Sources & Attribution
PWSGUIDE.com
Government and third-party materials are used according to their individual public-domain status, license, permission, attribution requirements or applicable legal exception. Inclusion of an agency source does not mean all material from that agency is public domain.
1. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
We rely heavily on NOAA's public-domain databases to populate our live conditions, forecasts, and interactive charts:
- NOAA Tides & Currents API: Tide predictions and telemetry are queried from the Whittier Station (ID 9454949), Cordova Station (ID 9454050), and Valdez Station (ID 9454240).
- NOAA NWS Marine Forecasts: Meteorological reports, storm alerts, and gale warnings are parsed from NWS Juneau and Anchorage forecasts.
- NOAA Office of Coast Survey WMTS: Standard marine booklet charts displayed in our basemap toggles are rendered from NOAA's public Web Map Tile Services.
Compliance Note: NOAA charts and forecasts are public domain. However, we note that PWS Guide's re-renderings are not official charts and have not been vetted by NOAA.
2. OpenStreetMap & Protomaps
Our vector background mapping is powered by open cartographic frameworks:
- OpenStreetMap (OSM): Vector base features (coastlines, ports, and land boundaries) are sourced from OpenStreetMap contributors, licensed under the Open Database License (ODbL).
- Protomaps: Tile delivery frameworks and raster basemap serving utilize Protomaps tiles.
Attribution: Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.
3. U.S. Forest Service & Recreation.gov
Coordinates, capacities, and reservation links for public-use cabins in the Chugach National Forest are derived from public datasets provided by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and made available on the Federal Recreation.gov API.
4. Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G)
Sportfishing regulations, run counts, salmon hatchery locations, and spawning timings listed in our hatcheries and resources guides are sourced from ADF&G announcements, emergency orders, and public publications. ADF&G works are subject to state copyright rules, and any reuse is conducted in accordance with fair use standards.
5. Original Prose & Field Research (Fact Isolation)
All anchorage approach notes, protection details, local anchoring reviews, and route intelligence are the original expressions and field research of the PWS Guide editors.
To maintain strict compliance with intellectual property standards, we utilize a strict Fact Isolation Protocol. Factual geographical markers (depths, mud-bottom quality, coordinates) are verified against public records, but no text or maps are copied from legacy commercial guidebooks.
6. Interactive Map Licensing & Attribution Disclosures
The interactive maps on PWSGUIDE.com combine open-source basemaps and custom nautical chart layers. The map data and licensing details are structured as follows:
- Basemap Provider: Map tiles are served via Protomaps, utilizing vector features from the OpenStreetMap (OSM) project.
- OSM Attribution & License: Map data is © OpenStreetMap contributors and licensed under the Open Database License (ODbL).
- Nautical Overlay Source: Digital charts and depth contours are derived from NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) databases and NOAA Custom Chart (NCC) services.
- Data Modifications: Custom coordinates, anchorage markers, routes, and geographic annotations are compiled and layered by PWSGUIDE. Factual coordinates have been isolated from public sources; no commercial guidebook geometries have been duplicated.
- No Government Endorsement: Sourced maps, forecasts, and telemetry are reproduced under public domain permissions or licenses. This reproduction has not been reviewed, approved, or certified by NOAA, the U.S. Coast Guard, or any other government agency.
- Map Data Version: Basemaps and NOAA ENC databases compiled and updated as of July 2026.