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Save for Title Page 1

Table of Contents 2

List of Tables and Figures 3

Section 1: Introduction 4

1.1 Plan Goals and Authority 5

1.2 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) 5

1.3 Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) 6

1.4 Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) 6

1.5 Participation 7

Section 2: Mitigation Plan Update 9

2.1 Planning Process 9

2.1.1 Plan Administrators 11

2.1.2 Disaster and Emergency Service Coordinator Role and Responsibilities 11

2.1.3 The Mitigation Steering Committee 11

2.1.4 Hazard Mitigation Planning Team 12

2.1.5 Participating Jurisdictions Table : Participating Jurisdictions 13

2.1.6 Meetings and Participation 14

2.1.7 Additional Meetings and Participation 17

2.1.8Partners and Stakeholders 19

2.1.9 Review and Incorporation of Existing Plans and Studies 21

Note: All Plans/Studies/Guides that were indirectly and or directly used to create and or guide this plan update are listed in this table. In addition, any Plans/Studies/Guides that was directly quoted and or where information was directly taken the Plans/Studies/Guides is also properly cited within the body of this document. 22

2.1.10 Participation and Data Request 22

2.1.11 Summary of the Planning Process & Significant Plan Updates 23

2.2 Changes Made During this Plan Update 25

Section 3: Community Profile 26

3.1 General Overview 27

3.1.1 Historical Setting: 28

3.2 Physical Characteristics 29

3.2.1 Climate and Precipitation 29

3.2.2 Geology 32

3.2.3 Geography 34

3.2 4 Hydrology 36

3.2.5 Surface Water 37

3.2.6 Groundwater 38

3.2.7 Aquifers 39

42

3.2.8 Lakes 42

3.2.9 Rivers 44

3.2.10 Watersheds 46

3.2.11 Wetlands 48

3.2.12 Soil 49

3.2.13 Topography 51

3.2.14 Land Use 51

3.3 Population and Demographics 53

3.3.1 HistoricPopulation 53

3.3.2 Population Trends 53

3.3.3 ComparableGrowth 53

3.3.4 PopulationbyAgeGroups 54

3.3.5 Households 55

3.3.6 PopulationProjections 55

3.3.7 Special Populations 56

The American Community Survey shows 13.5% of Valley County is living in poverty. 58

3.4 Cultural Conditions 58

3.4.1 Race and Ethnicity 59

3.4.2 Level of Education 60

3.4.3 Socioeconomic Conditions: Income 60

3.4.4 Employment Status 61

3.4.5 Occupation 61

3.4.7 Faith Based Community 63

3.4.8 Economic Conditions 63

3.4.9 Agriculture 64

3.4.10 Future Development 64

3.5.1 Railroads 65

3.5.2 Pipelines 67

3.5.3 Transit 69

3.5.4 Transportation 69

3.5.5 Highways 69

3.5.6 Roads 69

County road foremen are responsible for 2,000 miles of gravel and dirt roads in Valley County. Most of these roads are only able to be serviced twice per season. 69

3.5.7 Airports 69

3.5.8 Water Control Structures 69

According to the National Inventory of Dams database, Valley County has 191 dams, eight of which are significant or high hazard. Table 34 shows the high and significant hazard dams in Valley County. (US Army Corps of Engineers, 2008) 70

3.5.9 Water/Wastewater Treatment 72

Sewer and Water 72

Solid Waste Disposal 72

3.5.10 Waste Management 72

3.5.11 WaterPollutionControlRevolvingFund 72

3.5.12 Fire Protection 72

3.5.13 Public Safety 73

3.5.14 Emergency Medical Services 73

3.5.15 Healthcare 73

3.5.16 Public Health Services 73

3.5.18 Public Utilities 73

3.5.19 Energy Sector 74

3.5.20 Natural Resources 76

3.5.21 Schools 76

Section 4: Risk Assessment 77

4.1 Hazard Profile 77

4.1.1 Risk Assessment Process 79

4.1.2 Probability of Future Occurrences 80

4.1.3 Hazard Impact 81

4.1.4 Impact Magnitudes 81

4.2 Risk 83

4.3 Statewide Multi-Hazard Mitigation Actions and Information 84

4.4.1 Flood Risk 88

4.4.2 Flood History in Valley County 89

4.4.3 Major Declared Disasters for Flooding 93

4.4.4 Mitigation Actions in the Past Five Years 93

4.4.5 Vulnerability 98

4.4.6 Flood and Climate Change 101

4.4.7 Relationship to Other Hazards 102

4.5 Dam Failure 103

4.5.1 Dam Failure Risk 103

4.5.2 Dam Failure History in Valley County 104

4.5.3 Presidential Declared Disasters for Dam Failure 105

4.5.4 Mitigation Actions in the Past Five Years 105

4.5.5 Vulnerability in Valley County 106

4.5.6 Dam Failure and Climate Change 106

4.5.7 Relationship to Other Hazards 107

4.6 Severe Winter Weather 108

4.6.1 Severe Winter Weather Risk 109

4.6.2 Severe Winter Weather History in Valley County 109

4.6.3 Mitigation Actions in the Past Five Years 110

4.6.4 Vulnerability for Valley County 111

4.6.5 Severe Winter Weather and Climate Change 112

4.6.6 Relationship to Other Hazards 113

4.7 Severe Summer Weather 114

4.7.1 Summer Storms Risk 114

4.7.2 Severe Summer Weather History in Valley County 115

4.7.3 Mitigation Actions in the Past Five Years 118

4.7.4 Vulnerability in Valley County 118

4.7.5 Summer Storms and Climate Change 119

4.7.6 Relationship to Other Hazards 119

Summer storms have a relationship to other hazards including fires, flooding, and tornadoes. 119

4.8 Wildfire 120

4.8.1 Wildfire Risk in Valley County 120

4.8.2 Wildfire History in Valley County 122

4.8.3 Presidential Declared Disasters forWildfires 122

4.8.4 Mitigation Actions in the Past Five Years 122

4.8.5 Vulnerability 122

4.8.6 Fire and Climate Change 125

4.8.7 Relationship to Other Hazards 125

4.9 Infectious Disease 126

4.9.1 Infectious Disease Risk 127

4.9.2 Infectious Disease History in Valley County 127

4.9.3Presidential Declared Disasters for Infectious Disease 128

4.9.4 Mitigation Actions in the Past Five Years 128

Mitigation actions for infectious disease from the 2008 Valley County Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan stated the mitigation action for infectious disease was to mitigate the spread of communicable diseases by developing disease education materials and improving disease surveillance measures. In this iteration of the plan, most of these projects will be continued. 128

One project that was completed was in 2016. The Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) was completed in 2016 for Valley County. CASPER is an epidemiologic technique designed to provide household-level information and be efficiently and rapidly deployed with minimum resources. CASPERs can be conducted to assess the effect of a disaster on a population, to determine the health status and basic needs of an affected population, to evaluate response and recovery efforts, to gain a better understanding of the community for CHAs, and to practice the CASPER technique as part of a preparedness exercise. The interview teams conducted 121 interviews, yielding a completion rate of 86%. The 121 interviewed households were a sample of the 4,879 total households in Valley County. Data collected included demographic aspects of Valley County, important aspects of community health, communication, health questions, physical activity, healthy eating, health care and health care access, preventative services, oral health, injury, mental health, emergency preparedness, and problems in Valley County. Overall, the assessment determined that areas for potential public health interventions include continued efforts to decrease smoking, improved seat belt usage, increased influenza vaccine coverage, and to increase routine dental care. Improvements can be made to increase awareness of programs to help pay for health care expenses and to ensure and improve access to health care services. 128

4.9.5 Vulnerability 128

4.9.6 Infectious Disease and Climate Change 128

4.9.7 Relationship to Other Hazards 129

4.10 Subsidence 130

4.10.1 Subsidence Risk 130

4.10.2 Subsidence History in Valley County 131

4.10.3 Presidential Declared Disasters for Subsidence 131

4.10.4 Mitigation Actions for the Past Five Years 131

4.10.5 Vulnerability 131

4.10.6 Subsidence and Climate Change 131

4.10.7 Relationship to Other Hazards 131

4.11 Tornado 132

4.11.1 Annual Tornadoes 132

4.11.2 Tornado Risk 132

4.11.3 Tornado History in Valley County 133

4.11.4 Mitigation Actions in the Past Five Years 134

4.11.5 Vulnerability in Valley County 135

4.11.6 Tornado and Climate Change 135

4.12 Hazardous Material 136

4.12.1 Hazardous Materials Risk 136

4.12.2 Hazardous Material History in Valley County 138

4.12.3 Presidential Declared Disasters for Hazardous Material 138

4.12.4 Mitigation Actions in the Past Five Years 138

4.12.5 Vulnerability 139

4.12.6 Hazardous Material Release and Climate Change 141

4.12.7 Relationship to Other Hazards 141

4.13 Transportation Incidents 143

4.13.1 Transportation Accident History 143

Valley County has experience with transportation accidents which is has largely been focused on motor vehicle accidents. 143

4.13.2 Transportation Accident Risk 144

4.13.3 Mitigation Actions in the Past Five Years 144

4.13.4 Vulnerability to Residents 144

4.13.5 Traffic Accidents and Climate Change 144

4.13.6 Relationship to Other Hazards 145

4.14 Structural Fires 146

4.14.1 Structural Fire Risk 146

4.14.2 Fire History in Valley County 147

4.14.3 Mitigation Actions in the Past Five Years 147

4.14.4Vulnerability in Valley County 147

4.14.5 Structural Fire and Climate Change 147

4.14.6 Relationship to other Hazards 147

4.15 Civil Disobedience 148

4.15.1 Civil Disobedience Risk 149

4.15.2 History of Civil Disobedience in Valley County 151

4.15.3 Major Declared Disasters for Civil Disobedience 151

4.15.4 Mitigation Actions in the Past Five Years 151

4.15.5 Vulnerability in Valley County 152

4.15.6 Climate Change and Civil Disobedience 152

4.15.7 Relationship to Other Hazards 152

4.16 Risk Assessment Summary 153

Section 5: Capability Assessment 160

5.1 What Is A Capability Assessment? 160

5.1.1 Conducting the Capability Assessment 160

5.1.2 Hazard Mitigation Plans, Policies, Programs and Ordinances 160

5.1.3 Recommendations 161

5.2 Fiscal, Technical, Administrative and Political Capabilities 162

5.2.1 Technical Capability 162

5.2.2 Recommendations 162

5.2.3 Fiscal Capability 164

5.2.4 Recommendations 164

5.3 Administrative Capability 164

5.3.1 Recommendations 165

5.4 Political Capability 165

5.4.1 Recommendations 165

5.5 Conclusions on Local Capability 167

5.6 Linking the Capability Assessment, the Risk Assessment, and the Mitigation Strategy 167

Section 6: Mitigation Goals, Objectives, & Strategies 168

6.1 Mitigation Goals, Objectives, & Development 169

6.2 Strategies/Projects 169

6.3 Hazard/Project Relationship 170

6.4 Project Prioritization 174

The following table provided an overview of all of the projects and priority scorecard. 176

6.5 Implementation Process 179

Note: Some projects may be best achieved outside of the goal timeframes depending on the funding and staff resources available. Others may not be feasible in the goal timeframe due to financial, staff, or political limitations. This prioritized list, however, allows the county, city, and towns to focus on the projects with the greatest benefits. 179

6.5.1 Mitigation Projects 180

The following is a table of complete actions in order of their priority score. The Table also illustrates the jurisdiction(s) owning the project, coordinating agency, resources and the goal frame of each project. 180

6.5.2 Plan Implementation and Alignment 186

Section 7: Monitor and Maintain the Mitigation Plan 190

7.1 Development and Acceptance 190

7.2 Process 192

7.3 Evaluation 192

7.4 Plan Evaluation Criteria 193

7.5 Update 193

7.6 Incorporation into Existing Planning Mechanisms 194

7.7 Continued Public Involvement 194

7.8 The Hazard Mitigation Steering Committee 196

7.9 Participating Jurisdictions 196

Appendix A: Mitigation Funding Sources 197

Appendix B: Hazard Event Data 201

B.1 Infectious Disease Data from 2013 201

B.2 Hazardous Material Data from Right to Know Network for 1982 to 2014 202

B.3 Flood Data from NOAA for 1/1/1964 to 1/1/2015 204

B.4 Summer Storms Data from NOAA for 1/1/1964 to 1/1/2015 (Hail, Heat, Lightning, Rain, Thunder & Wind) 208

B.5 Tornado Data from NOAA for 1/1/1964 to 1/1/2015 256

B.6 Wildfire Data from NOAA for 1/1/1964 to 1/1/2015 256

B.7 Winter Storm Data from NOAA for 1/1/1964 to 1/1/2015 257

Appendix C 267