River Voices: June 2025
Welcome to the June 2025 edition of River Voices. This month learn about the risks AI poses to water, hear from Doris Brown on community organizing and disaster preparedness, and take the Rally survey to let us know what you’re hoping for from your time in San Antonio. In May, River Network shared news of a leadership transition and changes to our staff. Please see this message from our Leadership Team for information.
The rapid expansion of AI will require vastly more data centers across the United States, and expansion of existing centers. These impacts have been on water advocates’ radar for years, but even more so today as energy usage ramps up as a result of AI. We talked to some advocates across the network to try to understand how AI is ramping up concerns about data centers in water-scarce regions and how people can mobilize around this issue.
“We have the data but it is aggregated across the US. This allows companies to hide extreme water usage in water-stressed areas.”
– Jonathan Gilmour, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
You, our network, are the lifeblood of River Rally, and it is always our goal to provide an experience that makes you feel more empowered, equipped, and connected to a nationwide network. But many organizations are working within more limited budgets. So, tell us: What is your capacity to participate in River Rally 2026?
How has community organizing and disaster preparedness evolved since the COVID-19 pandemic?
For Doris Brown at West Street Recovery (WSR) in Houston, Texas, there is a need for widespread education and community action if we’re to move toward her vision for a just water future.
We were overwhelmed by the popularity of our Mapping the Flow: GIS Storytelling for Conservation learning session last month! Huge thanks to Esri speakers Adria, Heidi, Summerlyn, and Ariana who shared how conservation organizations are harnessing the power of ArcGIS StoryMaps to amplify advocacy efforts and share inspiring stories of those working to protect our planet.
If you missed the session, you can watch the recording or access additional resources.
Join a Training Series in Our Online Learning Platform
Our Online Learning Platform offers cohort style, hybrid training courses (a mix of synchronous, interactive training and self-paced content) as well as entirely self-paced trainings to help grow and strengthen network members. Current topics include building trust with water utilities, the Clean Water Act, State Revolving Funds, and more.
Community Café
June 9, 11a PT/2p ET
Kick off your week by reconnecting with fellow water, justice, and river advocates at River Network’s new Community Café series. In the face of steep challenges and threats to the water we all fight for, collective thriving is only possible with community. On scheduled Mondays (once or twice a month), River Network staff will host an hour-long virtual space: we seek to strike a balance each session of incorporating mental and emotional wellness, as well as encouraging resource sharing and providing technical content in response to Network needs.
Partnering with Local Government for Extreme Weather Resilience
June 10, 10a PT/1p ET
Join the Urban Waters Learning Network to learn about innovative partnerships between local governments, community organizations, and residents to protect communities against extreme heat and flooding. Speakers will share success stories from across the country where local government and community partners are expanding urban tree canopy, facilitating community engagement for planning, and improving collaborative decision making for emergency preparedness.
Register for the webinar on Partnering with Local Government for Extreme Weather Resilience.
Advancing Equity & Justice Through Strategic Communication
July 18, 10a PT/1p ET
In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn how to bring a proactive strategic communication mindset to your cause, starting with developing a well-crafted communication plan. Session leaders Sam Meinke and Javon Dobbs will walk through the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s free digital Strategic Communication Planning Hub resources, including communication tutorials and templates, a value to anyone of any skill at any sized nonprofit organization, and crisis communications.
State Policy Showcase: Aquatic Litter & Extended Producer Responsibility
July 23, 12p PT/3p ET
Join us for our next State Policy Showcase! Dr. Anja Brandon, Plastics Policy Director at Ocean Conservancy and Nicole Portley, Materials Management PRO Program Plan Lead, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, will tell us about state policies that address plastic pollution and aquatic litter through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) initiatives in California and Oregon – including the nuts-and-bolts of the policy and what drove action by decision makers.
What We’re Reading
- 🖱️Layoffs Toolkit for Leaders – This resource from The Management Center includes a wealth of helpful information and additional resources in the event your organization faces layoffs, including how to conduct layoffs in an ethical and values-aligned way. This article from Community-Centric Fundraising is also an important read.
- 📊 FLOOD RISK = FINANCIAL RISK: NEW JERSEY – New research from Rebuild by Design reveals how flood exposure intersects with economic inequality and displacement risk through a parcel-level analysis, examining all 3.4 million properties statewide.
- 🎥 Recently Designated Wild and Scenic Rivers: A Training Series – A new 9-part series from the River Management Society (RMS) and the Interagency Wild and Scenic Rivers Coordinating Council provides a clear and concise introduction to managing newly designated wild and scenic rivers.
- 💧Water Workforce and Leadership Library – US Water Alliance’s new resource highlights accessible, forward-looking examples of water workforce apprenticeship, internship, and leadership development programs, as well as regional collaboratives, that can serve as replicable models for others trying to sustainably build their local or regional water workforce.
- 🗺️ “Navigating the US Arm Corps of Engineers Process” – This interactive resource from Environmental Defense Fund walks through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ planning process for flood risk management studies, with a focus on how communities and advocates can engage effectively at every stage. It breaks down complex timelines, explains key decision points, and offers strategies to help ensure more equitable and community-informed outcomes.
- 💪 Protect Our Aquifer is doing great work fighting an AI data center in Memphis. Check out their Instagram to learn more!
