Toggle search bar

WxT Language switcher

Back to home page

Story Maps

The CHRS Story Maps highlight the natural, cultural and recreational values of each of Canada's heritage rivers. With just a click of a button, you can enjoy a virtual tour of these amazing rivers and gain a deeper understanding of their values. We guarantee that you’ll discover something new! 

List of Story Maps

Overview Map

How it Works

Each heritage river Story Map displays various visual representations of geospatial data in combination with text, photos, videos and external links. ArcGIS Online Story Maps were created by ESRI in 2013 to provide users with a new way to share and produce information that is customizable and interactive. As the platform’s title suggests, we are able to tell each river’s story via virtual maps in a way that cannot be conveyed using traditional map images. 

The still waters of the Missinaibi River perfectly reflect the clouds and the tree-lined shores.

 

An aerial photo of the Kendall River merging with the mighty Coppermine River. Spruce trees dot the orange and red moss-covered landscape.

History 

In 2016, the CHRS began to lay the foundation for our system-wide Story Maps Project by creating an initial map design. In 2018, participating River Managers and Stewardship Groups began to conduct research on their river’s natural, cultural, and recreational values, to ultimately provide a comprehensive list of each river’s most valuable assets, bringing each river’s story to life. 

Today, we continue to work with River Managers and Stewardship Groups to update these maps and create new Story Maps for the remaining rivers in the System. Our goal is to have all 41 Heritage Rivers included on the platform. 

Future Plans 

The way we interact with rivers is ever changing. The Heritage River Story Maps content will be expanded, updated and adapted to accommodate the evolving relationships between the rivers and their surrounding communities. Here are the updates currently under way: 

  • The Story Maps will be updated annually based on annual reports prepared for each river.
  • The CHRS will explore possible ways that Indigenous languages can be accommodated into the Story Maps.

Do you have a feature that you think belongs on a river’s story map?

If you know of an important feature that deserves to be highlighted in a Heritage River Story Map, please submit your request by filling out the form below:

A feature must demonstrate either the natural (environmental conditions), cultural (human history) or recreational (current leisure) heritage in or around the river.