Learning Through Stormwater: How Schools Can Use GSI for Flood Mitigation and Education
May 27, 2026 2pm
Webinar with Staryn Wagner, City of Austin Watershed Protection, and Lauren Maples, PEAS
In this webinar, Staryn Wagner will walk participants through the design and installation of Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) at Reilly Elementary, a demonstration site, where twelve cisterns and five rain gardens now capture and infiltrate more than 621,000 gallons of water each year. He will review how these features help control stormwater runoff, reduce localized flooding on campus, and provide practical benefits such as watering landscaping and sustaining trees. Participants will also gain insight into how to evaluate soil infiltration when selecting locations for rain gardens, as well as how to balance aesthetic goals with maintenance needs.
Following this technical overview, Lauren Maples will share how GSI projects open doors for meaningful student and teacher engagement. From planting native species to maintaining rain gardens and monitoring cisterns, these hands-on activities help connect learning to real-world environmental stewardship. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how GSI can address onsite flooding challenges and serve as a living laboratory for students, teachers, and the wider community.
Registration $10. Members can always register for FREE - learn more about membership: https://www.texaschildreninnature.org/give/membership
If you are a member, please refer to your Membership Information Email to see instructions for registering
Webinar offered at 2:00 Central on May 28. 2026
Ticket Sales will end on May 27, 2026
Webinar will be recorded and available for members and registrants
A Zoom link will be emailed from a TCiNN Staff Member to registrants prior to the event
Please note - no AI note takers will be allowed into the webinars