2025 WA GIS Conference

The Puget Sound On-the-Water Shoreline  360-degree Photo Mapping Project is a groundbreaking initiative by EarthViews Conservation Society (EVC).

The goal was to create a publicly accessible, high-resolution visual record of Puget Sound’s marine shoreline. The project successfully documented 2,571.05 linear miles of shoreline across 14 counties, making it one of the most extensive water-level shoreline image surveys in Washington State history.

Using kayak- and vessel-based surveys equipped with 360-degree panoramic imaging systems and geospatial tracking, EVC collected 433,317 geotagged image scenes. These data are published through the EarthViews platform, an interactive online map that allows agencies, researchers, and the public to explore current shoreline conditions in a spatially organized and user-friendly format.

The project fulfills part of a state mandate passed in March of 2023 (Senate Bill 5104) to provide improved documentation of shoreline condition and offers a scalable, replicable model for science-based conservation. The resulting dataset provides a robust visual and spatial baseline that can support future restoration planning, regulatory review, climate resilience strategies, and long-term monitoring.
This effort reflects an unprecedented achievement in coastal documentation, offering a new standard for transparent, accessible shoreline data and delivering tools that will help protect the ecological and cultural integrity of Puget Sound for years to come.