A 20-year milestone takes learning
from watershed to coast
This year marked the 20th anniversary of Groundwater to the Gulf, also known as the G2G Institute. G2G is a four-day, hands-on professional learning experience that helps educators build or refresh their knowledge of water resources while gaining practical techniques they can bring back to the classroom. The program is offered at no cost to educators across all grade levels.
To celebrate this milestone year, the institute added a new travel component, taking educators to Palacios, Texas, where they visited Matagorda Bay—the place where the Colorado River meets the Gulf Coast.
Throughout the institute, educators participated in field experiences and interactive activities designed to connect watershed concepts to real-world learning.
Tuesday’s activities included caving and a session on land management for groundwater recharge at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. At McKinney Falls, educators explored water quality through demonstrations and a presentation from LCRA before taking flow measurements at Onion Creek.
After traveling to Palacios, the group continued learning with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department through activities including food web exercises, knot tying, casting, and fishing along the coast.
On day three, educators visited the PMAR Oyster Hatchery, where they toured the facility, explored oyster reef restoration, participated in seining and oyster gardening, learned about coastal plant adaptations, and completed a beach cleanup that included litter and nurdle surveys.
Later that afternoon, participants visited Matagorda Bay Nature Park, applying what they had learned by observing the environment, sharing their findings, and making connections between coastal stewardship and classroom instruction.
On the final day, educators joined the Texas Floating Classroom to test water quality and explore new ways to inspire students to protect clean water for future generations.
Join us in 2027
If you’re an educator interested in attending Groundwater to the Gulf next year, watch for registration information in early spring 2027.
