Eyak Lake Atlas

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Eyak Lake Atlas: One-stop shop for all things Eyak Lake!

The Eyak Lake Atlas platform was built by our talented GIS Specialist, Ashley Taylor, to consolidate data and resources about Eyak Lake in Cordova, Alaska. A combination of historical data and documents, along with new surveys, are all available in various formats. Download datasets for your own investigation or explore the StoryMap to discover the past, present, and possible future of Eyak Lake. 

The goal of this project is to make Eyak Lake data more user-friendly and downloadable for community members, partners, teachers, and students. The dashboard is a one-stop shop for anyone wanting to learn more about the lake and its history, with access to raw data if someone wants to dive deep. All data is publicly available and downloadable.

 

Why are GIS and StoryMapping important to capture the history and data on Eyak Lake?

“There are spatial elements to the history and research around Eyak Lake that help tell the story of change related to this important part of the community. Historical and biological data can be challenging to interpret by just looking at the numbers. When visualized on a map, or in relationship to another element, it can be helpful in building a better understanding of the information presented. Also, Eyak Lake is beautiful and utilizing ESRI Story Maps allows for incorporating images and videos to help tell this story,” said Ashley Taylor.

She said one of the biggest challenges in creating the atlas was wading through the large amount of data in various formats and trying to correctly interpret it, as well as standardize it in a way that is useful and accessible by multiple audiences.

It took Ashley about a year to put it together. “The biggest piece of the work was collating all the data sets, reformatting them consistently, and developing the story map, atlas, and dashboard. Actually building the platform went quickly as all the pieces were ready to go by that point.”

It’s a fun tool to play with, especially if you’re a map lover. If you click on the Eyak Lake AMSA Web Map tab, it will take you to a portal full of various maps, from spawning and vegetation maps to bird concentrations and fisheries. Its an interactive site, so you can select tools that allow you to draw and write on the maps, then export them in PDF format. This section is user-friendly for everyone but made particularly for teachers, presenters, and map doodlers.

The StoryMap tab takes you through the history of Eyak Lake and 40 years of data in a visual, easy to absorb format. And the Home page makes navigating the entire site easy, whether you’re a student or a professor looking for deep data.

Take a quick look at what you can explore in the Eyak Lake Atlas:

On the Homepage:

This is the main portal that leads you in any direction you want to go for all things Eyak Lake.

  • 40 years of data on a multi-million dollar lake in Cordova, Alaska.
  • Eyak Lake Atlas (lots of fun maps to explore).
  • Eyak Lake Spawning Dashboard
  • Explore the data if you need more details and information.
  • Submit your thoughts on future projects that would benefit Eyak Lake.

StoryMap: Sustaining Eyak Lake

This is where you will find 40 years of data in an easy-to-navigate layout with visuals, maps, data, and video.

  • The currency of Eyak Lake: Salmon
  • Depth of Eyak Lake
  • Cultural Significance
  • Value of a million dollar lake
  • Recreation (video)
  • AMSA History
  • The goal and original plan: 2009 – 2024
  • Water Quality
  • Report Library

Eyak Lake AMSA Web Map:

This is a great resource for teachers! The interactive maps of Eyak Lake allow you to sketch and draw on a map and export it as a PDF!

 

– EXPLORE THE EYAK LAKE ATLAS HERE –

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