Alaska is an expansive state with abundant water resources. The complex landscape is defined by water and ice, but Alaska lacks quality mapping of its surface water features. The Alaska Hydrography Technical Working Group and Alaska Hydrography Database have worked to establish the Alaska Hydrography Strategic Plan to promote and guide a core mission to efficiently serve the current and future hydrography needs of Alaska for the next five years. This work will update the state’s hydrography in the National Hydrography Database from its current condition to meet national 1:24,000-scale standards. This work has focused on coordination of hydrography needs with partners and land managers, planning for the future hydrography needs, addressing data management for a large dataset that is continually improving, establishing a long-term funding strategy, integration with other datasets and working with editors to accomplish hydrography updates in priority regions of the state.