TL;DR. We use minimal cookies. Our analytics tool (Plausible) is cookie-less. Google Tag Manager may set partner-analytics cookies, but only if you opt in via the cookie banner (rolling out shortly).
This page explains every cookie and cookie-like technology used on OpenWaterAtlas, what category it belongs to, and how to manage it. For the broader picture of data we hold see the Privacy Policy.
What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small text file stored by your browser when you visit a site. Cookies can be first-party (set by openwateratlas.com) or third-party (set by an external service when embedded in our pages). Beyond cookies, sites can also store data via localStorage and sessionStorage — these are not cookies in the strict legal sense but serve similar purposes, so we cover them here for completeness.
Categories of cookies used on this site
Essential
None required. The site is fully functional without any cookies set. We do not use cookies for authentication (there are no user accounts), session state or shopping carts.
Analytics
We use Plausible Analytics, self-hosted at plausible.openwateratlas.com. Plausible is cookie-less by design: it relies on hashed daily-rotating fingerprints to count unique visitors and does not store any identifier in your browser. There is nothing to opt out of and nothing to clear.
Marketing / third-party
Google Tag Manager (GTM). GTM is loaded on every page so that, when we eventually enable third-party analytics or marketing pixels (e.g., GA4, Meta Pixel, Pinterest), they can be activated without redeploying the site. Until you give consent via the cookie banner (planned), no vendor tags fire and no marketing or advertising cookies are set by GTM itself. The GTM container script (gtm.js) is hosted by Google; loading it does not by itself set tracking cookies.
When third-party tags are enabled in the future, this section will be updated with each tag, its purpose, and the cookies it sets. You will be able to opt out via the banner at any time.
Functional (not technically cookies)
localStorage keys used by the site:
owa.saved— list of spot IDs you've saved with the heart icon.owa.compare— list of spot IDs added to the Compare tool.owa.first_save_shown(sessionStorage) — flag that suppresses the educational toast after your first save in a session.
These keys are read and written only in your browser. Nothing is transmitted to our servers. You can clear them at any time via your browser's site-data controls.
Third-party embeds
When you load a page that includes an external embed (Windy webcams, YouTube videos), your browser communicates with that third party and they may set their own cookies. We use YouTube's no-cookie domain (youtube-nocookie.com) where the embed loads only on click.
How to manage cookies
- Browser settings. All major browsers let you block or delete cookies — see Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge documentation. Blocking all cookies will not break OpenWaterAtlas.
- Cookie banner. A consent banner for opt-in third-party tags is rolling out. Until then, no opt-in tags are active. Once live, you'll be able to change your preferences at any time from a "Cookie settings" link in the footer.
- Clear
localStorage. Use your browser's site-data tools to clearowa.*keys (this will reset your Saved spots and Compare list).
Changes
If we add a new cookie or category, we will update this page and reset the consent state in the banner so you can review the change.
Contact
Questions: [email protected].