At the Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District, I bring people together around groundwater conservation by coordinating engaging and informative outreach events for permit holders, well owners, and the broader community. Whether I was teaching kids about the endangered Barton Springs salamander or hosting university events on the future of water in Texas, my goal was always the same: make aquifers easy to understand and water conservation feel achievable by everyone.

Well Water Checkups

While it’s recommended well owners have their water tested annually, few actually do. To make water testing easier for our community, I coordinated a Well Water Checkup annually in collaboration with the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Office. Well owners picked up testing kits from our office, returned their samples, received their results, and could attend an optional workshop to learn more about their results and well maintenance.

I partnered with the University of Texas’ Hot Science – Cool Talks series to bring The Future of Texas Water to center stage. This immersive educational event focused on the critical challenges and solutions for water sustainability in Texas, featuring an insightful presentation by Dr. Robert Mace of Texas State University.

I helped shape the event from concept to execution by advocating for the topic, suggesting the featured speaker, coordinating advertising, recruiting 20 conservation exhibitors, and staffing the Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District’s table during the hands-on activities preceding the talk. The event drew a sold-out audience of over 400 attendees and featured more than 20 local conservation organizations showcasing interactive exhibits, effectively raising awareness about water conservation and aquifer stewardship within the community.

Educational Programming on Groundwater

If you talk to kids these days, you know axolotls are having a moment. I’ve tapped into that excitement to center youth programming at the District around the endangered Barton Springs salamander—a similar looking salamander found only in the Barton Springs segment of the Edwards Aquifer, which the District oversees. Through interactive lessons, I teach students how this unique species depends on clean, flowing groundwater, how drought impacts its habitat, and the everyday actions they can take to help protect our aquifer and the salamander’s future.