality data effectively.
As a reminder, Texas State University will be closed during the week of Spring Break (March 11-15). Our offices will reopen Monday, March 18th.
The rest of this newsletter features essential information on monitoring protocols, trainings, and much more! Continue reading for the latest insight into everything happening in the world of Texas Stream Team.
Sincerely,
Aspen Navarro
Community Science Program Manager
TxStreamTeam@txstate.edu | | SPOTLIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS | Upcoming Trainings
Standard Core – San Marcos April 13 | 10:00am –2:00pm learn more >>
E. Coli – San Marcos April 14 | 10:00am –2:00pm learn more >>
Standard Core – Dallas April 20 | 9:00am –2:00pm learn more >>
Riparian – San Marcos May 12 | 10:00am –2:00pm learn more >>
Riparian – San Marcos June 08 | 11:00am –3:00pm learn more >>
Standard Core – San Marcos June 09 | 10:00am –2:00pm learn more >>
Find more trainings on our online calendar! |
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| | Meet Nicky Vermeersch:Introducing Nicky, our new full-time Water Quality Specialist! In this role, Nicky will lead all supply processes within the Texas Stream Team program and will also serve as a trainer.
Learn more about Nicky:
As a nature and outdoor-loving individual, I am thrilled to join the Meadows Center’s Watershed Services Team and the Texas Stream Team as a Water Quality Specialist! I began my journey in the water quality field by pursuing a bachelor’s in environmental science from Stephen F. Austin State University. Through my courses, I had the opportunity to participate in undergraduate research, where my group and I sampled various water bodies to determine the impacts of stormwater runoff on general water quality parameters and metal concentrations. Read more >>
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| | Meet Adam Berglund: |  | Introducing Adam, our new part-time Training Instructor! In this role, Adam will lead training and field audit session initiatives within the Texas Stream Team program.
Learn more about Adam:
Adam (they/them) is a San Marcos native who grew up utilizing the San Marcos River as a source of leisure.
Their background has been in Outdoor Recreation, Environmental Education, and Adventure Therapy before finding a niche in water quality monitoring. They became more involved in outdoor recreation and environmental education while attending Texas State University for their Bachelors in Recreation Administration, managing the Outdoor Center in Sewell Park as a part of Campus Recreation, teaching in the Department of Health & Human Performance, and running guided backcountry trips within our shared waters and natural spaces across the country.
Adam also coordinates a local water quality monitoring group through the San Marcos River Foundation. | | | Community Science Spotlight: Jim Miller | | Jim Miller, a dedicated community scientist with Texas Stream Team since 2017, is entering a well-deserved retirement after years of vigilant water quality monitoring along Cypress Creek, from its source at Jacob's Well to where it meets the Blanco River.
Jim's dedication to preserving local waterways reflects his deep-rooted connection to the Wimberley area, a place he and his family have called home for decades. In this spotlight, we explore Jim's journey with the Texas Stream Team, the motivations behind his volunteerism, and the wisdom he imparts to those who might follow in his footsteps. Read more >> |
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| | MONITORING TIPS & UPDATES | IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT During a recent field audit session, Texas Stream Team identified inconsistencies in the Advanced Nitrate-Nitrogen testing procedures, thanks to the keen observation of fellow trainer and monitoring group, Aquatic Alliance. Consequently, we have updated steps 7 and 8 on the Advanced Nitrate-Nitrogen & Phosphate Field Guide to reflect this correction. Please note that community scientists should wait 5 minutes, instead of 8, after completing step 6 (Cap and invert for 2 minutes until tablet dissolves) on the field guide. We kindly ask all community scientists to review the updated field guide and make note of this procedure change. While results should not differ, we want to be sure consistency with our vendor guidelines. We cannot stress enough the importance of field audit sessions for this very reason. Having more eyes on the ground ensures we all are staying consistent with monitoring protocols. If it has been two years since you had your last Advanced field audit session, please reach out to schedule a session with us directly. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding these procedural changes, please don't hesitate to reach out to Texas Stream Team. | | |
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| | Plum Creek Watershed Data Summary Report
Every quarter, Texas Stream Team analyzes data collected by community scientists in a specific watershed and presents the findings in Data Summary Reports. These reports highlight trends, environmental factors, Texas Stream Team activities, and more within the selected watershed. This quarter, the Plum Creek watershed was selected for the analysis and extends to Hays, Travis, Caldwell, and Gonzales counties in Texas. Read more >> |
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| | TEXAS STREAM TEAM DATA SHOWCASE | Streams of Progress: 2023 Training & Monitoring Milestones
We are well and fully into 2024 but let us take a moment to look back at all the great work done in 2023. If you were at our annual trainer meeting, you recall the charts depicting training and monitoring activity for last year. Our top training months of 70+ were in February, June, and September. Looks like training participation tapered off as people prepared for the holidays. Monitoring events hit their highs in January, February, May, and June. That scorcher of a summer explains some of the low numbers we had in late summer/early fall. Yearly monitoring activity has been consistent since 2020, and our training numbers have bounced back. Before the charts, enjoy this map of currently active monitoring sites. The larger and darker the circles represent more (and a longer history of) monitoring events. |  | A map of active Texas Stream Team monitoring sites. Larger, darker sites have a longer monitoring history. |  | The number of training certifications completed by month in 2023. |  | The number of active participants and sites by month in 2023. |  | Total yearly training numbers for 2020-2023. |  | Total number of samplings events, along with monthly average of active participants and sites, for 2020-2023. |
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| | | March 16 | Austin
March 23 | Galveston
April 2 | San Marcos
April 6 | Houston
April 20 | San Antonio
April 20 | San Marcos |
| April 21 | San Antonio
May 18 | San Marcos
May 18 | San Marcos
June 6 | Dallas/Fort Worth
June 8 – June 12 |San Marcos
June 13 | San Marcos |
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| | | Texas springs in crisis: New study highlights overwhelming increase in dry springsNew research from the Meadows Center uncovers a concerning decline in the state’s groundwater resources, finding that the number of dry springs has nearly tripled since the early 1980s. Full story from Texas State University →
Why Austinites should embrace a 'summer blonde' lawn during a droughtSpring is practically upon us, meaning it's just about time to clear out the flowerbeds and start planning the year's garden. Full story from KUT →
Another Hot, Dry Summer May Push Parts of Texas to the BrinkSome areas are starting the year with low water reserves, and forecasters don’t expect substantial relief from the weather. Full story from Inside Climate News →
'We need more': Despite recent rains, San Antonio area still locked in droughtAfter two very dry and hot years, the region's aquifers, lakes and streams remain a long way from being fully refilled. Full story from San Antonio Express-News → |
| Get Outdoors: Meadow's Center announces schedule for youth group classesIn an effort to provide an exciting and educational experience for students and families alike, the Meadows Center has released the schedule for the Spring Lake Outdoor Academy. Full story from San Marcos Daily Record →
Recovering from natural disasters is slow and bureaucratic. New FEMA rules aim to cut the red tape.New rules announced by the federal agency in charge of emergency management aim to simplify and speed up the process of applying for federal assistance after a natural disaster. Full story from AP News →
Texas' population is projected to surpass 50M by 2070. Do we have enough water? Water in the state of Texas will decrease by 18% as demand increases by 9% by 2070, according to the Texas Water Development Board. At the same time, the state's population could eclipse 50 million people. Full story from NBC-DFW → |
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| | HAIL & FAREWELL | To acknowledge our community scientists’ commitment to our program, Texas Stream Team is returning to an old tradition of introducing new citizen scientists to welcome them to the team as well as formally announce a farewell to our retiring citizen scientists.
We want to acknowledge your commitment to our program!Please reach out to us if you will be retiring from your service to TexasStream Team at TxStreamTeam@txstate.edu. | |
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| | New to Texas Stream Team? Join Us! | | PARTNER UP!Are you interested in partnering with Texas Stream Team? Let us know! | | Acknowledgments | | The following staff assisted in the preparation of this newsletter and are acknowledged for their contributions:
Authors: Sandra Arismendez, Claudia Campos, Nicky Vermeersch, Adam Berglund, Anna Huff, Madi Mitchell, Aspen Navarro, Laura Parchman, and Sarah-Grace Williams.
Editors: Anna Huff and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Publish date: 3/15/2024
Texas Stream Team is funded in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. | |  | |
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