2025–2026
Impact Report
Year at a Glance
13,201
Subscribers and followers learned at least one new thing about the source of their drinking water
4,318
Views of the digital resource center, CRA's growing hub for teachers, students, and families
3,499
Elementary and middle school students engaged in hands-on and immersive STEM education through CRA's YES! Programs
4,215
Community members were introduced to their water source at a community event
860
Volunteers of all ages contributed 1,720 hours to remove 7,449 lbs of trash and debris from their drinking water
80
Billion
Gallons of annual water conservation inspired
For the future,
Adrienne Longenecker, CFRE
Executive Director
Letter from the Executive Director
”One student. One volunteer. One community. One 'aha' moment at a time.
At the heart of the Colorado River Alliance mission are the young Texans throughout the Colorado River basin who engage in fun, immersive water science education provided by our dedicated staff and because of your donations.
Whether it is a group of 3rd graders visiting the Wilkerson Center for Colorado River Education or 7th graders stepping aboard our traveling water-science center, The Mobile River, these students are gaining more than knowledge. They experience what I like to call the ‘aha’ moment.
The moment the light bulb goes on, they connect with the source of their drinking water, understand the science of water, and recognize their role in ensuring the long-term health of our river. Your financial support ensures the Colorado River Alliance continues to create these moments of discovery for thousands of Texans each year — and allows us to expand our impact.
Through these ‘aha’ moments, we are building a future where more people understand, value, and protect the Texas Colorado River. Each student who discovers the source of their drinking water, each volunteer who experiences the river from a new perspective, and each person who chooses to take small, daily actions to conserve water strengthens the future of this remarkable resource.
Colorado River Alliance’s powerful mission to champion the long-term vitality of the Texas Colorado River impacts students today and for generations to come. Our work is grounded in science, education, and action and deeply rooted in lasting impact for the future.
This year, we celebrated many special moments, each dedicated to creating the thousands of ‘aha’ moments that will ripple through the next year, and decades to come.
Read the full letter
Our youth water science education programs represent the Alliance’s deepest impact today and for the future. During these programs, we see the ‘aha’ moment come alive.
One standout experience was welcoming Girls Outside to the Wilkerson Center in January of 2026. As young women explored the model of the Highland Lakes and her dams, learned about watersheds, and connected with the water cycle, lessons were shared in both English and Spanish. The energy, curiosity, and engagement on display served as a powerful reminder that future leaders are discovering their interests today — and that the power of the ‘aha’ moments does not end after the trip to the Wilkerson Center for Colorado River Education or The Mobile River. The water science we provide to youth begin a lifelong journey.
Water science, middle school, and elementary school educators are our partners in inspiring a lifelong commitment to ensuring a healthy river. Some of my favorite moments of the past year were with science educators from throughout the river basin when we traveled to Matagorda Bay for continuing education. 2026 marked the 20th anniversary of Groundwater to the Gulf (G2G), our summer institute of continuing education for educators. Over the four-day institute, CRA and our 11 Partners provided high-quality, cutting-edge water science curriculum.
This summer’s G2G Cohort, who participated at no charge — thanks to your donations, experienced hands-on learning from youth education experts at five inspiring locations stretching from Austin to Matagorda Bay: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, McKinney Falls, Matagorda Bay Nature Park, PMAR Oyster Hatchery, and the Texas Floating Classroom in Matagorda Bay. As a G2G Cohort, these educators gain new professional connections, a toolbox of free classroom resources, and a memorable immersive experience that will help bring water science alive and create lasting ‘aha’ moments in their classroom. And of course, we encouraged all of the institute graduates to sign up their class for a field trip to the Wilkerson Center for Colorado River Education or The Mobile River this fall!
Awareness inspires action, and few people embody that transformation more clearly than Alvin Dedeaux. We were honored to recognize Alvin as the 2025 John Lay River Hero Honoree during Cocktails for the Colorado for his lifelong commitment to shining a light on the Texas Colorado River and inviting others to join him in ensuring its long-term health. In 2018, Alvin co-founded the LoCo Trash Bash to remove trash from the Lower Texas Colorado River. To date, the annual LoCo Trash Bash has removed 45 tons of trash from the river and banks of the LoCo. Alvin’s dedication to the river reminds us that stewardship begins with connection, and that one person’s passion can inspire countless others to care for the river we all share.
For all ages, we create ‘aha’ moments through connection with the river and caring for her health, by holding both huge and small cleanups each year — as well as promoting Alvin’s work and the LoCo Trash Bash. We are always finding new ways to expand opportunities and impact. In addition to our two major cleanups, The Spring Clean and The Lake Travis Underwater Cleanup which span 11 zip codes and engage 620 volunteers collectively, we added a kayak volunteer opportunity to the Lake Austin Cleanup. Thanks to a partnership with LCRA Parks, volunteers were offered a new perspective on the watershed while helping protect it.
I had a lot of fun partnering with the Texas Water Association Summer Conference to provide a bespoke volunteer experience in Marble Falls. Even this group of water experts experienced a few ‘aha’ moments when realizing how many plastic bottle caps land on the ground and eventually make it into our lakes and river. It was fun watching them on kayaks and through the park removing trash and building lasting memories.
We also expanded opportunities for community members to engage directly with the river through volunteer experiences by holding four community cleanups at Austin largest park — Onion Creek Metro Park. Volunteers rolled up their sleeves and made a tangible difference. The insights and ‘aha’ moments they experienced removing very large and very small trash from the creek and surrounding 517-acre park will last a lifetime.
Thanks to your generosity and partnership, CRA will continue to provide more of the ‘aha’ moments through youth water science education and volunteer engagement across the river basin and the 21 counties through which she flows. Every field trip, every volunteer event, and every opportunity to share simple but important water science facts with a fellow Texan creates another chance for an ‘aha’ moment to take root and ripple outward for years to come.
One student. One volunteer. One community. One ‘aha’ moment at a time.
This is the impact you make possible.
Vision
A day when the Texas Colorado River is valued and protected by all
Mission
To champion the long-term vitality of the Texas Colorado River
Purpose
Reach every Texan with a message of the River’s importance
Values
Stewardship & Impact | Teamwork & Community Collaboration | Adaptability & Optimism
Special Moments in 2025–2026
01
Education
Youth Experiencing Science (YES!) Programs
Wilkerson Center Field Trips
5,937
Hours of hands-on, TEKS-aligned STEM education delivered
1,979
Students connected to the Colorado River through hands-on, bilingual field trips
The Wilkerson Center for Colorado River Education connects 3rd–5th grade students to Texas’ most vital natural resource through hands-on, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)-aligned lessons in geology, watersheds, and conservation.
Access and inclusion remain central to CRA’s YES! Programs. During FY 2025–2026, 44% of students participating in Wilkerson Center field trips attended Title I schools, where a majority of students live at or below the federal poverty level. Additionally, 28% of students participated in bilingual field trips, expanding opportunities for more young Texans to engage with hands-on environmental learning and connect with their river.
The Mobile River
1,520
Middle school students engaged in interactive lessons on watersheds, weathering, and water conservation
4,001
Hours of immersive, TEKS-aligned STEM learning delivered inside The Mobile River and classrooms
4,215
Community members learned at least one new thing about their water source via The Mobile River at a community event
The Mobile River expands access to CRA’s YES! Programs by bringing hands-on, TEKS-aligned environmental education directly to Title I schools across the Texas Colorado River Basin. Through classroom lessons and immersive experiences aboard the 42-foot traveling science center, students explore watersheds, weathering, water conservation, and the importance of the Colorado River. Access and inclusion remain central to the program, ensuring students who may face barriers to traditional field trips can engage in meaningful STEM learning and connect with their river.
In FY 2026, the program continued to expand its reach from the Highland Lakes to the Gulf Coast, serving schools and community events in Manor, Del Valle, Leander, Elgin, and Matagorda Bay while developing meaningful partnerships with organizations including PODER, the YMCA of Austin, and the Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes.
Colorado River Alliance interns and AmeriCorps Members bring energy, curiosity, and commitment to every corner of our mission. This year, 18 interns and AmeriCorps Members contributed 1,900 hours leading classroom lessons, supporting community outreach, and helping tell the story of the river. The program provides meaningful learning opportunities that equip emerging environmental professionals with hands-on teaching experience while deepening their own understanding of stewardship. As they help create ‘aha’ moments for students, they often discover a few of their own.
02
Engagement
Groundwater to the Gulf
26
Educators, June 2026
572
Hours of professional learning
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. To celebrate this milestone year, the institute added a new travel component, taking educators to Palacios, Texas, to visit Matagorda Bay where the Colorado River meets the Gulf Coast.
From the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and McKinney Falls in Austin, Texas to Matagorda Bay Nature Park, the PMAR Oyster Hatchery, and Texas Floating Classroom in Matagorda Bay, educators learned side by side with scientists, park rangers, and conservationists, earning continuing education credits at no cost while gaining new tools to inspire their students.
Guided by 11 partner organizations
- Austin Water Wildland Conservation Division
- Austin Youth River Watch
- Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District
- City of Austin Parks and Recreation
- City of Austin Watershed Protection
- Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- Lower Colorado River Authority
- St. Edward’s Wild Basin Creative Research Center
- Texas Master Naturalists
- Texas Parks and Wildlife
”Interacting with our five senses is what really creates that lasting connection between what you're learning and why we should care.
JennyGroundwater to the Gulf participant
Internships and AmeriCorps Program
18
Interns and AmeriCorps Members
1,900
Hours contributed
Digital Resource Center
4,319
Digital Resource Center page views
3,329
Digital Resource Center active users
The Digital Resource Center is a growing hub for teachers, students, and families to explore the Colorado River. The Digital Resource Center is helping classrooms and households across Texas connect with water science in new ways.
From quick reads and river facts to printable activities and classroom clips, the resources center makes water science easy to teach and fun to learn. All resources are free and simple to share.
Cleanups
From the depths of Lake Travis to the banks of Onion Creek, 860 volunteers committed 1,720 hours to keep Central Texas waters clean across 31 cleanup sites.
31st Annual Lake Travis Cleanup
545 dive and land volunteers
5,636 lbs of trash removed
21 dive and Travis County Park cleanup sites
14 event partners
The Spring Cleanup
75 volunteers on a rainy day
471.78 lbs of trash removed
8 Eastern Travis County Park cleanup sites
The 4th Annual Lake Austin Cleanup
100 paddleboard, kayaks, and land volunteers
249 lbs of trash removed
Onion Creek Community Creek Cleanups
140 volunteers
1,092.65 lbs of trash removed
5 cleanup events
03
Awareness
Speaker Series
165
Community members joined the Fall and Spring series
Thanks to the visionary leadership of Laura and Kyndel Bennett, Colorado River Alliance re-launched the River Resilience Speaker Series in 2023 to host strategic conversations to discuss water issues and the future of the Texas Colorado River.
In 2025–2026, Colorado River Alliance hosted a fall and spring River Resilience Speaker Series for 165 community members to join us for an important conversation about the river.
In September 2025, Colorado River Alliance welcomed a panel of featured experts to lead a discussion of the issues and initiatives impacting Texas water for the next 20 years. Speakers included Alan Leonard, Policy Director of Texas Water Foundation; Robert Mace, PhD, Director of The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment; and Shay Ralls Roalson, PE, Director of Austin Water.
In February 2026, Colorado River Alliance invited stakeholders for a conversation on the topic of native and invasive plant species in local waterways. Attendees heard from Casey Williams, an aquatic ecologist from BIO-WEST, Inc. who shared his expert insights into the native and invasive plants that call local waterways like Lake Austin and Lady Bird Lake home.
Vision 2085 Water Pledge
80 Billion
Gallons of water remaining in the river per year
4
New Vision 2085 Landmark posters
In 2023, Colorado River Alliance launched the Colorado River 2085 Water Pledge Campaign with in-kind support from local advertising agency, Hiebing, to encourage Texans to evaluate their water usage and take steps to conserve water in their daily lives. Just a few small conservation habits can make a big difference in preserving the Colorado River and helping our community thrive for the next 10, 50, or even 500 years.
In 2025, Colorado River Alliance and Hiebing expanded the campaign to offer 4 new Vision 2085 Landmark posters, postcards, and bookmarks featuring beloved landmarks along the Texas Colorado River like Lake Travis, the 360 Bridge on Lake Austin, Longhorn Dam on the LoCo, and Matagorda Bay where the river’s freshwater meets the saltwater bay.
Throughout the year, students and community members were encouraged to participate in the Vision 2085 Water Pledge Campaign, resulting in over 80 billion gallons of water remaining in the river rather than “going down the drain” per year.
Stories from the River
Educator
“[The Mobile River] gave our students a chance to touch, feel, and see how water moves. We got all the kids involved as volunteers in different steps of the process, and it helped them understand concepts that are hard to grasp through visuals and slides alone.”
JasonMiddle school educator
Student
”Well we couldn't live without water
HapWilkerson Center Field Trip student
Volunteer
“This experience reminded me that even small actions, when people come together with a shared purpose, can make a meaningful impact. I’m grateful for the opportunity to volunteer and would be happy to participate in future cleanup events and other community initiatives.”
AnonymousLake Travis Cleanup volunteer
2025–2026
Board of Directors
Sally Allen
Bryan Beckworth
Mikah Berlingeri
Susan Bufkin
Hannah Dailey
Lindsey Holubec Easley
Breck Harrison
Mickey Jamail
Hill Krause
Dan Martin
Tina O’Jibway
Hondo Powell
Wade Webster
Justin Westmoreland
Corporate Partner
Legacy Leaders
Legacy Leaders are philanthropic leaders with a serious commitment to protecting the Texas Colorado River.
Legacy Leaders
Sally & DJ Allen
Bryan & Katherine Beckworth
Laura & Kyndel Bennett
Melissa & Matt Dausch
Gary & Susan Farmer
Mollie & Steve Leach
Wade & Sarah Webster
Ray & Karen Wilkerson
Inspire ‘aha’
Moments
Every field trip, every volunteer event, and every opportunity to share the story of the river creates another chance to inspire an ‘aha’ moment.
