Hahira, Georgia, May 18, 2026 — Two experts from Georgia and Florida on current water topics will speak at WWALS River Revue, the sit-down fundraising dinner for WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc., plus the music of a headliner and the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, and a silent auction.

https://wwals.net/pictures/songwriting2026

Speakers, WWALS River Revue, September 12, 2026, Amy Sharma on Datacenters, Rick Davis on WFNF

Amy Sharma, PhD, is Executive Director of Science for Georgia, a

nonprofit that bridges the gap between scientists and the public through training, outreach, and advocating for the responsible use of science in public policy.

Amy Sharma

She will explain effects of hyper-scale datacenters on local waterways, groundwater, and communities, as well as larger effects through cooling water for more power plants.

See also:

https://wwals.net/issues/datacenters

Currently she is working with a coalition of coalitions focused on mitigating the negative impacts of the data center expansion on the health, wellbeing, water, energy, and the environment.

Her career spans industry, academia, and government—including VP of Product at Prediko (acquired by United Technologies Corp), leadership roles at GTRI, faculty at the University of Western Australia, a AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship at the National Science Foundation, and a microprocessor designer for IBM. She earned her PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University and enjoys jobs with overly long titles, translating technical ideas for non-scientists, science stand-up comedy, and sewing.

Rick Davis, Madison County, Florida, Commissioner District 5, and chair of the Task Force of the dozen downstream Florida counties.

Rick Davis

He will speak about Water First North Florida (WFNF), the project to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee Basin. WFNF is proposed by the unelected boards of JEA, Jacksonville’s water and wastewater utility, and of the St. Johns and Suwannee River Water Management Districts (SJRWMD and SRWMD).

See also:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

The Withlacoochee and Upper and Middle Suwannee River Task Force, composed of county commissioners from all the counties in the Suwannee District, approved a resolution against WFNF and for seawater desalination. Its parent body, the North Central Florida Planning Council, did the same. Madison County was the first of six so far to pass letters or resolutions against WFNF, plus the Town of Branford. Rumors of the cancellation of WFNF are premature. Rick will explain.

WWALS Board Member Scotti Jay said, “We like to paddle the rivers, and nobody wants to drink, paddle in, or eat fish out of contaminated water.”

WWALS River Revue is an indoor fundraising dinner to benefit WWALS Watershed Coalition, with an evening of food, drink, speakers from Georgia and Florida, a silent auction, the music of a headliner and the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest Finalists. That’s 5-9 PM, Saturday, September 6, 2025, at the Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta, Georgia.

Logo, 2026-09-12 –WWALS River Revue
PDF

WWALS President Gee Edwards said, “Your ticket or sponsorship helps support everything WWALS does, from water quality tests, paddle outings and swimming & boating lessons, to chainsaw cleanups, and beyond to advocacy to stop trash at its sources, strip mines, and pipelines. We work for water trails, solar power in appropriate locations, and Right to Clean Water, with growing engagement for youth and marginalized communities.”

For how to sponsor or provide an item for the silent auction, follow the above link or the QR code, or go to wwals.net and scroll down to WWALS River Revue.

WWALS Treasurer and chair of the Gala Organizing Committee Sara Squires Jones said, “Musicians, don’t wait until the deadline to send in your song. I can’t wait to hear them in the Finals for the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.”

Flyer, 2026-09-12 –WWALS River Revue
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MC: Tim Carroll, former trumpet player, long-time WWALS supporter, and Valdosta City Council District 5.

Headliner: Joe First won First Prize last year.

Three Judges will select Prizes: $300 First Prize, $50 Best Song from inside the Basin, $50 Best Song from Outside, Plaques for Best in each Genre.

Anna Stange (Madison, FL), Tony Buzzella (Lake City, FL), Norm McDonald (Live Oak, FL).

Sponsors so far include:

Georgia Power

BrooksCo Dairy

Anderson & Bradley Attorneys at Law

Landis International

About WWALS: Since June 2012, WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. (WWALS) is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity working for a healthy watershed with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.

Mission: WWALS advocates for conservation and stewardship of the surface waters and groundwater of the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary, in south Georgia and north Florida, among them the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, Santa Fe, and Suwannee River watersheds, through education, awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen activities.

Our Watershed: The 10,000-square-mile WWALS territory includes the Suwannee River from the Okefenokee Swamp to the Gulf of Mexico, plus the Suwannee River Estuary, and tributaries such as the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers as far north as Cordele in Georgia, as well as parts of the Floridan Aquifer— the primary water source for drinking, agriculture, and industry for millions of Georgia and Florida residents.

Suwannee Riverkeeper: Since December 2016, WWALS is the WATERKEEPER® Alliance Member for the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary as Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®, which is a project and a staff position of WWALS focusing on our advocacy.

Contact: John S. Quarterman
Suwannee Riverkeeper and Executive Director
song@suwanneeriverkeeper.org
850-290-2350

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