Digital mapping of Ohio River is under way

The Daily Independent, Ashland, Ky.
·2 min read

Jun. 21—ASHLAND — An official partnership between Terrain360, The Lewis and Clark Trust and the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail came to life Tuesday, when Terrain360 began mapping the Ohio River in Kentucky from Ashland to West Point.

A specially designed boat with a 14-foot high camera tower will travel 260 river miles, capturing images of the Ohio River and its riverside communities.

"We look forward to mapping out the river-left portion of the Ohio River from Ashland, Kentucky to West Point, Kentucky," Ryan Abrahamsen, founder of Terrain360, said. "We are utilizing proprietary imaging technology to capture over 300,000 images every 10 to 20 feet of the shoreline."

The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and the National Park Service are offering technical advice for Terrain360 to encourage responsible visitation and cultural-heritage conservation along the 4,900-mile Lewis and Clark Trail.

The video mapping will enhance accessibility of the trail by providing visual access to the general public.

"The perspectives from the river are seldom seen by many and can inspire interest in the protection of the natural and cultural resources," said Dan Wiley, senior leader, Integrated Resources Stewardship. "These resources remain due to the support of stewards who care and a public that wants them sustained for future generations."

The image maps will live on Terrain360.com, Lewisandclark.travel and lewisandclarktrust.org as a highly interactive virtual experience that allows visitors to travel the same waterway that Lewis and Clark started down during their exploration of the western portion of the United States in the early 1800s.

"This is a pilot project for the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail through a sponsorship by The Lewis and Clark, Inc. and The Kentucky Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commission Fund," said Jim Mallory, vice chairman of Lewis and Clark Trust, Inc. "We extend our gratitude to the Filson Historical Society for factual historical assistance during the filming and the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation for serving as a fiduciary for the Kentucky Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Fund."

The Lewis and Clark Expedition has served as a baseline for the study of physical changes to America's natural resources.

"Filming and recording the exact location of recreational and natural resources with modern-day GPS data will serve all people through the promotion of tourism that leads to better health and education," Mallory said.

The mapping project will continue through June 27.