Spring Lake is home to the River Systems Institute, Aquarena Center, and Texas Stream Team as well as a diversity of flora and fauna.  There are many activities to enjoy at Spring Lake.  The beautiful spring-fed lake provides the perfect setting for environmental education, academic research, and community enjoyment.   A day at the springs can include educational tours, water quality monitoring, SCUBA diving, the wetlands boardwalk, and MUCH more!

Spring Lake Climate Station Program

The first sensors began collecting data from the Spring Lake Climate Station in May of 2007.  The tower is currently collecting data every 15 minutes for wind speed, wind direction, temperature, relative humidity, net radiation, soil moisture, and precipitation.  In 2008, a water quality probe was added to the program and is now collecting data from Spring Lake every 15 minutes for conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and turbidity.

Spring Lake Climate Station data is available for download from the Data Forum - Spring Lake Climate Station Data section of this web site.  Please see the data disclaimer before downloading the data.

If you are interested in conducting research as part of the climate station program, are interested in volunteering for a climate station work day, or would like more information please contact Heidi Moltz at 512.245.3461.

Wetlands Boardwalk

A wetlands interpretive brochure and podcast were developed for the Wetlands Boardwalk at Aquarena Center.  The brochure is available at the Gift Shop at Aquarena Center.  The podcast is available for download at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Passport to Texas website.  A more general Texas Wetlands podcast is also available.

Interpretive Tours and Demonstrations

For more information on the many educational tours offered through Aquarena Center for all age groups and interests, visit the Tour Office website.  Texas Stream Teacm offers watershed model and water quality monitoring demonstrations for school groups visiting Aquarena Center through the Tour Office. 

Pictured to the right is a school group enjoying a watershed model demonstration led by Texas Stream Team staff at Aquarena.  EnviroScape watershed models are an effective method for demonstrating the concepts of watersheds and non-point source pollution to children and adults.