Education and Outreach
Austin and the surrounding Central Texas region are experiencing rapid growth in population, employment, and land area affected by development. According to the 2010 Census, Austin is home to 790,390 people and by 2020 Austin's population is projected to reach 967,757. Regional projections are even more dramatic; Hays, Travis and Williamson Counties' combined population in 2010 is 1.6 million and is projected to grow to nearly 2 million by 2020.
One of the greatest challenges to Save Our Springs Alliance’s work is communicating effectively to new citizens and the general public on where the Edwards Aquifer is located, why it is important and vulnerable, and why development upstream in the Hill Country pollutes Barton Springs.
We realize that the only way to preserve the Hill Country and Barton Springs is by public outreach and by dramatically increasing our efforts to educate the citizens and local officials about the threats to the Edwards Aquifer and Barton Springs, and how we as a community can protect it for future generations.
Our leading educational effort is through our Barton Springs University (BSU) Program. BSU began as an annual all day event at Barton Springs Pool where students and the public participate in natural science activities and outdoor teaching sessions from experts from academia, governmental agencies, conservation groups, and the private sector. The Barton Springs University all day event on September 17, 2019 served over 1,000 high school students and their teachers as well as hundreds of college students and the general public.
In 2019 we expanded BSU as a year round program that includes; Barton Springs 101 presentations in schools, snorkeling eco- tours of Barton Springs and Barton Creek, hikes on the greenbelt; and a Spring Kids program during the summer months. These activities culminate with Barton Springs University Day at Barton Springs pool. SOS Alliance seeks to broaden our BSU program in 2020 to increase the outreach as the population continues to increase. Our goal is for our Austin area students and public citizens graduate with a firm grounding in our region’s water resources and what we must do as a city and a region to protect and sustain our home waters.
Visit BartonSpringsUniversity.org for more info or contact Pat Brodnax at Pat@SOSAlliance.org.
One of the greatest challenges to Save Our Springs Alliance’s work is communicating effectively to new citizens and the general public on where the Edwards Aquifer is located, why it is important and vulnerable, and why development upstream in the Hill Country pollutes Barton Springs.
We realize that the only way to preserve the Hill Country and Barton Springs is by public outreach and by dramatically increasing our efforts to educate the citizens and local officials about the threats to the Edwards Aquifer and Barton Springs, and how we as a community can protect it for future generations.
Our leading educational effort is through our Barton Springs University (BSU) Program. BSU began as an annual all day event at Barton Springs Pool where students and the public participate in natural science activities and outdoor teaching sessions from experts from academia, governmental agencies, conservation groups, and the private sector. The Barton Springs University all day event on September 17, 2019 served over 1,000 high school students and their teachers as well as hundreds of college students and the general public.
In 2019 we expanded BSU as a year round program that includes; Barton Springs 101 presentations in schools, snorkeling eco- tours of Barton Springs and Barton Creek, hikes on the greenbelt; and a Spring Kids program during the summer months. These activities culminate with Barton Springs University Day at Barton Springs pool. SOS Alliance seeks to broaden our BSU program in 2020 to increase the outreach as the population continues to increase. Our goal is for our Austin area students and public citizens graduate with a firm grounding in our region’s water resources and what we must do as a city and a region to protect and sustain our home waters.
Visit BartonSpringsUniversity.org for more info or contact Pat Brodnax at Pat@SOSAlliance.org.