Clarkson Student Creates Interactive Maps to Help Public Connect With Local Lakes and Trails

Potsdam, NY (11/14/2025) — Ellis Snyder, a junior civil engineering student at Clarkson University from Freehold, NY, recently created interactive maps for the Indian River Lakes Conservancy (IRLC), a nonprofit group in Jefferson County that works to protect land and water in the Indian River watershed.

Working under the guidance of Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Bill Olsen, Snyder built the maps from IRLC's data, updating and formatting the information into an online tool anyone can use. The maps indicate the location of boat launches and trails, and also show users what fish species can be found in each lake.

"I was interested because I am a fly fisherman, and I believe in the cause to help educate people and preserve the water," Snyder said of his involvement with the project. "These maps offer the IRLC a tool to educate people about what water they are focused on conserving and where the watershed is for the areas around them."

The maps were part of a larger project funded by a Capacity & Excellence Grant from the Land Trust Alliance and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The grant supported IRLC's work to make its website more engaging and informative, with Snyder's maps serving as a centerpiece of the effort.

The IRLC expressed gratitude for Snyder's work, and said his contributions were critical to the project's success.

"Now people can explore our trails and preserves all in one place and on the go, making our mission more accessible and engaging than ever before. This community resource provides an in-depth and layered look at what we work so hard to protect, keeping us grounded in purpose." said Katie Syring, office manager of IRLC.

The maps can be viewed in the Trail Maps section of the IRLC website, indianriverlakes.org/where-we-work.

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