New Water Trail Maps – The Clinton’s Cartographers

CRWC just released an updated copy of our waterproof Clinton River Water Trail map!  

In 2019, CRWC pursued a state designation for the Clinton River as a Water Trail. Water Trails, or blueways, are official routes for paddlers and small boats through existing waterways. Water Trails must have publicly available resources and well-maintained launch and access points.  

Jeffery Schiffman, CRWC Watershed Planner, shares that "Water Trail designation is a special recognition by the State Department of Natural Resources that the trail provides a quality paddling experience, offers users clear information, has community support from residents and local governments, and has a trail plan that addresses safety, signage, historic and cultural resources, among other aspects.” 

There are currently nine state-designated trails, with a couple of others going through the process. Jeffery also shared that the designated trails have also formed a networking group to share ideas and best practices with each other.  

“The Clinton River Watershed Council was incredibly lucky to have the resources and support to seek this designation,” Jeffery shared, “one big step toward designation was the creation of a Water Trail map. 

CRWC released the first Clinton River Water Trail map, which included 19 launch points. Upon first release, the maps were incredibly popular, but eventually the stock of maps dwindled.  

This year, more than 4 years after the Clinton River was designated by the state as a Water Trail, we are excited to share the new map, with 23 included launch points! 

Every design project has countless drafts, dozens of reviewers, and lots of back and forth. "That's especially true for documents like maps, that have a lot of very specific detail. I don't think a lot of people realize the planning that has to go into it. Every detail, launch location, and GPS coordinate is checked dozens of times before being released," Cole Pachucki, CRWC Development & Communication Manager remarked. “A special process is needed to create waterproof maps. Water needs to slip off the paper without absorbing into it, but that same attribute means inks and toners don't like to stay on the paper either.” 

CRWC worked with Inland Press, a local print shop, to find a process that would work. Cole shared, "After some trial and error, Inland Press used an ultraviolet light curing process to make sure that the design stuck to the paper but the map still remained waterproof." 

The revised map will help new people learn about the river and plan routes, helping connect them with sections that match their skill level. “The trail offers something for every paddler, challenging portions as well as inland lakes and wide, slower sections for novices,” Jeffery said. 

CRWC has hard copies of the new Water Trail maps at the office. Stop by and pick one up during business hours or visit crwc.org/paddle to check out the map online! 

Author(s): Cole Pachucki, Jeffery Schiffman