Riparian and stream ecosystems are crucial for watershed sustainability. Successful and sustainable riparian management depends not only on technical methods but also on stakeholder knowledge, awareness, and willingness to implement conservation practices. Drawing on adult learning theories, andragogical principles, and Diffusion of Innovations, this study examined learning outcomes and adoption intentions among participants in the Texas Riparian and Stream Ecosystem Education Program. We used data from 23 workshops held from November 2022 to December 2025 to analyze and compare knowledge gain of 404 participants. Results showed an average knowledge gain of 7.96 points among the participants (SD = 12.13), t(403) = 13.18, p < 0.001, 95% CI [6.77, 9.15], and a moderate effect size (Cohen’s d_z = 0. 66). Baseline knowledge was the strongest predictor of post-test performance, with older participants showing slightly lower adjusted scores than those aged 18–30. Participants also expressed strong intentions to adopt or continue using riparian best management practices for watershed sustainability, especially when relevant to their land use or professional context. These findings demonstrate short-term knowledge gains and reported conservation intentions following workshop participation, although causal effects, long-term knowledge retention, and actual practice adoption could not be established.

Water security is a multidimensional concept, but its meaning and application remain fragmented across research, policy, management, and public discourse. Because individuals, families, and communities are integral to socio-physical water systems, understanding their perceptions is important for sustainable and equitable water resource management. This scoping review synthesizes empirical research on perceptions of water security in the United States. Following PRISMA-ScR guidance, six databases were searched for publications from January 2010 to June 2025, yielding 10,711 records. After duplicate removal, title and abstract screening, and full-text review using predefined eligibility criteria, 167 empirical studies were included and coded using a shared codebook; intercoder reliability ranged from moderate to high. Research was geographically and socially uneven, with greater attention to western and southern states and to the general public, while low-income communities, Indigenous populations, rural minorities, producers, and officials were underrepresented. Across contexts, perceptions were associated with trust, lived experience, risk perception, knowledge, values, affordability, and policy preferences. The review identifies a conceptually multidimensional but analytically fragmented literature and proposes the Comprehensive Water Security Framework (CWSF), a three-domain architecture intended to support more comprehensive, comparative, and context-sensitive water-security research and assessment.