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Samantha eventually met her research advisor, Dr. Engil Pereira, a few weeks before the pandemic. Despite the pandemic, Samantha gained valuable knowledge and experience in soil science throughout her undergraduate and graduate studies. During her studies, Samantha also participated in different internships, including with Brown University for climate modelling, the NRCS for conservation agriculture and soil health, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory for plant physiology under climate change. 

Samantha received her bachelor’s in environmental science in 2021 and earned her master’s in agricultural, environmental, and sustainability sciences in 2024. Her master’s thesis project consisted of two projects focused on soil carbon sequestration under conservation tillage and reforestation, which are now two publications. Samantha’s research background covers soil carbon, semi-arid climates, sandy soils, conservation agriculture, soil health, and reforestation. Samantha was also a soil scientist with the USDA-NRCS in northwest Kansas, where she assisted with soil profile descriptions, wetland determinations, and playa restoration projects for groundwater recharge. 

As the new Arroyo Colorado Watershed Coordinator, Samantha is now able to live closer to her family and be able to give back to the RGV community. Knowing the geological and agricultural history of the valley, she is eager to work with various stakeholders across the valley to help protect its natural resources. In her free time, Samantha enjoys being outdoors, whether for hiking, bird watching, jogging, or stargazing. She also loves to read and watch movies with her family. Samantha is a dog and cat lover, but she only has a cat named Kat.

By Lucas Gregory

During stakeholder meetings for the 2017 Update to the Arroyo Colorado WPP, the accuracy of the watershed boundary used in the WPP was questioned. This boundary was delineated using digital elevation models (topography) available at the time. As a result, the partnership discussed and included in the WPP (pg 87) a management recommendation to update the watershed boundary through further detailed studies. 

In late 2024, TWRI proposed to update the existing boundary layer to TCEQ and has been selected to receive funding for this task later this year. In early 2026, TWRI plans to begin the process to update the watershed boundary. Initially, high-precision digital elevation data will be acquired to generate a draft updated watershed boundary map. 

Stakeholder input will be sought to refine the boundary of the draft map based on local knowledge. City and county stormwater management personnel, drainage district personnel, TXDOT and others will be engaged and asked to provide input that helps refine the watershed boundary so that it accurately reflects stormwater movement into the Arroyo Colorado watershed. 

Draft updates to the layer will be presented at future partnership meetings to allow for additional feedback. An updated watershed boundary layer will be created in ArcMap (geographic information system software) and published on the Arroyo Colorado website and other outlets as appropriate. 

If you are interested in providing input to the boundary refinement, please email Samantha Colunga at samantha.colunga@ag.tamu.edu.

The Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) is a statewide non-profit organization whose mission is “to promote conservation, research, and utilization of native plants and plant habitats of Texas through education, outreach, and example.” 

The Arroyo Colorado Watershed Partnership has joined forces with the Rio Grande Valley Chapter of the NPSOT to enhance and care for the native landscape at the Rio Hondo Middle School (RHMS). Over the course of four days in August and September, volunteers from the RGV Chapter of the NPOST hand-removed weeds and aggressive plants, including nodding spurge, wild poinsettia, common sow-thistle, asters, and common sunflower, to make space for native plants to thrive and address aesthetic concerns.

“I’m absolutely thrilled and grateful that the RGV Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas is willing to contribute to the restoration and cleanup of our native plant area,” said RHMS principal Mr. Moreno. “It’s truly a beautiful space with so much potential, and [their] support will go a long way in helping us revitalize it and showcase its natural beauty.” 

This meaningful collaboration goes beyond physical maintenance: it’s about the education of students that native plants are valuable natural assets that benefit all. They support wildlife, reduce stormwater runoff, and help improve the water quality of the Arroyo Colorado. The RGV Chapter of the NPSOT envisions a future where all valley residents appreciate and respect native landscapes, especially the unique and biologically diverse ecosystems of the valley. 

“It all starts with plants,” said Mr. Gaitan, of the NPSOT RGV chapter. “We’re not only planting this for ourselves and for our enjoyment, but we’re planting this for wildlife. That change in perspective to have joy in the entire ecosystem you can create in your backyard. Planting something that you thought was beautiful until you realize it’s beneficial to not only us (humans). When others catch on to that idea, we begin to see more of our native plants being saved and growing in people’s yard or open public spaces like here.”

The ACWP is proud to work alongside the RGV Chapter of the NPSOT and looks forward to future collaborations. 

By Lucas Gregory

In October 2023, Rio Hondo ISD teachers and students transformed the grass area near the student drop-off zone at Rio Hondo Middle School. Using best management practices (BMPs), they turned the unused space into a native landscape that now provides beneficial habitat for various bird and insect species, as well as provide onsite stormwater filtration that ultimately benefits the Arroyo Colorado.

From 24 different science classes, 445 students in grades 5-8 planted 1,500 native plants. Now that many of the plants are established, this space is being further developed as an outdoor classroom for the school’s science classes. The Rio Grande Valley chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) has begun working to assist with landscape maintenance and will be training teachers and students on proper care and maintenance of the native landscape. They also helped develop plant identification signs that will be installed later this fall to support student learning. A sign that describes how this site helps manage stormwater quantity and quality will also be installed. 

Over the summer, science curricula were developed and tailored to each grade-level to cover a broad range of environmental concepts and enable teachers to incorporate the use of the native landscape/stormwater management space on campus into their classes. Content covers topics that are aligned with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills requirements, and ties classroom lessons and experiments directly to the outdoor space. Curricula content covers specific water-focused topics such as water quality and pollution awareness, stormwater and runoff, nonpoint source pollution, watersheds, human impacts on water quality, water filtration and stormwater best management practices. Other complementary topics include energy flow and matter cycling, food chains and webs, soil science and chemistry, roles of native plants in the environment, environmental stewardship, and ecological succession. 

In May, a small group of science students and teachers were trained on how to conduct water quality testing and assessments using the Texas Stream Team’s Standard Core monitoring program. Students and teachers learned about the importance of basic water quality parameters (temperature, pH, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen) and the role they play in determining aquatic health. 

This training ties the concepts included in the newly developed curricula to instream water quality and will allow students to monitor water quality nearby in the Arroyo Colorado. 

School staff have proposed an after-school science club, and it is in discussion. The intent of this club is to gather interested students for additional science activities that are difficult to perform during normal class time. These could include a monthly trip to Spotted Sea Trout Park in Rio Hondo to test water quality in the Arroyo Colorado, care and maintain the native landscape/stormwater BMPs on campus, and many other activities. Teachers have been provided with 3 fully stocked Texas Stream Team Core Monitoring kits that can be used in classes and by the proposed science club.

The native landscape and stormwater demonstration site is already having a positive impact on students and the school grounds. 

“It’s positive for our campus and we want our children to be one with nature,” Principal Moreno said. “I’d like to see them out here and actively engaged. I want them to know that these plants are native, that they are grown here [in the valley] and they’ll find those here [in the garden].”