Benton County 2011 Hazard Mitigation Plan

BENTON COUNTY, IOWA MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Ron Buch, Jason Sanders, David Vermedahl, Benton County Supervisors

Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee:

Andrew Lent, City of Vinton William Hiner, Central Lutheran School—Newhall Jason Sanders, Benton County Board of Supervisors Pat Daily, Heartland Coop—Belle Plaine William Heber, Benton County Conservation Nancy Farmer, Benton County Public Health Mary Williams, Benton County Social Services Ranae Becker, Benton Development Group Teresa Floyd, East-Central Iowa REC Mary Jo Hainstock, Vinton-Shellsburg Community Schools Jerry Meadows, City of Vinton Electrical Department Patricia Rausch, City of Mt. Auburn K.C. Rausch, City of Mt. Auburn Tom Budak, City of Mt. Auburn Randy Bauer, City of Walford Mike V. Hagan, City of Newhall Keith F. Schmitz, City of Urbana Josh Humphrey, Poweshiek Water Association Scott Hansen, Benton County Emergency Management Agency.

Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee Lead: Scott Hansen, Benton County EMA Coordinator

Plan Prepared by Steve Meyer Consulting LLC, P.O. Box 247, Garrison, Iowa, 52229. ph. 319-477-5041 e-mail [email protected] BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

2 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 INDEX

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION AND PLANNING PROCESS 9

SECTION 2: PLANNING AREA PROFILE AND CAPABILITIES 21

2.1 BENTON COUNTY PLANNING AREA PROFILE 21 2.1.1 GEOGRAPHY 23 2.1.2 HISTORY 26 2.1.3 CLIMATE 2.1.4 POPULATION DEMOGRAPHICS AND HOUSING INFORMATION INCLUDING SPECIAL NEEDS POPULATIONS 28 2.1.5 OCCUPATIONS AND EMPLOYMENT OF BENTON COUNTY RESIDENTS 30 2.1.6 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 31 2.1.7 BENTON COUNTY PROPERTY VALUES AND INVENTORY OF ASSETS 32 2.1.8 BENTON COUNTY BUSINESSES, INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE 39 2.1.9 AGRICULTURE IN BENTON COUNTY 40 2.1.10 BENTON COUNTY TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS 41 2.1.11 EMERGENCY SERVICES OF BENTON COUNTY 42 2.1.12 BENTON COUNTY EDUCATION SYSTEMS 44 2.1.13 FLOOD AND NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM (NFIP) INFORMATION 46 2.1.14 REPETITIVE LOSS PROPERTIES 47 2.1.15 BENTON COUNTY GOVERNMENT 48 2.1.16 PARKS AND RECREATION AREAS IN BENTON COUNTY 49 2.1.17 CRITICAL ASSETS OF BENTON COUNTY 53 2.2 COMMUNITY PROFILES 54 2.2.1 ATKINS 54 2.2.2 BELLE PLAINE 58 2.2.3 BLAIRSTOWN 62 2.2.4 GARRISON 66 2.2.5 KEYSTONE 70 2.2.6 LUZERNE 74 2.2.7 MT. AUBURN 77 2.2.8 NEWHALL 80 2.2.9 NORWAY 84 2.2.10 SHELLSBURG 88 2.2.11 URBANA 93 2.2.12 VAN HORNE 98 2.2.13 VINTON 102 2.2.14 WALFORD 108 2.2.15 BENTON COUNTY UNINCORPORATED 112 2.3 PAST DISASTERS AND DISASTER DECLARATIONS 118 2.4 PREVIOUS HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING 119 2.5 CURRENT AND HISTORIC MITIGATION ACTIVITIES AND MEASURES 120

3 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 SECTION 3: HAZARD ANALYSIS 127 3.1 IDENTIFYING HAZARDS 127 3.1.1 NATURAL HAZARDS TO INCLUDE 129 3.1.2 POTENTIAL HUMAN CAUSED/COMBINATION HAZARDS TO INCLUDE 130 3.1.3 CRITERIA AND INFORMATION USED TO IDENTIFY HAZARDS 131 3.2 HAZARD PROFILES 136 3.2.1 Energy Failure 138 3.2.2 Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident 140 3.2.3 Highway Transportation Incident 143 3.2.4 Rail Transportation Incident 145 3.2.5 Structural Failure 147 3.2.6 Structural Fire 149 3.2.7 Communications Failure 151 3.2.8 Tornado 152 3.2.9 Thunderstorms and Lightning 155 3.2.10 Flash Flood 157 3.2.11 Grass/Timber/Wild Land Fire 160 3.2.12 River Flood 161 3.2.13 Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials Incident 164 3.2.14 Windstorm 166 3.2.15 Severe Winter Storm 168 3.2.16 Air Transportation Incident 170 3.2.17 Cyber Terrorism 172 3.2.18 Human Disease Pandemic 173 3.2.19 Pipeline Incident 174 3.2.20 Hailstorm 176 3.2.21 Animal/Plant/Crop Disease 178 3.2.22 Agro-terrorism 180 3.2.23 Bio-terrorism 182 3.2.24 Conventional Terrorism 183 3.2.25 Extreme Heat 185 3.2.26 Chemical Terrorism 187 3.3 HAZARDS NOT CONSIDERED 188 3.4 HAZARD ANALYSIS SUMMARY 190 3.5 COMPOSITE SCORING WORKSHEET FOR HAZARDS IDENTIFIED 191 3.6 RANKING OF HAZARDS 192 3.7 HAZARD PRIORITIZATION 195

4 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 SECTION 4: VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT 196 4.1 ENERGY FAILURE 196 4.2 TRANSPORTATION HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENT 197 4.3 HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION INCIDENT 199 4.4 RAIL TRANSPORTATION INCIDENT 200 4.5 STRUCTURAL FAILURE 201 4.6 STRUCTURAL FIRE 202 4.7 COMMUNICATIONS FAILURE 203 4.8 TORNADO 204 4.9 THUNDERSTORMS AND LIGHTNING 208 4.10 FLASH FLOOD 209 4.11 GRASS OR WILDLAND FIRE 212 4.12 RIVER FLOODING 213 4.13 FIXED FACILITY HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INCIDENT 216 4.14 WINDSTORM 217 4.15 SEVERE WINTER STORM 220 4.16 AIR TRANSPORTATION INCIDENT 222 4.17 CYBER TERRORISM 224 4.18 HUMAN DISEASE PANDEMIC 225 4.19 PIPELINE INCIDENT 226 4.20 HAILSTORMS 227 4.21 ANIMAL/PLANT/CROP DISEASE EPIDEMIC 228 4.22 AGRO-TERRORISM 229 4.23 BIO-TERRORISM 230 4.24 CONVENTIONAL TERRORISM 231 4.25 EXTREME HEAT 232 4.26 CHEMICAL TERRORISM 234 SECTION 5: GOALS AND STRATEGIES 5.1 HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN GOALS 235 5.2 MITIGATION STRATEGY OVERVIEW 236 SECTION 6: MITIGATION MEASURES 6.1 MITIGATION MEASURES 237 6.2 MITIGATION MEASURE PROFILES 246 6.3 ANALYSIS OF MITIGATION ACTIVITIES—STAPLEE CRITERIA 315 6.4 MITIGATION MEASURES BY COMMUNITY 321 6.5 PRIORITIZING MITIGATION MEASURES 332 6.6 BENEFIT COST ANALYSIS OF MITIGATION MEASURES 336 SECTION 7: PLAN IMPLEMENTATION AND MAINTENANCE 342 APPENDIX 1: Benton County Supervisors meeting approving planning committee and lead person 347 APPENDIX 2: Newspaper Announcements 354 APPENDIX 3: August 5, 2009 Meeting Agenda, Minutes and Handout 358 APPENDIX 4: March 15, 2010 Meeting Agenda, Minutes and Handout 385 APPENDIX 5: November 1, 2010 Meeting Agenda, Publicity, Minutes and Handout 416 APPENDIX 6: Community and Organization Meetings 533 APPENDIX 7: Invitees to planning meetings 591 APPENDIX 8: FEMA Issued Flood Maps for Benton County 593 APPENDIX 9: Worksheets for FEMA Local Hazard Mitigation Review Crosswalk 632 APPENDIX 10: Resolutions Approving Plan 643 APPENDIX 11: Benton County Schools Mitigation Actions 659 APPENDIX 12: Mitigation Measures From Previous Community Mitigation Plans 664 * APPENDICES 1-11 ARE IN THE ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THE PLAN *

5 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

6 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The process of developing this hazard mitigation plan commenced on September 15, 2009 when the Benton County Board of Supervisors contracted with consultant Steve Meyer to develop the plan. Included in the plan are the cities of Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Garrison, Keystone, Luzerne, Mount Auburn, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Urbana, Van Horne, Vinton and Walford, the school districts of Benton County and the rural unincorporated area. The cities of Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Garrison, Keystone, Luzerne, Mount Auburn, Norway, Shellsburg, Urbana and Vinton had previously completed single jurisdiction hazard mitigation plans.

An initial planning meeting for this plan was held on August 5, 2009 with subsequent Hazard Mitigation Planning meetings held on March 15, 2010 and November 1, 2010. The Benton County Board of Supervisors appointed a planning committee and Benton County Emergency Management Coordinator Scott Hansen was appointed project lead. The planning committee met on November 1, 2010 and took official action to approve the plan. In addition, 11 individual community meetings and 6 meetings were held with Benton County organizations.

Twenty-six hazards were identified by the committee, through community meetings and past mitigation plans as pertinent to Benton County. The hazards, as they ranked from 1 through 26, included:

Energy Failure 1 Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident 2 Highway Transportation Incident 3 Rail Transportation Incident 4 Structural Failure 5 Structural Fire 6 Communications Failure 7 Tornado 8 Thunderstorm & Lightning 9 Flash Flood 10 Grass/Timber/Wildland fire 11 River Flooding 12 Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials Incident 13 Windstorm 14 Severe Winter Storm 15 Air Transportation Incident 16 Cyber terrorism 17 Human Disease Pandemic 18 Pipeline Transportation Incident 19 Hailstorms 20 Animal/plant/crop disease 21 Agro-terrorism 22

7 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Bio-terrorism 23 Conventional terrorism 24 Extreme Heat 25 Chemical terrorism 26

Criteria used to establish this list and ranking included historical occurrences, probable future occurrences and potential populations and property that would be affected.

The committee also developed broad-based goals to be accomplished with this plan. The goals are:

1. Improve the quality of life for Benton County residents by mitigating potential hazards. 2. Take steps to mitigate the probable negative consequences that may occur in Benton County as a result of natural and human caused/combination disasters. 3. Identify potential funding sources needed to accomplish identified mitigation projects. 4. Protect the health and welfare of Benton County residents and properties in Benton County by enhancing the training and capabilities of all first responder organizations. 5. Developing capabilities to return to pre-disaster or improved conditions as soon as possible after a disaster occurs. 6. Assist businesses and industries to reduce the impact of hazards in order to ensure economic viability of Benton County. 7. Compliance with NFIP requirements.

In response to these goals and the vulnerability assessment conducted for each hazard, 69 mitigation measures were identified and profiled. Of these 69 mitigation measures, 31 were applicable to all communities (including Benton County un-incorporated) and 9 were applicable to all hazards. Estimated costs for these measures ranged from no cost to $9.1 million. A benefit-cost analysis determined that 16 of these measures had good feasibility for completion, 28 had a fair feasibility and 25 had poor feasibility.

The ability to accomplish any of the actions detailed in this plan rely on the fiscal and personnel resources that are available and able to be committed to the action. Now that the plan is complete and adopted it is incumbent upon officials of the jurisdictions involved in this plan to strive for securing the necessary fiscal and personnel resources to accomplish the actions. Beneficiaries will be the citizens and commercial enterprises of Benton County and their respective properties.

Steve Meyer, Emergency Management Consultant

8 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION AND PLANNING PROCESS

1.1.1 Purpose

Benton County and the 14 associated municipal jurisdictions and associated agencies, business interests and partners of the county prepared this local hazard mitigation plan to guide hazard mitigation planning and to better protect the people and property of the County from the effects of hazard events. This plan demonstrates the county’s and communities' commitment to reducing risks from hazards and serves as a tool to help decision makers direct mitigation activities and resources. This plan was also developed to make Benton County and participating jurisdictions eligible for certain federal disaster assistance, specifically, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Pre-Disaster Mitigation program, and Flood Mitigation Assistance program.

1.2 Background and Scope

Each year in the United States, natural disasters take the lives of hundreds of people and injure thousands more. Nationwide, taxpayers pay billions of dollars annually to help communities, organizations, businesses, and individuals recover from disasters. These monies only partially reflect the true cost of disasters, because additional expenses to insurance companies and nongovernmental organizations are not reimbursed by tax dollars. Many natural disasters are predictable, and much of the damage caused by these events can be alleviated or even eliminated.

Hazard mitigation is defined by FEMA as "any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to human life and property from a hazard event." The results of a three-year, congressionally mandated independent study to assess future savings from mitigation activities found that on the average, each dollar spent on mitigation saves society an average of $4 in avoided future losses in addition to saving lives and preventing injuries (National Institute of Building Science Multi-Hazard Mitigation Council 2005).

Hazard mitigation planning is the process through which hazards that threaten communities are identified, likely impacts of those hazards are determined, mitigation goals are set, and appropriate strategies to lessen impacts are determined, prioritized, and implemented. This plan documents Benton County's hazard mitigation planning process and identifies relevant hazards, vulnerabilities, and strategies the County and participating jurisdictions will use to decrease vulnerability and increase resiliency and sustainability in Benton County.

The Benton County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan geographically covers the participating jurisdictions within Benton County's boundaries. This includes the following jurisdictions:

City of Atkins City of Belle Plaine City of Blairstown City of Garrison City of Keystone City of Luzerne City of Mt. Auburn 9 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 City of Newhall City of Norway City of Shellsburg City of Urbana City of Van Horne City of Vinton City of Walford Benton County Belle Plaine School District Central Lutheran School Benton Community School District Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District

All of the jurisdictions participated in this planning process.

In addition to the local governments, several private non-profit entities participated in this effort by providing support and contributing to the mitigation strategy. These entities included:

Heartland Coop—Belle Plaine East Central Iowa Rural Electric Cooperative Poweshiek Water Association Iowa Northern Railroad

This plan was prepared pursuant to the requirements of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-390) and the implementing regulations set forth by the Interim Final Rule published in the Federal Register on February 26, 2002, (44 CFR §201.6) and finalized on October 31,2007. (Hereafter, these requirements and regulations will be referred to collectively as the Disaster Mitigation Act). While the act emphasized the need for mitigation plans and more coordinated mitigation planning and implementation efforts, the regulations established the requirements that local hazard mitigation plans must meet in order for a local jurisdiction to be eligible for certain federal disaster assistance and hazard mitigation funding under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Act (Public Law 93-288).

Proactive mitigation planning will help reduce the cost of disaster response and recovery to communities and their residents by protecting critical community facilities, reducing liability exposure, and minimizing overall community impacts and disruptions. Most importantly, it protects human lives. The Benton County planning area has been affected by hazards in the past. The participating jurisdictions are therefore committed to reducing future impacts from hazard events and becoming eligible for mitigation-related federal funding.

10 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 1.3 Plan Organization

The Benton County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan is organized as follows:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION AND PLANNING PROCESS SECTION 2: PLANNING AREA PROFILE AND CAPABILITIES SECTION 3: HAZARD ANALYSIS SECTION 4: VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT SECTION 5: GOALS AND STRATEGIES SECTION 6: MITIGATION MEASURES SECTION 7: PLAN IMPLEMENTATION AND MAINTENANCE APPENDICES

1.4 Planning Process

44 CFR Requirement 201.6(c)(1): [The plan shall document] the planning process used to develop the plan, including how it was prepared, who was involved in the process, and how the public was involved.

Benton County had never undertaken the process of developing a hazard mitigation plan. Hence, the Benton County Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee was organized in August, 2009 under the guidance of Emergency Management Consultant Steve Meyer. In March 2009, the Benton County Board of Supervisors contracted with Meyer to assist Benton County in the development of a multi-jurisdictional, multi-hazard mitigation plan. Minutes of the Benton County Board of Supervisors appointing the Benton County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee members as well as the committee lead person are found in Appendix 1, page 347. Consultant Meyer had previously developed 9 of the 10 existing single jurisdiction hazard mitigation plans for Benton County. The consultant role in the Benton County Muti- jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Planning process was to:

 Assist in establishing the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (HMPC) as defined by the Disaster Mitigation Act (DMA),  Meet the DMA requirements as established by federal regulations and following FEMA's planning guidance,  Facilitate the entire planning process,  Identify the data requirements that HMPC participants could provide and conduct the research and documentation necessary to augment that data,  Assist in facilitating the public input process,  Produce the draft and final plan documents

11 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Historically 10 of Benton County’s 14 incorporated municipal jurisdictions have either completed hazard mitigation plans or had hazard mitigation plans in process at the time the Benton County multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation planning effort began. Those communities and the dates of the plans are as follows:

Atkins 2009 Belle Plaine 2007 Blairstown 2009 Keystone 2009 Luzerne 2006 Mt. Auburn 2009 Norway 2006 Shellsburg 2006 Urbana 2007 Vinton 2005

Communities without plans are Garrison, Newhall, Van Horne, Walford. A hazard mitigation plan was completed for the City of Newhall in 2002 by the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG), but it was not DMA2000 compliant and was not approved by FEMA.

The first meeting for the development of the Benton County Muti-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan was held on August 5, 2009. Subsequent committee meetings were held on March 15, 2010 and November 1, 2010. In addition to these meetings Consultant Meyer held meetings with the Benton County Fireman’s Association, Benton County EMS Association and Benton County Emergency Management Commission. Minutes and attendance sheets of these meetings are found in Appendices 3-6, pages 358-590.

As an integral component of the planning process for this plan, communities with existing hazard mitigation plans were asked to review their plans and determine what changes needed to be made, what additional mitigation measures needed to be added and which of the original mitigation measures had been accomplished. This information was incorporated into the Benton County Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. Attendance sheets, minutes and agendas from these meetings are found in Appendix 6, page 533.

Consultant Meyer chose not to use any commercial planning tools, templates, or programs that develop generic hazard mitigation plans in the development of this plan. Information gathered during the meetings that were held as well as from interviews with municipal officials, business representatives, subject matter experts and data gained from researching data bases and on-line resources were utilized in the preparation of this plan. Where applicable, data sources are sited in order to validate the information.

1.4.1 Multi-Jurisdictional Participation

44 CFR Requirement §201.6(c) (3): Multi-jurisdictional plans may be accepted, as appropriate, as long as each jurisdiction has participated in the process and has officially adopted the plan.

Benton County invited incorporated cities, school districts, domiciled business and industrial concerns and private non-profit entities in the County as well as governing body officials from neighboring counties were invited to participate in the planning process for this Benton County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. A list of participants extended personal invitations 12 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 is found in Appendix 7, page 591. Not all who were invited participated, but all were provided the opportunity to participate on multiple occasions and were notified by multiple contact methods that included direct mail contact, e-mail contact, and telephone contact In addition, press releases were ran in the Vinton Eagle, Cedar Valley Times and the South Benton Star Press Newspapers. Documentation of these efforts is found in Appendix 2, page 354.

1.4.2 The 12-Step Planning Process

Consultant Meyer established the framework and process for this planning effort using FEMA's Local Multi-Hazard Mitigation Planning Guidance (2008) and the State and Local Mitigation Planning How-To Guides (2001), which include Multi-Jurisdictional Mitigation Planning (2006). The plan is structured around a four-phase process:

1) Organize resources 2) Assess risks 3) Develop the mitigation plan 4) Implement the plan and monitor progress

Into this framework, consultant Meyer integrated a modified 12-step planning process used for FEMA's Community Rating System (CRS) and Flood Mitigation Assistance programs. Thus, the modified 12-step process used for this plan meets the funding eligibility requirements of the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Pre-Disaster Mitigation program, Community Rating System, and Flood Mitigation Assistance program. Table 1.2 shows how the modified 12-step process fits into FEMA's four-phase process.

Table 1.2. Mitigation Planning Process Used to Develop the Benton County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan

DMAProcess Modified CRS Process 1) Organize Resources 201.6(c)(1 ) 1) Organize the Planning Effort 201.6(b)(1 ) 2) Involve the Public 201.6(b)(2) and (3) 3) Coordinate with Other Departments and Agencies

2) Assess Risks 201.6(c)(2)(i), (iii) 4) Identify the Hazards 201.6(c)(2)(i), (iii) 5) Profile the Hazards 201.6(c)(2)(ii), (iii) 6) Identify Assets 201.6(c)(2)(ii), (iii) 7) Estimate Losses

3) Develop the Mitigation Plan 201.6(c)(3)(i) 8) Set Goals 201.6(c)(3)(ii) 9) Review Possible Activities 201.6(c)(3)(iii) 10) Draft an Action Plan

4) Implement the Plan and Monitor Progress 201.6(c)(5) 11) Adopt the Plan 201.6(c)(4) 12) Implement, Evaluate and Revise the Plan

Phase I Organize Resources

13 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Step 1: Organize the Planning Effort

As indicated previously, the process to develop a Hazard Mitigation Plan for the Benton County planning area was initiated in 2009 when the county contracted with emergency management consultant Steve Meyer to facilitate development of the plan. The necessity of having a multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan became apparent after the Midwest floods of June, 2008 which were possibly the broadest scale and most devastating disaster to ever strike the county. Previous single jurisdiction mitigation plans that had been completed in the county were incorporated into this plan.

The planning process resulting in the preparation of this plan officially began with a kickoff meeting in Vinton, Iowa on August 5, 2009. The consultant mailed letters of invitation to a kickoff meeting to county, municipal, district, state, federal, and other stakeholder representatives. The list of invitees and all kickoff meeting materials are found in Appendix 3, page 358 and Appendix 7, page 591.

A Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (HMPC) was created that included representatives from each participating jurisdiction, departments of the County, and other local, state, and federal organizations responsible for making decisions in the plan and agreeing upon the final contents. Kickoff meeting attendees discussed potential participants and made decisions about additional stakeholders to invite to participate on the HMPC. The agencies and organizations that participated in the planning meetings included the City of Vinton, Central Lutheran School (Newhall), Benton County Board of Supervisors, Heartland Coop (Belle Plaine), Benton County Conservation, Benton County Public Health, Benton County Social Services, Benton Development Group, East-Central Iowa REC, Vinton-Shellsburg Community Schools, City of Vinton Electrical Department, City of Mt. Auburn, City of Walford, City of Newhall, City of Urbana, Poweshiek Water Association, Benton County Emergency Management Agency.

The HMPC contributed to this planning process by:

 providing facilities for meetings,  attending and participating in meetings,  collecting data,  managing administrative details,  making decisions on plan process and content,  submitting mitigation action details and information,  reviewing drafts, and  coordinating and assisting with public involvement and plan adoptions.

14 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 The HMPC communicated during the planning process with a combination of face-to-face meetings; phone interviews, and email correspondence. Meeting held were:

August 5, 2009—Full Committee Meeting in Vinton March 15, 2010—Full Committee Meeting in Vinton November 1, 2010—Full Committee Meeting in Van Horne

Individual community meetings at:

Atkins City Hall 7/29/2009 Luzerne City Hall 7/6/2009 Belle Plaine City Hall 7/9/2009 Norway City Hall 7/20/2009 Keystone City Hall 7/30/2009 Van Horne Community Center 8/24/2009 Walford City Hall 8/26/2009 Garrison Fire Station 10/22/2009 Vinton City Hall 11/3/2009 Urbana City Hall 1/13/2010 Vinton City Hall 3/15/2010

Organizational meetings:

Benton County Fire Chiefs Meeting March 16, 2010 Benton County Firefighters Association March 25, 2010 Benton County Emergency Management Commission April 6, 2010 Benton County EMS Association May 20, 2010 Benton County Emergency Management Commission September 27, 2010 Benton County Firefighters Association September 30, 2010

During the kickoff meeting, Consultant Meyer presented information on the scope and purpose of the plan, participation requirements of HMPC members, and the proposed project work plan and schedule. Past mitigation planning efforts in Benton County were reviewed as well as mitigation goals and measures identified in the previously developed plans.

Plans for public involvement (Step 2) and coordination with other agencies and departments (Step 3) were discussed. Consultant Meyer introduced hazard identification requirements and data needs. Consultant Meyer discussed past events and impacts and future probability for each of the hazards suggested by FEMA and the Iowa Homeland Security Emergency Management Division (HSEMD) for consideration in a local hazard mitigation plan. The consultant refined the list of hazards to make it relevant to Benton County.

Participants in the initial meeting were guided through the process of hazard identification and identified 26 hazards as applicable to Benton County for planning purposes. Participants also ranked the hazards as to whether they were a high, medium or low risk for planning purposes. The outcome of this ranking is shown on page 195.

15 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

The hazard profile process was explained to HMPC participants and they were informed that they may be called upon to assist with gathering hazard profile information. This information was used in development of section 3 and 4 of this plan. The mitigation measure identification and profiling process was explained to participants and they were given a list of 252 potential mitigation measures to help them select measures they felt were applicable to the county and/or their jurisdiction. They were instructed that the list was not all inclusive and that there are indeed other legitimate measures that are not on the list. Participants were given 30 days to return the list to consultant Meyer. The HMPC were also provided a worksheet detailing the information needed in order to develop a complete mitigation measure profile. All of this information was subsequently incorporated into the plan in sections 5 and 6.

Step 2: Plan for Public Involvement

At the kickoff meeting, the HMPC discussed options for soliciting public input on the mitigation plan and developed an outreach strategy by consensus. The consensus was that there was nothing further that could be done by Consultant Meyer and HMPC lead Scott Hansen to solicit participation in the planning process. HMPC members did express that information about the planning process continue to be promoted with press releases to the Vinton Eagle, Cedar Valley Times and the South Benton Star Press Newspapers.

The public was given an opportunity to provide input on a draft of the complete plan for more than 30 days prior to its submittal to the State and FEMA. Benton County provided the plan draft for review and comment on the Benton County website at: http://www.cobentoniaus.com and in hard copy at the following locations:

Benton County Emergency Management Vinton Public Library Belle Plaine Public Library Benton County Auditor’s Office

The plan was available at these locations from October 1, 2010 to November 1, 2010. The availability of the draft plan and the public comment period was announced in the Vinton Eagle, Cedar Valley Times and the South Benton Star Press Newspapers. Copies of these articles are provided in Appendix 2, page 354. Electronic copies of the draft plan were distributed for public review to city halls of the counties 14 incorporated communities.

The HMPC invited other targeted stakeholders to comment on the draft plan by letter, e-mail and press releases. Documentation of these efforts is found in Appendices 2-7, pages 354- 593.

16 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Step 3: Coordinate with Other Departments and Agencies

44 CFR Requirement 201.6(b): An open public involvement process is essential to the development of an effective plan. In order to develop a more comprehensive approach to reducing the effects of natural disasters, the planning process shall include: (2) An opportunity for neighboring communities, local and regional agencies involved in hazard mitigation activities, and agencies that have the authority to regulate development, as well as businesses, academia and other private and non-profit interests to be involved in the planning process, (3) Review and incorporation, if appropriate, of existing plans, studies, reports, and technical information.

There are numerous organizations whose goals and interests interface with hazard mitigation in Benton County. Coordination with these organizations and other community planning efforts is vital to the success of this plan. Benton County Emergency Management invited other local, state, and federal departments and agencies to the kickoff meeting to learn about the hazard mitigation planning initiative. Many of the agencies participated throughout the planning process on the HMPC and were listed previously in Step 1: Organize the Planning Effort.

In addition, the HMPC developed a list of neighboring communities and local and regional agencies involved in hazard mitigation activities, as well as other interests, to invite by letter to review and comment on the draft of the Benton County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan. These include emergency management officials of adjacent counties, state and federal agencies. A copy of this letter and the address list is provided in Appendix 3, page 358 and Appendix 7, page 591. Due to the large planning area included in this effort and the vast number of other potential stakeholders in the business community, private non-profit organizations, and the general public, press releases and news article were utilized to ensure notification, inclusion, and opportunity for involvement from these sectors.

As part of the coordination with other agencies, the HMPC collected and reviewed existing technical data, reports, and plans. These included the Iowa State Hazard Mitigation Plan, Benton County Emergency Management Agency Plans, Iowa DNR Hazardous Materials spill reports, NTSB Railway and Aircraft accident data, National Flood Insurance Program's Community Information System, Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps, Iowa Fire Marshall’s Office fire reports, State and local Emergency Action Plans as well as other data from state and federal agencies. This information was used in the development of the hazard identification, vulnerability assessment, capability assessment and in the formation of goals, objectives, and mitigation actions. These sources are documented throughout the plan.

Phase 2 Assess Risk

Step 4: Identify the Hazards

Consultant Meyer assisted the HMPC in a process to identify the natural hazards that have impacted or could impact Benton County. At the kickoff meeting, the HMPC examined the history of disaster declarations in Benton County, the list of hazards suggested by FEMA for consideration, and additional hazards included in the State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan. The committee then worked through this list of all potential hazards that could affect the planning area. They discussed past hazard events, types of damage, and where additional information might be found. There were several hazards that the committee chose to exclude from further review. Justification is provided for each hazard removed from further review in Section 3.3.

17 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Step 5: Profile the Hazards

During the kick-off meeting, the HMPC refined the list of hazards to make the analysis relevant to Benton County, discussed past events and impacts and came to consensus on the probability level for each hazard. During this meeting, the planning committee also reviewed the magnitude, duration, and warning elements that were utilized in preparation of the preliminary hazard profiles and made recommendations for modifications to more accurately reflect the impacts of the hazards in the planning area. Prior to the meeting, a profile of each of these hazards had been developed. Web resources, existing reports and plans, and existing geographic information systems (GIS) layers were used to compile information about past hazard events. After this meeting, the preliminary research and supplementary information and results of discussion by the HMPC, was complied to develop complete hazard profiles detailing the location, previous occurrences, probability of future occurrences, and magnitude/severity of each hazard. More information on the methodology and resources used to identify and profile the hazards can be found in Sections 3.1 and 3.2.

Step 6: Identify Assets

After profiling the hazards that could affect Benton County, the HMPC collected information to describe the likely impacts of future hazard events on the participating jurisdictions. This step included two parts: a vulnerability assessment and a capability assessment.

Vulnerability Assessment--Participating jurisdictions inventoried their assets at risk to natural hazards-overall and in identified hazard areas. These assets included total number and value of structures; critical facilities and infrastructure; natural, historic, and cultural assets; economic assets; and vulnerable populations. The HMPC also analyzed development trends in hazard areas. Other information critical to the vulnerability assessment was provided by the Benton County Auditor, Benton County Assessor, Benton County Engineer, Benton County Emergency Management, Benton County GIS Department and various departments of municipal governments in Benton County.

Capability Assessment--This assessment consisted of identifying the existing mitigation capabilities of participating jurisdictions. This involved collecting information about existing government programs, policies, regulations, services, ordinances, and plans that mitigate or could be used to mitigate risk from hazards. Participating jurisdictions collected information on their regulatory, personnel, services, fiscal, and technical capabilities, as well as previous and ongoing mitigation initiatives. This information is included in Chapter 2 Planning Area Profile and Capabilities.

18 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Step 7: Estimate Losses

Where sufficient information was available, a variety of methods was used to estimate losses for each profiled hazard. Local records, NTSB records, DNR records, FEMA data and NCDC data were used in development of the profiles. For the flood hazard, loss estimation was developed using data provided by the Benton County Assessors Office and the Benton County GIS Department. This information can be found in Section 3.1.3 and 3.2.

Results of the preliminary risk assessment were presented and comments discussed during the kick-off meeting. Consultant Meyer presented the draft risk assessment to the HMPC on August 5, 2010 for review and comment.

Phase 3 Develop the Mitigation Plan

Step 8: Set Goals

Consultant Meyer facilitated a brainstorming and discussion session with the HMPC during their second meeting to identify goals and strategy for the overall multi-jurisdictional mitigation plan. To focus the committee on the issues brought out by the risk assessment, key issues were summarized for each hazard profiled. Then the HMPC discussed the definition and purpose of goal statements and reviewed the goals recorded in the draft mitigation plan. Then, as a group, the HMPC achieved consensus on the final goals for the multi-jurisdictional plan, which are described in Chapter 5.

Step 9: Review Possible Activities

At the first HMPC meeting, a worksheet was provided to each of the HMPC members for developing and recording ideas for potential mitigation actions. This worksheet invited committee members to develop actions to address problems identified with the risk assessment and hazard profiles. HMPC members were also provided a list of 252 potential mitigation measures as shown in Appendix 3, pages 358-384. The action ideas were requested to be returned within 30 days. During the August meeting, the HMPC reviewed the list of actions that had been submitted as well as the actions that were included in the draft plan. As each action was discussed, the jurisdictions determined whether or not each action would be included in the plan and for which jurisdictions. After reviewing the actions that were submitted prior to the meeting additional actions were brainstormed.

Once all actions had been discussed, the planning committee members determined which actions they would like to include in the plan specific to the mitigation needs of their jurisdiction. The HMPC members were instructed to complete an action identification worksheet and participated in STAPLEE worksheet for each action they wished to include in the plan for their jurisdiction. The purpose of the action identification worksheet is to document background information, ideas for implementation, alternatives, responsible agency, potential funding, cost estimates, benefits, and time line for each identified action. The STAPLEE worksheet was reviewed for committee members to keep the seven factors in mind as they worked on mitigation measures. Special emphasis was placed on the cost-effectiveness of the actions. It was explained to the HMPC that cost-effective mitigation actions are those actions that, over time, have a higher value of avoided damages than the cost to implement the measure.

19 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Consultant Meyer determined a ranking of mitigation measures using a combination of factors. This process and the results are described in part 6.5 of this plan. HMPC members were informed of the process and revised the results where appropriate.

Step 10: Draft the Plan

A complete draft of the plan was made available online and in hard copy for review and comment by the public and other agencies and interested stakeholders. This review period was from October 14, 2010 through November 10, 2010. Methods for inviting interested parties and the public to review and comment on the plan were discussed in Steps 2 and 3, and materials are provided in Appendix 2-7, pages 354-592. Comments were integrated into a final draft for submittal to the Iowa Homeland Security Emergency Division Emergency Management and FEMA Region VII.

Phase 4 Implement the Plan and Monitor Progress

Step 11: Adopt the Plan

To secure buy-in and officially implement the plan, the governing bodies of each participating jurisdiction adopted the plan. Scanned copies of resolutions of adoption are included in Appendix 10, page 643 of this plan.

Step 12: Implement, Evaluate, and Revise the Plan

The HMPC developed and agreed upon an overall strategy for plan implementation and for monitoring and maintaining the plan over time during its November 1, 2010 meeting. This strategy is described in Section 7 Plan Maintenance and Review Process.

20 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 SECTION 2 PLANNING AREA PROFILE AND CAPABILITIES

Chapter 2 provides a general profile of Benton County followed by descriptions of each of the jurisdictions participating in this plan and their existing mitigation capabilities.

BENTON COUNTY

2.1 BENTON COUNTY PLANNING AREA PROFILE

Figure 2.1.1 provides a map of the Benton County planning area.

Incorporated communities of Benton County include: Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Garrison, Keystone, Luzerne, Mt. Auburn, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Urbana, Van Horne, Vinton and Walford. The county also includes 20 townships: Bruce, Cedar, Harrison, Polk, Benton, Taylor, Jackson, Monroe, Homer, Big Grove, Eden, Canton, Kane, Union, Eldorado, Fremont, Florence, St. Clair, Leroy and Iowa.

Counties contiguous to Benton County include Black Hawk County (northwest), Buchanan County (northeast), Linn County (east), Iowa County (south), Tama County (west).

21 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Figure 2.1.1 Benton County Planning Area

22 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.1.1 GEOGRAPHY

Benton County is in east-central Iowa (fig. 1). It is rectangular and is about 30 miles from north to south and 24 miles from east to west. According to the US Census Bureau, Benton County has a total area of 459,520 acres, or 720 square miles of which 718 square miles is land and 2 square miles (0.29%) is water.

The county is about 65 percent cropland, 15 percent pastureland, 15 percent woodland, wasteland, and idle land, and 5 percent urban land. Corn for grain and seed, soybeans, cattle, and hogs are the principal farm products.

Benton County is on a loess-covered glacial till plain. The soils in the dominantly gently sloping and moderately sloping areas formed in loess and till under prairie vegetation. The soils in the steeper areas formed in loess and till under trees. The county has some of the richest agricultural soils in the world.

The highest areas in the county are located in Polk and Jackson townships and are 1,050 feet to 1,100 feet above sea level. The lowest areas are on bottom land along the Cedar River at the Benton-Linn County line and on the Iowa River bottom. The elevation of these areas is 700 feet to 750 feet above sea level. The relief is stronger along the Cedar River and in the southern part of the county. It is less pronounced in the west-central part of the county.

Two major drainage systems, the Iowa River and the Cedar River, receive runoff from Benton County. The Cedar River and its tributaries drain nearly 90 percent of the county. Prairie Creek, a major tributary of the Cedar River, drains much of the southern part of the county. The Iowa River, which flows across the southwest corner, drains about 10 percent of the county. The total acres of drainage in the Middle Cedar Watershed that either includes Benton County or affects Benton County is 397,715 acres. The total acres of drainage in the Middle Iowa Watershed that either includes Benton County or affects Benton County is 104,545 acres.

Watersheds of Benton County are shown in diagrams 2.1.1.1 and 2.1.1.2, pages 24 and 25.

23 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Diagram 2.1.1.1 Watersheds of the Middle Cedar Watershed and Middle Iowa Watershed in Benton County Map provided by the USDA.

24 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Diagram 2.1.1.2 Middle Cedar and Middle Iowa Watershed in Benton County Map provided by the USDA.

25 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

2.1.2 HISTORY

The area that became Benton County was acquired by the United States as a part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The county was named after US Senator Thomas Hart Benton and was organized as Benton County in 1846. The area was first settled in 1839 by two adventurous young men, George Wright and John Smith who built a cabin in Canton Township and cleared some land. Hoosier’s Point was the first settlement in Benton County. It eventually became known as Marysville and is today the City of Urbana. The county’s first post office was established in Vinton in 1846 and Vinton was selected as the county seat. The county’s current court house is the third that the county has had and was constructed in 1905. The first courthouse was razed by a fire in 1853. The second courthouse, which was built in the southeastern corner of the current courthouse square, was dedicated in 1856. It was torn down to make room for the current courthouse. In 1865 the population of Benton County had risen to 11,245. By 1900 it was 25,177. In 1970 the population of the county was 22,885, and the population of Vinton, the county seat, was 4,845. In 1990 the county’s population stood at 22,429. In 2000 it stood at 25,308 and is estimated at 26,352 in 2008. Vinton’s population stood at 5,103 in 1990, 5,102 in 2000 and is estimated at 5,080 in 2008.

26 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

2.1.3 CLIMATE

Benton County lies in east central Iowa and the climate is of the continental type. The climate is marked by a great variation in temperature, humidity and precipitation with warm, generally moist summers and cold winters. Temperatures vary considerably from season to season and, at times, from day to day.

In winter the average temperature is 22 degrees F, and the average daily minimum temperature is 14 degrees. The lowest temperature on record, which occurred at Vinton on March 1, 1962, is - 34 degrees. In summer the average temperature is 72 degrees, and the average daily maximum temperature is 84 degrees. The highest recorded temperature, which occurred at Vinton on July 30, 1955, is 105 degrees.

The total annual precipitation is 32.38 inches. Of this, 23 inches, or 72 percent, usually falls in April through September, which includes the growing season for most crops. In 2 years out of 10, the rainfall in April through September is less than 19 inches. The heaviest 1-day rainfall during the period of record was 5.80 inches at Vinton on August 5, 1968. Thunderstorms occur on about 41 days each year, and most occur in summer.

Average seasonal snowfall is 32 inches. The greatest snow depth at anyone time during the period of record was 21 inches. On an average of 24 days, at least 1 inch of snow is on the ground. The number of such days varies greatly from year to year.

The average relative humidity in mid afternoon is about 60 percent. Humidity is higher at night, and the average at dawn is about 84 percent. The sun shines 70 percent of the time possible in summer and 50 percent in winter. The prevailing wind is from the northwest. Average wind speed is highest, 13 miles per hour, in April.

Monthly Record Average Temperatures and Precipitation for Cedar Rapids, Iowa the nearest National Weather Reporting Service for Benton County (Source: National Weather Service, Quad Cities)

Month Degrees Fahrenheit Precipitation Snowfall Low High Inches Inches January 9.6 27.1 1.05 7.2 February 16.0 33.3 1.10 6.6 March 26.8 46.1 2.23 3.5 April 38 60.2 3.22 1.7 May 49.8 72.4 3.85 Trace June 59.2 81.7 4.47 0 July 63.4 85.3 4.06 0 August 61.0 82.8 4.23 0 September 52 75.2 3.27 0 October 40.4 63.1 2.21 .1 November 27.9 45.7 2.24 3.0 December 15.3 31.8 1.48 7.3

27 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.1.4 POPULATION DEMOGRAPHICS AND HOUSING INFORMATION INCLUDING SPECIAL NEEDS POPULATIONS

According to the US Census Bureau, the July 1, 2008 population estimate for Benton County was 26,352. Population density based on this estimate is 37 people per square mile (720 total square miles in the county). 33 percent of the county’s population resides in the rural unincorporated area of the county and 67 percent resides in the 14 incorporated cities of Benton County. Populations, population changes, and housing units and housing unit changes for each of the incorporated cities and the unincorporated area of Benton County are provided in Table 2.1.4.1.

Table 2.1.4.1 Population demographics for Benton County and Benton County incorporated cities.

LOCATION 1990 2000 2008 PERCENT 1990 2000 PERCENT POPULATION POPULATION POPULATION CHANGE HOUSING HOUSING CHANGE ESTIMATE 1990- UNITS UNITS 1990- 2008 2008 ATKINS 637 977 1,560 + 53% 252 369 +46% BELLE PLAINE 2,834 2,878 2,812 - .1% 1,289 1,314 + 2% BLAIRSTOWN 672 682 685 + 2% 290 310 + 7% GARRISON 320 413 401 + 25% 149 175 + 17% KEYSTONE 568 687 668 + 18% 245 287 + 17% LUZERNE 110 105 99 - 10% 48 39 - 19% MT. AUBURN 134 160 161 + 17% 76 61 - 20% NEWHALL 854 886 951 + 11% 342 365 + 6% NORWAY 583 601 597 + 2% 231 251 + 9% SHELLSBURG 765 938 1004 + 31% 305 367 + 20% URBANA 595 1,019 1,447 + 143% 226 390 + 72% VAN HORNE 695 716 722 + 4% 304 312 + 2% VINTON 5,103 5,102 5,080 - .4% 2,089 2,224 + 6% WALFORD 303 1,224 1,425 + 370% 109 407 +273% Benton County 8,256 8,920 8,740 + 3% 3,170 3,506 + 11% UNINCORPORATED Benton 22,429 25,308 26,352 + 17% 9,125 10,377 + 14% County—All

Families make up 72 percent of the households in Benton County. This includes both married- couple families (60 percent) and other families (11 percent). Non-family households make up 28 percent of all households in Benton County. Most of the non-family households were people living alone, but some were composed of people living in households in which no one was related to the householder.

From 2005-2007, 9 percent of the people residing in Benton County were in poverty. Twelve percent of related children under 18 were below the poverty level, compared with 7 percent of people 65 years old and over. Five percent of all families and 25 percent of families with a female householder and no husband present had incomes below the poverty level.

28 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 For people reporting one race alone, 99 percent was White; less than 0.5 percent was Black or African American; less than 0.5 percent was American Indian and Alaska Native; less than 0.5 percent was Asian; less than 0.5 percent was Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and less than 0.5 percent was Some other race. Less than 0.5 percent reported Two or more races. One percent of the people in Benton County was Hispanic. Ninety-eight percent of the people in Benton County was White non-Hispanic. People of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

Among people at least five years old from 2005-2007, 15 percent reported a disability. The likelihood of having a disability varied by age - from 11 percent of people 5 to 15 years old, to 12 percent of people 16 to 64 years old, and to 35 percent of those 65 and older.

From 2005-2007, Benton County had a total of 11,000 housing units, 8 percent of which were vacant. Of the total housing units, 87 percent was in single-unit structures, 8 percent was in multi-unit structures, and 6 percent was mobile homes. Twenty-four percent of the housing units were built since 1990. Of the occupied housing units 8,200 (81 percent) were owner occupied and 1,900 (19 percent) were renter occupied. Three percent of the households did not have telephone service and 3 percent of the households did not have access to a car, truck, or van for private use. Multi Vehicle households were not rare. Forty percent had two vehicles and another 34 percent had three or more. The median monthly housing costs for mortgaged owners was $1,164, non-mortgaged owners $390, and renters $514. Twenty-seven percent of owners with mortgages, 13 percent of owners without mortgages, and 34 percent of renters in Benton County spent 30 percent or more of household income on housing.

The median household income of Benton County in 2007 inflation adjusted dollars was $51,533 compared to $50,007 for the US. Median family income was $62,500 in 2007 inflation adjusted dollars as compared to $60,374 for the US. Per capita income was $23,286 in 2007 inflation adjusted dollars as compared to $26,178 for the US.

Special needs populations in Benton County cannot be reported with a great deal of accuracy because of privacy issues. Several agencies in Benton County maintain records of some special needs populations. The Benton County Home Health Agency has records of 30 individuals with mobility special needs. Benton County Social Services has records of 150 individuals with mental and other disabilities as well as a Hispanic population in the Blairstown area that has language barriers. The Benton County Emergency Management Agency has a database of 70 voluntary registrants with special needs. The one concentrated area of special needs residents in Benton County is the Cedar Valley Ranch Inc., a privatized care facility for up to 46 special needs people that is located at 2591 61st Street Lane, Vinton.

29 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.1.5 OCCUPATIONS AND EMPLOYMENT OF BENTON COUNTY RESIDENTS

In 2007 US Census Bureau Statistics state that 14,660 residents of Benton County aged 16 years and over were in the labor force. Of these, 13,897 were employed and 758 were unemployed. Among the most common occupations were: Management, professional, and related occupations, 27 percent; Sales and office occupations, 23 percent; Production, transportation, and material moving occupations, 20 percent; Service occupations, 15 percent; and Construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations, 13 percent. Seventy-eight percent of the people employed were private wage and salary workers; 11 percent was Federal, state, or local government workers; and 10 percent was self-employed. From 2005-2007, for the employed population 16 years and older, the leading industries in Benton County were Manufacturing, 21 percent, and Educational services, and health care, and social assistance, 17 percent.

Occupations engaged in by those in the labor force in Benton County are shown in Table 2.1.5.1.

Civilian employed population 16 years and over 13,897 100% Management, professional, and related occupations 3,771 27.1% Service occupations 2,067 14.9% Sales and office occupations 3,154 22.7% Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 253 1.8% Construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations 1,864 13.4% Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 2,788 20.1% Civilian employed population 16 years and over 13,897 100% Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 609 4.4% Construction 1,230 8.9% Manufacturing 2,889 20.8% Wholesale trade 412 3.0% Retail trade 1,655 11.9% Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 789 5.7% Information 411 3.0% Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing 906 6.5% Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services 795 5.7% Educational services, and health care and social assistance 2,311 16.6% Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation, and food services 752 5.4% Other services, except public administration 736 5.3% Public administration 402 2.9%

Table 2.1.5.1: Occupations of Benton County Civilians in the labor force in 2007.

Seventy-eight percent of Benton County workers drove to work alone from 2005-2007, 12 percent carpooled, less than 0.5 percent took public transportation, and 5 percent used other means. The remaining 5 percent worked at home. Among those who commuted to work, it took them on average 23.9 minutes to get to work.

30 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.1.6 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

For the past decade the primary area of development in Benton County has been residential along the eastern side of the county which is close to the Cedar Rapids metropolitan area and along the I-380 corridor. Beginning in the late 1990’s this area began to experience dramatic population growth and new housing construction. This boom began to slow beginning in 2008 with the housing and economic crisis of the time.

Benton County funds and maintains the Benton Development Group (BDG) headquartered in Vinton, the County Seat of Benton County. The BDG has one staff person, a full-time director. The BDG is governed by a board of directors consisting of a representative from every community in the county and the Benton County Supervisors. Other community development entities in Benton County include Vinton Unlimited (VU) with the City of Vinton, Belle Plaine Community Development with the City of Belle Plaine and the Urbana Development Corporation with the City of Urbana.

31 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.1.7 BENTON COUNTY PROPERTY VALUES AND INVENTORY OF ASSETS

The total value of all property in Benton County on July 1, 2009 was $1,564,215,293. This figure was ascertained using data provided by the Benton County Assessor’s Office and the individual municipal jurisdictions of Benton County. Included in this figure are 8,303 residential properties valued at $984,044,300; 777 commercial enterprises valued at $110,014,500; 27 industries valued at $16,221,500; 423,400 acres of agricultural land valued at $450,215,300 (including buildings); 274 municipal properties valued at $72,322,279 and $14,183,313 in properties owned by the county itself. Property located in the incorporated cities was valued at $729,671,200 and property located in the rural townships was valued at $825,402,700. Detailed data by jurisdiction relative to these property values and assets is summarized in tables 2.1.6.1 to 2.1.6.6.

32 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Table: 2.1.7.1 Number of residential properties and total value of residential properties in Benton County by city and township jurisdiction.

NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL VALUE OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES PROPERTIES JULY 1, 2009 JULY 1, 2009 ATKINS 537 $91,258,600 BELLE PLAINE 1,069 $71,264,400 BLAIRSTOWN 286 $27,477,500 GARRISON 152 $6,025,400 KEYSTONE 244 $21,373,400 LUZERNE 40 $2,242,800 MT. AUBURN 66 $3,385,900 NEWHALL 350 $41,804,900 NORWAY 237 $24,697,600 SHELLSBURG 373 $44,628,500 URBANA 497 $64,417,600 VAN HORNE 265 $28,739,800 VINTON 1,790 $173,586,900 WALFORD 331 $55,365,300

CITIES TOTAL 6,237 $656,268,600

BENTON 360 $47,081,000 BIG GROVE 35 $4,809,500 BRUCE 49 $6,434,200 CEDAR 110 $11,042,200 CANTON 183 $36,381,200 EDEN 42 $6,480,600 ELDORADO 47 $7,131,100 FLORENCE 96 $18,544,500 FREMONT 169 $39,101,400 HARRISON 76 $11,393,500 HOMER 47 $5,290,200 IOWA 105 $14,525,900 JACKSON 51 $6,880,700 KANE 36 $5,229,200 LEROY 82 $13,289,700 MONROE 38 $4,907,900 POLK 170 $31,248,300 ST. CLAIR 93 $11,743,200 TAYLOR 223 $37,803,700 UNION 54 $8,017,700

TOWNSHIPS TOTAL 2,066 $327,775,700 COUNTY TOTAL 8,303 $984,044,300

33 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Table: 2.1.7.2 Number of commercial enterprises and total value of commercial enterprises in Benton County by city and township jurisdiction.

NUMBER OF COMMERCIAL TOTAL VALUE ENTERPRISES JULY 1, 2009 JULY 1, 2009 ATKINS 23 $2,563,800 BELLE PLAINE 150 $14,599,400 BLAIRSTOWN 44 $3,318,200 GARRISON 16 $566,800 KEYSTONE 31 $6,683,800 LUZERNE 2 $398,900 MT. AUBURN 8 $397,500 NEWHALL 34 $2,793,400 NORWAY 20 $1,345,500 SHELLSBURG 28 $5,108,600 URBANA 36 $10,703,500 VAN HORNE 36 $3,465,700 VINTON 240 $39,568,500 WALFORD 18 $2,850,000

CITIES TOTAL 686 $94,363,600

BENTON 2 $151,600 BIG GROVE 1 $1,001,003 BRUCE 2 $103,100 CEDAR 1 $128,400 CANTON 7 $1,099,900 EDEN 2 $111,900 ELDORADO 4 $421,200 FLORENCE 4 $233,700 FREMONT 14 $3,691,600 HARRISON 0 0 HOMER 2 $161,000 IOWA 3 $35,600 JACKSON 4 $447,400 KANE 5 $1,281,600 LEROY 7 $1,128,200 MONROE 1 $78,200 POLK 11 $2,854,600 ST. CLAIR 7 $623,000 TAYLOR 8 $763,000 UNION 6 $1,019,600

TOWNSHIPS TOTAL 91 $15,654,900

COUNTY TOTAL 777 $110,014,500

34 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Table: 2.1.7.3 Number of industrial enterprises and total value of industrial enterprises in Benton County by city and township jurisdiction.

NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL VALUE INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES ENTERPRISES VALUE JULY 1, 2009 JULY 1, 2009 ATKINS 0 0 BELLE PLAINE 7 $6,330,500 BLAIRSTOWN 1 $26,200 GARRISON 0 0 KEYSTONE 0 0 LUZERNE 0 0 MT. AUBURN 0 0 NEWHALL 0 0 NORWAY 0 0 SHELLSBURG 0 0 URBANA 4 $1,186,600 VAN HORNE 1 $113,000 VINTON 9 $3,906,700 WALFORD 0 0

CITIES TOTAL 22 $11,533,800

BENTON 1 $779,800 BIG GROVE 0 0 BRUCE 0 0 CEDAR 0 0 CANTON 0 0 EDEN 0 0 ELDORADO 0 0 FLORENCE 3 $2,672,100 FREMONT 0 0 HARRISON 0 0 HOMER 0 0 IOWA 0 0 JACKSON 0 0 KANE 0 0 LEROY 1 $1,214,000 MONROE 0 0 POLK 0 0 ST. CLAIR 0 0 TAYLOR 0 0 UNION 0 0

TOWNSHIPS TOTAL 5 $4,667,700 COUNTY TOTAL 27 $16,221,500

35 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Table: 2.1.7.4 Taxable values of agricultural land and structures in Benton County.

NUMBER OF VALUE OF LAND TOTAL ACTUAL AGRICULTURAL ONLY VALUE LAND AND TAXABLE ACRES JULY 1, 2009 STRUCTURES JULY 1, 2009 JULY 1, 2009

BENTON 12,423 $5,921,800 $6,469,300 BIG GROVE 22,409 $23,596,400 $25,061,500 BRUCE 22,111 $22,437,200 $24,195,000 CEDAR 26,119 $23,958,000 $26,523,500 CANTON 20,548 $21,275,400 $27,548,700 EDEN 21,917 $25,739,800 $27,548,700 ELDORADO 21,709 $25,299,000 $27,177,600 FLORENCE 21,576 $21,386,700 $23,483,600 FREMONT 21,007 $24,256,500 $25,957,300 HARRISON 15,344 $9,797,100 $10,899,700 HOMER 21,976 $26,119,100 $27,535,500 IOWA 18,519 $13,229,400 $14,094,000 JACKSON 21,819 $19,754,400 $21,409,500 KANE 21,364 $24,656,700 $26,973,900 LEROY 21,252 $17,984,800 $21,968,100 MONROE 21,974 $23,824,700 $25,673,600 POLK 25,465 $18,739,800 $24,893,900 ST. CLAIR 22,038 $23,440,400 $24,893,900 TAYLOR 18,681 $13,449,500 $14,421,000 UNION 21,701 $25,920,400 $28,338,200

TOWNSHIPS 419,949 $410,697,100 $446,618,400 TOTAL

CITIES TOTAL 3,451 $3,195,800 $3,596,900

COUNTY TOTAL 423,400 $413,892,900 $450,215,300

36 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Table: 2.1.7.5 Insured values of municipal properties in Benton County.

MUNICIPAL TOTAL PROPERIES PROPERTY JULY 1, 2009 VALUE ATKINS 6 $7,700,000 BELLE PLAINE 35 $8,849,603 BLAIRSTOWN 6 $3,483,511 GARRISON 8 $1,047,000 KEYSTONE 15 $1,975,000 LUZERNE 1 $72,500 MT. AUBURN 4 $1,110,000 NEWHALL 20 $2,636,021 NORWAY 15 $715,543 SHELLSBURG 6 $2,245,918 URBANA 13 $2,700,398 VAN HORNE 12 $1,089,409 VINTON 60 $20,303,950 WALFORD 6 $4,210,033 BENTON COUNTY 63 $14,183,393

COUNTY & 274 $72,322,279 MUNICIPAL OWNED TOTAL

37 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Table: 2.1.7.6 Summary values of all properties in Benton County by jurisdiction.

TOTAL PROPERTY VALUES ALL PROPERTY JULY 1, 2009 ATKINS $107,991,700 BELLE PLAINE $101,043,900 BLAIRSTOWN $34,305,411 GARRISON $7,666,200 KEYSTONE $30,032,200 LUZERNE $2,714,200 MT. AUBURN $4,893,400 NEWHALL $47,234,321 NORWAY $26,758,643 SHELLSBURG $51,983,018 URBANA $79,008,098 VAN HORNE $33,407,909 VINTON $237,366,100 WALFORD $62,425,333

CITIES TOTAL $729,631,200

BENTON $54,481,700 BIG GROVE $30,872,000 BRUCE $27,732,310 CEDAR $37,694,100 CANTON $65,029,800 EDEN $34,141,200 ELDORADO $34,729,900 FLORENCE $44,933,900 FREMONT $68,750,300 HARRISON $22,293,200 HOMER $32,986,700 IOWA $28,655,500 JACKSON $28,737,600 KANE $33,484,700 LEROY $37,600,000 MONROE $30,659,700 POLK $58,996,800 ST. CLAIR $37,260,100 TAYLOR $52,987,700 UNION $37,375,500

TOWNSHIPS TOTAL $825,402,700

BENTON COUNTY $14,183,393

COUNTY TOTAL $1,564,215,293 ALL PROPOERTIES

38 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.1.8 BENTON COUNTY BUSINESSES, INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE

According to statistics provided by the US Census Bureau, in Benton County there was 1,817 business and industrial enterprises in Benton County in 2007. These enterprises generated a total of $47,093,000 in commerce according the US Census Bureau. Table 2.1.8.1 summarizes these enterprises.

Table 2.1.8.1 Business and industrial enterprises in Benton County in 2007.

Commercial or Business Enterprise Type Number of establishments Receipts ($1,000) Utilities 7 123 Construction 284 11,701 Manufacturing 23 595 Wholesale trade 36 1,388 Retail trade 280 8,356 Transportation and warehousing 115 11,462 Information 14 759 Finance and insurance 63 2,055 Real estate and rental and leasing 117 3,891 Professional, scientific, and technical services 131 2,057 Administrative and Support and Waste Mang and Remediation Srvs 145 1,992 Educational services 26 170 Health care and social assistance 203 2,895 Arts, entertainment, and recreation 79 908 Accommodation and food services 17 613 Other services (except public administration) 277 5,648

39 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.1.9 AGRICULTURE IN BENTON COUNTY

Because of the capability of the soils in Benton County and the climatic conditions, agricultural crops and livestock are the backbone of the economy of Benton County and have been since it became a county in 1846.

Census Data indicates that in 2008 the county had 1,250 farms totaling 402,000 acres or 86% of the land area of the county. The average size of a Benton County Farm is 322 acres. The average age of Benton County farmers is 56. The average value of a farm and its buildings is $1,446,850.

For farm commodities in Benton County the following statistics are found for 2008:

Market value of all crops $155,617,000 Market value of all livestock $107,504.000 Market value greenhouse & nursery $186,000 Total market value of all farm products $263,121,000

No. of all cattle and calves in Benton County 51,018 No. of beef cows in Benton County 11,979 No. of milk cows in Benton County 4,474 All hogs and pigs in Benton County 79,933

Corn acres in Benton County 187,500 Soybean acres in Benton County 153,800 Oats acres in Benton County 900 Hay acres in Benton County 13,900

40 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.1.10 BENTON COUNTY TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS

Highways and Roads

Interstate 380/Iowa Highway 27 crosses the northeastern corner of Benton County. Two major highways extend across the county. U.S. Highway No. 30 traverses the southern half of the county. U.S. Highway No. 218 extends east and north across the county. Several state highways and hard surfaced county roads connect these major highways to the smaller communities. Most other roads are hard surfaced or are surfaced with crushed limestone or gravel. State Highways in Benton County include Iowa Highway 8, Iowa Highway 21 and Iowa Highway 150. Benton County has 1,330 miles of rural roads maintained by Benton County Secondary Roads including 97 miles of rural primary, 216 miles of paved/hard surface secondary roads, 924 miles of rock surface secondary roads, 93 miles of earth (dirt) surface secondary roads.

Railroads

Benton County has three railroads. Nearly 100 trains per day cross the county from east to west on 24 miles of track through the cities of Belle Plaine, Blairstown and Norway on a busy double rail line operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. The Iowa Northern Railroad passes two trains daily over 25 miles of track through Mt. Auburn, Vinton and Shellsburg. Two miles of track operated by the Cedar Rapids—Iowa City Railroad pass through Walford in the southeast corner of the county.

Airports

41 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

2.1.11 EMERGENCY SERVICES OF BENTON COUNTY

Emergency Management Agency

The Benton County Emergency Management Agency, headquartered in the Benton County Courthouse in Vinton, is governed by a board of commissioners comprised of the Mayors from each of the incorporated jurisdictions in the County or their delegates, a representative of the Benton County Sheriff’s Department and the Benton County Board of Supervisors. The agency currently has one full-time staff person, the Emergency Management Coordinator and one volunteer who assists in the office. The Emergency Management Agency works in conjunction with local fire, rescue, police, and government officials to draft and implement workable emergency action plans in the community. Furthermore, the Agency is responsible for the monthly testing of all outdoor warning sirens in the County.

Law Enforcement

Four communities in Benton County maintain their own police departments: Belle Plaine, Shellsburg, Urbana and Vinton. The remainder of the communities contract with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services. The office is headquartered in Vinton and maintains a staff of 43 people, 16 of whom are actively engaged in law enforcement activities as patrol officers.

HAZMAT Services

A regional Hazardous Materials Team is on hand to assist Benton County with a Hazard Materials event or catastrophe. The Team is located within fifteen minutes of Atkins and is operated by the Linn County Hazardous Materials Response Team headquartered in Cedar Rapids. The Team assists Benton County fire departments with hazard materials emergency procedures and training, thus reducing the possibility of additional contamination in a hazardous materials emergency. An evacuation plan is also in place in the Benton County Multi-Hazard Emergency Operations Plan. The plan is intended to be used in conjunction with activities of the HAZMAT team and community emergency responders.

Fire Departments

Benton County receives fire protection from 14 domiciled fire departments in Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Garrison, Keystone, Luzerne, Mount Auburn, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Urbana, Van Horne, Vinton and Watkins. Staffing of these departments is entirely volunteer. The fire departments of Benton County are all signatory to a county-wide mutual aid agreement making the services of all departments in the county available to each other in the event of a major fire or emergency. Fire departments in neighboring counties with territory in Benton County include Brandon, Dysart, Fairfax, La Porte City and Walker.

42 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Emergency Medical Services

Emergency Medical Services in Benton County include first responder services in Atkins, Garrison, Keystone, Newhall, Norway and Van Horne. Ambulance services include Blairstown, Belle Plaine, North Benton and Urbana. Emergency medical service providers in neighboring counties that also provide service to Benton County include the Brandon First Responders, Dysart Ambulance Service, Elberon Ambulance Service, Hiawatha Ambulance Service, La Porte City Ambulance Service and Area Ambulance Service from Cedar Rapids.

43 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.1.12 BENTON COUNTY EDUCATION SYSTEMS

From 2005-2007 in Benton County, 91 percent of people 25 years and older had at least graduated from high school and 16 percent had a bachelor's degree or higher. Nine percent were dropouts; they were not enrolled in school and had not graduated from high school.

The total public school enrollment in Benton County was 6,800 from 2005-2007. Nursery school and kindergarten enrollment was 830 and college or graduate school enrollment was 1,300.

K-12 Education

Table 2.1.12.1 lists the school systems and schools in Benton County. The information shown below is based on a survey prepared by the National Center for Education Statistics for 2009-2010. Additionally, there are students which reside in Benton County but attend schools in adjacent counties which are not accounted for in this table.

The public school systems of Benton County include the Belle Plaine Community School District with 4 schools, 627 students and 50 classroom teachers; Benton Community School District with 6 schools, 1,588 students and 122 classroom teachers; Vinton- Shellsburg Community School District with 4 schools, 1,755 students and 140 teachers. The Center Point-Urbana School district has a total of 1,388 students with 416 of those located at the Center Point-Urbana Middle School in Urbana. The Central Lutheran School in Newhall is the county’s only private school. The school system has only one building and has 171 students.

Schools in Benton County, Iowa School Students Teachers Grades Belle Plaine Community School District Belle Plaine Senior High School 256 17 9-12 Lincoln Junior High School 97 6 7-8 Central Elementary School 186 20 2-6 Longfellow Elementary School 88 7 PK-KG Benton Community School District Atkins Elementary School 183 14 KG-4 Keystone Elementary School 151 14 3-6 Norway Elementary School 331 28 PK-6 Van Horne Elementary School 117 11 PK-2 Benton Community Middle School 263 17 7-8 Benton Community Senior High School 543 38 9-12 Center Point-Urbana Community School District Center Point-Urbana Middle School 416 33 5-8 Central Lutheran School Central Lutheran School 171 8 2-13 Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District Tilford Elementary School 508 23 PK-4 Shellsburg Elementary 223 20 K-5 Vinton-Shellsburg Middle School 398 28 6-8 Vinton-Shellsburg High School 626 45 9-12

Table 2.1.12.1 Benton County School Systems

44 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Higher Education

Kirkwood Community College is a community college serving seven counties in Iowa. The college is named for Samuel J. Kirkwood, an Iowa governor and U.S. Senator in the late 19th century. Kirkwood's main campus is located east of Kirkwood Boulevard in Cedar Rapids. In Benton County, Kirkwood maintains a building in Belle Plaine and Vinton. Students at the Benton County facility can take high school GED classes, college credit classes and other classes via the ICN, on line, or from in person instructors at these facilities.

45 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.1.13 FLOOD AND NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM (NFIP) INFORMATION

The Benton County GIS office working in conjunction with the Benton County Assessor’s Office using the most recent (June 3, 2008) DFIRM flood plain maps for Benton County has determined the following data regarding properties within the 100-year flood plain for all watersheds in Benton County.

 Total number of agricultural properties in flood plain areas = 2,638 with a total assessed value of $225,859,350 including land, agricultural outbuildings and dwellings. The dwelling value on these properties is $65,044,500 for 616 dwellings. Agricultural outbuildings on these properties have an assessed value of $12,588,200.

 Residential properties in flood plain areas of the county are 518 with a value of $62,488,700 for the structures only and $76,262,400 for the dwelling structures and land.

 There are 125 commercial properties with an assessed value of $16,739,300 and 9 industrial properties with an assessed value of $5,240,930 within the floodplain areas of Benton County.

 Additionally, there are 209 properties that are tax exempt, municipally or county owned within Benton County floodplain areas.

 All of Benton County has been mapped for flood plains with DFIRMS developed on June 3, 2008.

CID numbers for the communities of Benton County are as follows:

190548 Atkins 190015 Belle Plaine 190845 Benton County 190320 Blairstown 190321 Garrison 190602 Keystone 190281 Luzerne 190785 Mount Auburn 190626 Newhall 190632 Norway 190319 Shellsburg 190672 Urbana 190673 Van Horne 190016 Vinton 190820 Walford

46 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 In Benton County, the jurisdictions of Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Garrison, Norway, Shellsburg, Vinton and Benton County belong to the NFIP. The communities of Atkins, Keystone, Luzerne, Mt. Auburn, Newhall, Urbana, Van Horne and Walford do not belong to the NFIP.

According to NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) statistics there were a total of 162 flood insurance policies in force in all of Benton County on July 31, 2009. These policies were as follows:

Policies Insurance Written Community Name In-force In-force whole $ Premium In-force

Benton County 28 $2,953,800 $15,247 Belle Plaine 4 $350,300 $1,386 Blairstown 4 $213,000 $1,884 Norway 3 $385,000 $815 Shellsburg 10 $1,444,300 $4,690 Vinton 103 $9,871,300 $57,651

As of July 31, 2009, NFIP statistics show that 53 claims for flood insurance losses had been filed in Benton County with 52 of those claims occurring in Vinton and 1 in Belle Plaine. The Belle Plaine loss resulted in no payments. The 52 Vinton claims resulted in $1,158,381.91 in payments made on 46 of the claims.

FEMA issued flood plain maps for Benton County are found in Appendix 8, page 593.

2.1.14 REPETITIVE LOSS PROPERTIES

Iowa DNR records document only 3 repetitive loss properties in all of Benton County. All three of the properties are single family residential properties located in the City of Vinton. None of the properties are insured. One property has had 5 claims, one has had 3 and the other has had 2. Values of the properties are $70,590, $82,220 and $136,736

47 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.1.15 BENTON COUNTY GOVERNMENT

There are 99 counties in Iowa ranging in population from about 4,400 residents (Adams County) to approximately 380,000 residents (Polk County). All 99 counties operate under the board of supervisor form of government. Historically, the role of counties has been to serve as an administrative arm of the state - maintaining records, providing courts and law enforcement, building roads, assisting the mentally ill, immunizing children, assessing property and collecting taxes, and conducting elections. Counties still perform these functions, as well as others.

In Benton County the elected officials are three county supervisors, the sheriff, recorder, treasurer, attorney, and auditor.

All totaled Benton County has 107 full-time and 47 part time employees of its departments and services. The breakdown is as follows:

Full-time Part-time Supervisors 3 Auditor 4 Treasurer 7 Attorney 4 2 Sheriff 24 22 Recorder 2 Assessor 4 Sanitarian/LandUse Admin 2 Transportation 2 11 Social Services 2 1 Secondary Roads 38 2 Landfill 4 Veteran's Affairs 1 Conservation 6 6 Emergency Management 1 1 Maintenance 2 1 Data Processing 2 LEC Project Coordinator 1

48 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.1.16 PARKS AND RECREATION AREAS IN BENTON COUNTY

Benton County has an extensive system of municipal, county and state parks that provide a broad array of outdoor recreational opportunities. Every community in the county has at least one park area of some sort. Some communities such as Atkins, Belle Plaine, Newhall and Vinton have two or more parks. Periods of heaviest use for the parks is during the summer months. On weekends of heaviest use, several thousand people county-wide will be using the parks and campgrounds of the county.

Parks and Recreation areas managed by the Benton County Conservation Commission include:

Benton City-Fry Recreation Area (River Park) 5899 29th Ave. Dr. Vinton, IA 52349

 39 acre river park  21 Campsites (16 with electric; 5 without electric)  Pit Toilet  Drinking water  Boat ramp  Fishing  Fishing shore and river  Picnic areas  Shelters/pavilion  Playground  Hunting access during season (excluding campground

Cumberland's Recreation Area: Hwy 150 (1 mile north of Vinton) Vinton, IA 52349

 20 acre Recreation Area  Shoreline fishing on oxbow lakes  Nature appreciation  Bird watching  Hunting (in season

49 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Hannen Park 1949 Benton Iowa Rd Blairstown, IA 52209

 180 acre park  96 Campsites  Shower facilities  Rustic Cabin  50 acre fishing/boating lake  Boat ramp  Fishing piers and jetties  Swimming beach  Picnic areas  Shelters

Hoefle-Dulin Recreation Area (River Park) 5901 27th Ave. Vinton, IA 52349

 62 acre river park  16 Campsites  Pit toilets  Drinking water  Boat Ramp  Fishing  Picnic areas  Hiking trails

Minne Estema Park 5261 24th Ave. Drive Vinton, Iowa 52349

 63 acre park  12 Campsites  Pit toilet  Drinking water  Boat ramp  Shelter/Pavilion  Picnic areas  Playground  Hiking

50 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Winnegar Lake Area (aka: Mt. Auburn Boat Launch): 5033 22nd Avenue Brandon, IA 52210

 467 acre Game Management Area  Boat ramp  Picnic areas  Hiking trails  Equestrian trail use area

Polk Township Wildlife Area 2819 51st Street Brandon, IA 52210

 12 acre park: Day use (no overnight camping)  7 acre lake  Boat ramp  Fishing (shoreline and boat)  Picnic areas  Nature appreciation (native wildflowers)  No swimming

Rodgers Park 2113 57th Street Trail Vinton, IA 52349-9434

 186 peaceful acres  50 full-service campsites, overlooking the scenic lake  5 Walk-in Tent sites  Shower house)  21 acre lake  Swimming beach  Fishing piers  Boat ramp  Picnic areas  New Playground  Enclosed and open shelter facilities  Quiet hiking trails

51 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Wildcat Bluff Recreation Area 57th Street Trail Urbana, Iowa 52345

 131 recreational area  30 Campsites  5 walk-in tent campsites  18 hole Disc Golf Course  Miles of wooded, peaceful hiking trails  Boat launch  Picnic areas  Playground

Other Parks and Recreation Areas:

Dudgeon Lake Game Area: North of Vinton along Cedar River. 1,257 acres owned by the Iowa DNR. Hunting, fishing, hiking, and a boat ramp access are among the features. Target range available.

Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area: East of Shellsburg. 410 acre lake with its surrounding area developed as a multi-use recreational activity. Swimming, beach, picnicking, hiking, camping, horseback and snowmobile trails are available. This lake is an emergency coolant reservoir for the Duane Arnold Nuclear Power Plant.

Old Creamery Nature Trail: Still in the early stages of development, the Old Creamery Nature Trail is a bicycling and walking/hiking trail extending from Vinton to Garrison on to Dysart, covering a distance of 15 miles. The origin of the trail is the abandoned Rock Island Rail Line.

52 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.1.17 CRITICAL ASSETS OF BENTON COUNTY

The State of Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division (HSEMD) lists 34 facilities in Benton County as critical assets. For security reasons, HSEMD does not release information the location or nature of these facilities.

53 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.2 COMMUNITY PROFILES

2.2.1 ATKINS

The City of Atkins, is located on .8 square miles of land in Sections 13 and 14 of Fremont Township in Benton County, Iowa. It is within ten miles of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, one of Iowa’s major metropolitan centers. The first Atkins Town Council meeting was held May 17, 1917. A petition for Incorporation of the town of Atkins was filed on May 31, 1917. Atkins was once an important railroad town, as it was exactly half-way between Omaha and Chicago. In 1882 the railroad came to Atkins. In 1969, passenger service was halted by the railroad and on December 8, 1978, the last freight train passed through. The City is part of the Benton Community School District. It has a public library, a volunteer fire department and a first responder EMS service. Benton County Road E44 passes through the community and connects it to US Highway 30 just two miles south of the city.

As of the census of 2000, there were 977 people, 361 households, and 275 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,197.6 people per square mile (460.0/km²). There were 369 housing units at an average density of 452.3/sq mi (173.7/km²). In the 361 households out of which 42.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.1% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.8% were non- families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.13. In the city the population was spread out with 31.3% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 34.2% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median income for a household in the city was $50,833, and the median income for a family was $58,375. Males had a median income of $40,950 versus $26,719 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,507. About 1.7% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.0% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.\

Due to its proximity to Cedar Rapids, the City of Atkins has undergone substantial development in recent times. The 1990 census placed the city’s population at 637. In 2000 it stood at 977. A special census in 2005 determined the population to be 1,297 and in 2007 the population was estimated at 1,515. The community has a library, a new city park with soccer fields, a volunteer fire department and first responder EMS contingent.

Government

The city is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government with five council members and a mayor, all of whom are elected. The city also has one full time city clerk, two full time public works employees, one full time librarian and one part time building Inspector.

54 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Codes and Ordinances

The City of Atkins has various ordinances regulating development and building construction in the city. Chapters of the city’s code relative to development and building construction include:

Chapter 94 – Public Water Well Protection Chapter 145 – Dangerous Buildings Chapter 150 – Building Numbering Chapter 151 – Trees Chapter 155 – Building Code Chapter 157 – Storm Drainage Chapter 158 – Sign Code Chapter 165 –Zoning Regulations, including the Sign Code Chapter 166 – Subdivision Regulations

Streets

The City of Atkins has approximately 50 blocks and 11 miles of streets. The street surfaces are seal coated, asphalt or concrete. The city’s two public works employees take care of street maintenance for the city.

Water And Water Treatment

Water supply for the City of Atkins is supplied by three active wells with a total capacity of 660 gallons per minute. The city has two above ground water storage towers holding a maximum of 200,000 gallons of water. The city constructed a new 500 gallon per minute reverse osmosis water treatment plant at 120 Parkridge Road. The plant will have an emergency electrical power generator. Average daily water usage for the City of Atkins is 93,000 gallons. The City of Atkins two public works employees are the city’s Water Department. The City of Atkins is in compliance with Iowa DNR Well field protection requirements.

Wastewater Treatment

The City of Atkins has a four cell continuous discharge lagoon system located at 306 Railroad Street East that was constructed in 2000. The wet weather design flow of the facility is 270,000 gallons of water per day. The City of Atkins’ two public works employees are the city’s Wastewater Department.

Emergency Services

Law Enforcement

The City of Atkins contracts for law enforcement services with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office for coverage that is not to exceed 18 hours per week, or 936 hours per year. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office, headquartered in Vinton, 25 miles away, maintains a staff of 43 people, 16 of whom are actively engaged in law enforcement activities.

55 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Fire Department

The City of Atkins receives fire protection from the Atkins Fire Department. The department is staffed with a maximum of 30 volunteers and maintains a fleet of four vehicles for firefighting and rescue operations. The department averages 35 alarms per year in the city and the surrounding rural district. The fire departments in Benton County and neighboring Linn County have formed a county-wide mutual aid agreement, making the services of an additional 25 fire departments available to the city in the event of a major fire or emergency.

Emergency Medical Services

Emergency medical service for the City of Atkins is provided by the Atkins First Responders. The service is the initial primary emergency medical service provider for the 32 square mile area Atkins Fire District. The EMT non-transport level service is staffed with 16 volunteers trained to the First Responder, Emergency Medical Technicians or Paramedic level. The service responds to an average of 80 calls a year. Emergency Medical Transport service for the City of Atkins is provided by the Area Ambulance Service headquartered at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids.

Utilities

Natural Gas Provider: Mid America Energy

Electricity: Alliant Energy

Telecommunications: Atkins Telephone Co.

Cable TV: Atkins Cablevision

Business and Industry

The City of Atkins is home to fifteen businesses and no industries. The Benton Community School District, Atkins Elementary School is the city’s largest employer with 21 employees. The other two largest employers in the city are the Atkins Savings Bank with 9 employees and the Atkins Lumber Company with 8 employees.

Employment

Employed civilian population 16 years and over 499 100.0 OCCUPATION Management, professional, and related occupations 152 30.5 Service occupations 58 11.6 Sales and office occupations 142 28.5 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 5 1.0 Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations 60 12.0 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 82 16.4

INDUSTRY Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 7 1.4 Construction 32 6.4 Manufacturing 105 21.0 Wholesale trade 29 5.8 Retail trade 57 11.4 56 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 26 5.2 Information 33 6.6 Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing 59 11.8 Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services 24 4.8 Educational, health and social services 77 15.4 Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services 9 1.8 Other services (except public administration) 23 4.6 Public administration 18 3.6

Critical Facilities

Critical facilities are those structures and infrastructure that the community places a priority on protecting. Damage to these facilities can impact the delivery of vital services, cause greater damages to other sections of the community, or can put special, vulnerable populations at risk. The Planning Committee identified the following critical facilities:

Facilities essential to the health and welfare of the entire population, especially following a hazard event:

Atkins City Hall Atkins Fire Station Emergency Shelters Atkins American Legion Hall Atkins Fire Station

Transportation Systems

County Roads E-44

Lifeline Utility Systems

City of Atkins Water Treatment Plant City of Atkins City Wells City of Atkins Wastewater Treatment Plant City of Atkins Public Works Department

Vulnerable Population Centers

Benton Community Schools Atkins Elementary Center

Financial Institutions

Atkins Savings Bank & Trust

Food Supplier Bobby T's D. J. C-Store

Hardware Stores Atkins Lumber Co.

Gas & Fuel D. J. C-Store

57 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.2.2 BELLE PLAINE

Belle Plaine is a city in southern Benton County. The population was 2,878 at the 2000 census. The City is located two miles north of the Iowa River on both the historic Lincoln Highway and the cross country tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.2 square miles.

The railroad was very important to Belle Plaine's rapid growth in the late 1800's, bringing mail, supplies and passengers; as the railroad grew, so did Belle Plaine. Land was purchased so quickly that a town square, typical in most towns of this era, was never put into place

Belle Plaine was in the world spotlight around the turn of the century, with the accidental discovery of Jumbo Well. An attempt at digging a new well erupted into an untamable geyser spewing 3,400 gallons per minute. Many claimed the water's unique mixture of minerals had medicinal uses

In 1894, a devastating fire destroyed most of the business district. The community united and within five months celebrated the reconstructed Belle Plaine with the theme "From Ashes To Elegance" showing true community spirit.

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,878 people, 1,212 households, and 749 families residing in the city. The population density was 890.6 people per square mile. There were 1,318 housing units at an average density of 407.9/sq mi. There were 1,212 households out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.97. In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median income for a household in the city was $36,316, and the median income for a family was $47,105. Males had a median income of $31,750 versus $24,966 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,321. About 3.3% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over

Today the City of Belle Plaine has its own police department, ambulance service and a volunteer fire department. It has 5 parks, walking trail, baseball diamonds, swimming pool, tennis courts, park shelters, camping spaces, basketball court, disc golf a 9 hole golf course, a city owned airport, community center, library and a museum.

Government

The City of Belle Plaine is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government with five council members and a mayor, all of whom are elected. The City has a full-time city administrator and 13 other full-time staff and 6 part-time employees.

Building Regulations

The City of Belle Plaine currently has a Development Ordinance, which included provisions for the establishment and enforcement of both Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance regulations. In addition, the City also has and enforces a local Floodplain Ordinance. The City of Belle Plaine has adopted and enforces the 2000 edition of the International Residential Building code.

58 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Streets

The City of Belle Plaine has approximately 150 blocks and 30 miles of streets. The street surfaces are concrete, seal coated and black top. The city’s public works employee manages street care for the city.

Water And Water Treatment

The Belle Plaine water system has a capacity of 750,000 gallons per day (GPD). This is the elevated storage capacity for the one municipal water tower. Average daily consumption of water has ranged from 275,000 GPD to 300,000 GPD in the winter and 325,000 GPD to 375,000 (GPD) in the summer. Peak demand at anyone time is less than 400,000 GPD. Average daily use per capita is approximately 120 gallons per day.

Waste Water Treatment

The City's wastewater treatment plant has excess capacity for future growth. The current average daily load is approximately 400,000 (thousand gallon daily). Projected loads based on the expected population growth should not reach 500,000 (Thousand GPD). The projected total may increase if the industrial park is fully developed within the life of this plan. However, the treatment facility has a capacity of 2.18 (Million GPD).

Emergency Services

Law Enforcement

The City of Belle Plaine has its own police department. The department has 4 full time officers which includes a full-time Chief of Police and four reserve officers.

Fire Department

The City of Belle Plaine receives fire protection from the Belle Plaine Fire Department. The department is staffed with 40 volunteers and maintains a fleet of seven vehicles for firefighting and rescue operations. The department averages 65 alarms per year in the city and the surrounding rural district comprising 75 square miles.

Emergency Medical Services

Emergency medical service for the City of Belle Plaine is provided by the Belle Plaine Area Ambulance Service. The service is the initial primary emergency medical service provider for the 75 square mile area Belle Plaine Fire District. The provisional paramedic level service is staffed with 25 volunteers trained to the Emergency Medical Technicians or Paramedic level. The service has a part-time paid director and responds to an average of 175 calls for service a year.

59 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Utilities

Natural Gas Provider: Alliant Energy

Electricity: Alliant Energy

Telecommunications: Coon Creek Telephone Co., Iowa Telecom

Cable TV: Mediacom, Coon Creek Telephone Co.

Business And Industry

The City of Belle Plaine is home to 95 businesses and industries. Benco Manufacturing is the city’s largest employer.

Employment

Employed civilian population 16 years and over 1,267 100.0 OCCUPATION Management, professional, and related occupations 245 19.3 Service occupations 200 15.8 Sales and office occupations 329 26.0 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 0 0.0 Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations 131 10.3 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 362 28.6

INDUSTRY Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 34 2.7 Construction 37 2.9 Manufacturing 371 29.3 Wholesale trade 36 2.8 Retail trade 135 10.7 Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 65 5.1 Information 9 0.7 Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing 72 5.7 Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management 84 6.6 services Educational, health and social services 247 19.5 Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services 72 5.7 Other services (except public administration) 84 6.6 Public administration 21 1.7

60 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Critical Facilities

Facilities essential to the health and welfare of the entire population, especially following a hazard event:

Belle Plaine City Hall Belle Plaine Fire Station Belle Plaine Area Ambulance Service Building Belle Plaine Police Station Belle Plaine Community Center Emergency Shelters Belle Plaine Community Center Transportation Systems Highway 21 County Road E-66

Lifeline Utility Systems City of Belle Plaine Water Treatment Plant City of Belle Plaine City Wells City of Belle Plaine Wastewater Treatment Plant City of Belle Plaine Public Works Department

Vulnerable Population Centers Belle Plaine Schools, High School, Junior High School, Central Elementary Schools and Longfellow Elementary School Belle Plaine Nursing and Rehab

Financial Institutions Chelsea Savings Bank MidWestOne Bank

Food Supplier Country Foods Dollar General Town & Country Wholesale

Hardware Stores GCI True Value Hardware

Gas & Fuel Grieder Standard Zip Mart Heartland Co-op Casey’s General Store Prescription Drug Suppliers Belle Plaine Pharmacy

61 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.2.3 BLAIRSTOWN

The City of Blairstown, Iowa is located on .5 square miles of land in sections 13, 14, 23 and 24 of Leroy Township in Benton County, Iowa. The City was established in 1860 when millionaire John I. Blair laid a railroad track for the Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska Railroad to the location that would become Blairstown. The first plat for the city was filed with the Benton County Recorder on May 13, 1862. At the close of that year the population of the city was 10 families. By the end of the Civil War in 1865 the city’s population had swelled to 1,100. As of the 2000 census, there were 682 people, 289 households, and 195 families residing in the city. As of 2007, Blairstown's population is unofficially 702 people, a growth of 2.93 percent since 2000. There were 310 housing units in 2000. There were 289 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.4% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.87. In the city the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 22.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. The median income for a household in the city was $40,662, and the median income for a family was $47,778. Males had a median income of $36,705 versus $22,083 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,828. About 5.9% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those people age 65 or over.

The City of Blairstown is part of the Benton Community School System. The city has a library, community center, volunteer fire department and its own ambulance service. The Union Pacific Railroad passes nearly 100 trains a day through the city. The city is served by Iowa Highway 82 and county roads E66 and V66 with traffic loads of 2,500 vehicles daily according to Iowa DOT statistics.

Government

The City of Blairstown is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government with five council members and a mayor, all of whom are elected. The city also has one part time city clerk, one full time public works employee, a part-time ambulance director, a librarian and assistant librarian.

Building Regulations

The City of Blairstown has various ordinances regulating development and building construction in the city. Chapters of the city’s code relative to development and building construction include:

Chapter 94 – Public Water Well Protection Chapter 145 – Dangerous Buildings Chapter 150 – Building Numbering Chapter 151 – Trees Chapter 155 – Building Code Chapter 157 – Storm Drainage Chapter 158 – Sign Code Chapter 160 – Flood Plain Regulations Chapter 165 –Zoning Regulations, including the Sign Code Chapter 166 – Subdivision Regulations

62 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Streets

The City of Blairstown has approximately 40 blocks and 8 miles of streets. The street surfaces are seal coated and black top. The city’s public works employee manages street care for the city.

Water And Water Treatment

Water supply for the City of Blairstown is supplied by two active wells with a capacity of 150 gallons per minute each. The wells are located at 106 ½ West Street. The city has one above ground water storage tower built in 2002 which holds a maximum of 150,000 gallons of water. The city’s water treatment plant is also located at 106 ½ West Street and is a iron removal and chlorination system that has a capacity of 220,000 gallons per day. The City of Blairstown’s public works employee is the city’s Water Department.

Wastewater Treatment

The City of Blairstown has a three cell aerated lagoon system on the northeast corner of the city. The system was constructed in 1970 and has a capacity of 400,000 gallons per day. There is one lift station for the lagoon. The lift station has no emergency backup electrical power generator. The City of Blairstown’s public works employee is the city’s Wastewater Department.

Emergency Services

Law Enforcement

The City of Blairstown contracts for law enforcement services with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office for coverage that is not to exceed 18 hours per week, or 936 hours per year. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office, headquartered in Vinton, 25 miles away, maintains a staff of 43 people, 16 of whom are actively engaged in law enforcement activities.

Fire Department

The City of Blairstown receives fire protection from the Blairstown Fire Department. The department is staffed with 18 volunteers and maintains a fleet of five vehicles for firefighting and rescue operations. The department averages 25 alarms per year in the city and the surrounding rural district comprising 70 square miles. The fire departments in Benton County have formed a county-wide mutual aid agreement, making the services of an additional 13 fire departments available to the city in the event of a major fire or emergency.

Emergency Medical Services

Emergency medical service for the City of Blairstown is provided by the Blairstown Ambulance Service. The service is the initial primary emergency medical service provider for the 70 square mile area Blairstown Fire District. The service also provides emergency medical response to neighboring communities and surrounding rural areas for the communities of Norway, Watkins, Luzerne and Newhall in southern Benton County. The provisional paramedic level service is staffed with 25 volunteers trained to the Emergency Medical Technicians or Paramedic level. The service has a part-time paid director and responds to an average of 175 calls for service a year.

63 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Utilities

Natural Gas Provider: Alliant Energy Electricity: Alliant Energy Telecommunications: Coon Creek Telephone Co. Cable TV: Coon Creek Telephone Co.

Business And Industry

The City of Blairstown is home to fifteen (15) businesses and no industries. Rabe Hardware is the city’s largest employer with 15 employees. Other largest employers in the city are Heartland Coop Feed and Grain, Ogrady Chemical and Fertilizer and Stoney Creek Marble Products

Employment

Employed civilian population 16 years and over 363 100.0 OCCUPATION Management, professional, and related occupations 58 16.0 Service occupations 49 13.5 Sales and office occupations 105 28.9 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 6 1.7 Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations 43 11.8 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 102 28.1

INDUSTRY Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 12 3.3 Construction 32 8.8 Manufacturing 83 22.9 Wholesale trade 18 5.0 Retail trade 61 16.8 Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 22 6.1 Information 7 1.9 Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing 17 4.7 Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services 13 3.6 Educational, health and social services 55 15.2 Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services 32 8.8 Other services (except public administration) 9 2.5 Public administration 2 0.6

64 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Critical Facilities

Facilities essential to the health and welfare of the entire population, especially following a hazard event:

Blairstown City Hall Blairstown Fire Station Emergency Shelters Blairstown Community Building Blairstown American Legion Hall Blairstown Fire Station Transportation Systems Highway 82 County Roads E-66 and V-66 Lifeline Utility Systems City of Blairstown Water Treatment Plant City of Blairstown City Wells City of Blairstown Wastewater Treatment Plant City of Blairstown Public Works Department Vulnerable Population Centers Little Works of Art Inc. Children’s Day Care Center Financial Institutions Benton County State Bank Food Supplier Blairstown Quick Stop Hardware Stores Rabe Hardware Gas & Fuel Kimm Oil Company

65 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.2.4 GARRISON

Garrison, in central Benton County, had a population of 413 at the 2000 census. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.2 square miles. As of the census of 2000, there were 159 households, and 113 families residing in the city out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.16. In the city the population was spread out with 28.6% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $26,389, and the median income for a family was $32,500. The per capita income for the city was $14,719. About 10.5% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.2% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over. The City of Garrison had its beginnings in 1873 when the town of Benton was laid out on the farm of Jonathon and Susan Barkdoll. In 1877 the town’s name was changed to Garrison, in 1873 the railroad reached Garrison and the city was incorporated in 1880. In 1911 a three block area, nearly the entire business district of the city was destroyed by fire and in 1961 a tornado struck the city and killed two people at the Methodist Church.

Today the City of Garrison has its own volunteer fire department and first responder unit. The city also has a library.

Government

The City of Garrison is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government with five council members and a mayor, all of whom are elected. The city also has one part time city clerk, one part-time public works employee and a part-time librarian.

Building Regulations

The City of Garrison has various ordinances regulating development and building construction in the city. Chapters of the city’s code relative to development and building construction include:

Chapter 145 – Dangerous Buildings Chapter 147 – Public Water Well Protection Chapter 150 – Building Numbering Chapter 151 – Trees Chapter 155 – Building Code Chapter 157 – Storm Drainage Chapter 158 – Sign Code Chapter 165 –Zoning Regulations, including the Sign Code

66 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Streets

The City of Garrison has approximately 20 blocks and 6 miles of streets. The street surfaces are gravel, seal coated and black top. The city’s public works employee manages street care for the city.

Water And Water Treatment

Water supply for the City of Garrison is supplied by one active well with a capacity of 120 gallons per minute. The well is located on North Locust Street. There is another reserve well which can be used in an emergency. The city has one above ground water storage tower built in 1940 which holds a maximum of 40,000 gallons of water. The city’s water treatment plant is also located on North Locust Street and is an iron removal and chlorination system that has a capacity of 120 gallons per minute. The City of Garrison’s public works employee is the city’s Water Department.

Wastewater Treatment

The City of Garrison has an aerated lagoon system located southeast of the city along County Road E22. The City of Garrison’s public works employee is the city’s Wastewater Department.

Emergency Services

Law Enforcement

The City of Garrison contracts for law enforcement services with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office for coverage that is not to exceed 2 hours per week, or 104 hours per year. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office, headquartered in Vinton, 25 miles away, maintains a staff of 43 people, 16 of whom are actively engaged in law enforcement activities.

Fire Department

The City of Garrison receives fire protection from the Garrison Volunteer Fire Department. The department is staffed with 25 volunteers and maintains a fleet of three vehicles for firefighting and rescue operations. The department averages 20 alarms per year in the city and the surrounding rural district comprising 54 square miles. The fire departments in Benton County have formed a county-wide mutual aid agreement, making the services of an additional 13 fire departments available to the city in the event of a major fire or emergency. The Garrison Fire Department also has an automatic aid agreement with the Cedar/Mt. Auburn Fire Department to the north.

Emergency Medical Services

Emergency medical service for the City of Garrison is provided by the Garrison First Responders. The service is the initial primary emergency medical service provider for the 54 square mile area Garrison Fire District. The service is non-transport and averages 30 calls per year. It is staffed with 15 volunteers variously trained from first responder through paramedic levels. Transport services are provided by the Dysart and North Benton Ambulance Services.

67 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Utilities

Natural Gas Provider: Northern Natural Gas Electricity: Alliant Energy Telecommunications: Keystone Communications Cable TV: Keystone Communications

Business And Industry

The City of Garrison is home to 5 businesses and industries. Bill and Paul’s Ag Service with one full-time and 6 seasonal employees is the city’s largest employer.

Employment

Employed civilian population 16 years and over 191 100.0 OCCUPATION Management, professional, and related occupations 29 15.2 Service occupations 40 20.9 Sales and office occupations 41 21.5 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 5 2.6 Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations 25 13.1 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 51 26.7

INDUSTRY Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 17 8.9 Construction 11 5.8 Manufacturing 50 26.2 Wholesale trade 11 5.8 Retail trade 16 8.4 Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 11 5.8 Information 8 4.2 Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing 2 1.0 Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services 9 4.7 Educational, health and social services 39 20.4 Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services 5 2.6 Other services (except public administration) 10 5.2 Public administration 2 1.0

68 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Critical Facilities

Facilities essential to the health and welfare of the entire population, especially following a hazard event:

Garrison Emergency Service’s Building Garrison Public Works Building Emergency Shelters Garrison Emergency Service’s Building St. Mark’s Lutheran Church

Transportation Systems Highway 198

Lifeline Utility Systems City of Garrison Water Treatment Plant City of Garrison City Wells City of Garrison Wastewater Treatment Plant City of Garrison Public Works Department

Vulnerable Population Centers Kozy Kountry Apartments

Financial Institutions None

Food Supplier Hitchin Post

Hardware Stores None

Gas & Fuel FS Fuel Stop

69 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.2.5 KEYSTONE

The City of Keystone, Iowa is located on .4 square miles of land in sections 13 and 14 of Kane Township in Benton County, Iowa. The City was established in 1881 with the arrival of the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad that brought supplies to a pioneer settlement at the location. The city was incorporated in January, 1884. As of the census of 2000, there were 687 people, 273 households, and 174 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,855.3 people per square mile. There were 281 housing units at an average density of 758.9/sq mi. There were 273 households out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.05. In the city the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 28.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $36,458, and the median income for a family was $48,750. Males had a median income of $33,333 versus $19,375 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,215. About 1.7% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 1.4% of those age 65 or over.

As of the development of this plan the City of Keystone has a vibrant business climate and strong sense of community amongst its citizens. The Keystone Turners is a very prominent faction of the community. The community has a public library, volunteer fire department and a first responder EMS contingent.

Government

The City of Keystone is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government with five council members and a mayor, all of whom are elected. The city also has one part time city clerk, one full time public works employee, a librarian and assistant librarian.

Building Regulations

The City of Keystone has various ordinances regulating development and building construction in the city. Chapters of the city’s code relative to development and building construction include:

70 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Streets

The City of Keystone has approximately 28 blocks and 8 miles of streets. The street surfaces are seal coated and black top. The city’s public works employee manages street care for the city.

Water And Water Treatment

Water supply for the City of Keystone is supplied by two active wells with a capacity of 120 gallons per minute each. The wells are located at 403 4th Avenue and 111 6th Avenue. The city has one above ground water storage tower built in 2007 which holds a maximum of 150,000 gallons of water. The city’s water treatment plant is also located at 403 4th Avenue and is an iron removal and chlorination system that has a capacity of 120 gallons per minute. The City of Keystone’s public works employee is the city’s Water Department.

Wastewater Treatment

The City of Keystone has an aerated lagoon system at 90 Railroad Street. The system was constructed in 2003 and has a capacity of 400,000 gallons per day. The City of Keystone’s public works employee is the city’s Wastewater Department.

Emergency Services

Law Enforcement

The City of Keystone contracts for law enforcement services with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office for coverage that is not to exceed 18 hours per week, or 936 hours per year. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office, headquartered in Vinton, 25 miles away, maintains a staff of 43 people, 16 of whom are actively engaged in law enforcement activities.

Fire Department

The City of Keystone receives fire protection from the Keystone Volunteer Fire Department. The department is staffed with 25 volunteers and maintains a fleet of five vehicles for firefighting and rescue operations. The department averages 30 alarms per year in the city and the surrounding rural district comprising 70 square miles. The fire departments in Benton County have formed a county-wide mutual aid agreement, making the services of an additional 13 fire departments available to the city in the event of a major fire or emergency.

Emergency Medical Services

Emergency medical service for the City of Keystone is provided by the Keystone First Responders. The service is the initial primary emergency medical service provider for the 70 square mile area Keystone Fire District. The service is non-transport and averages 100 calls per year. Transport services are provided by the Elberon Ambulance Service.

71 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Utilities

Natural Gas Provider: Mid America Energy Electricity: Alliant Energy Telecommunications: Keystone Communications Cable TV: Keystone Communications

Business And Industry

The City of Keystone is home to 30 businesses and industries. The Keystone Nursing Care Center is the city’s largest employer with 30 employees. Other large employers in the city are the Keystone Mercantile, O’Grady Chemical, Sindt Implement Heartland Coop Feed and Grain, Ogrady Chemical and Benton Community Schools Keystone Elementary Center.

Employment

Employed civilian population 16 years and over 315 100.0 OCCUPATION Management, professional, and related occupations 101 32.1 Service occupations 46 14.6 Sales and office occupations 87 27.6 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 3 1.0 Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations 31 9.8 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 47 14.9

INDUSTRY Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 5 1.6 Construction 14 4.4 Manufacturing 42 13.3 Wholesale trade 10 3.2 Retail trade 43 13.7 Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 21 6.7 Information 28 8.9 Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing 13 4.1 Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services 16 5.1 Educational, health and social services 93 29.5 Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services 3 1.0 Other services (except public administration) 17 5.4 Public administration 10 3.2

72 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Critical Facilities

Facilities essential to the health and welfare of the entire population, especially following a hazard event:

Keystone City Hall Keystone Fire Station Emergency Shelters Keystone Turner Hall St. John’s Lutheran Church

Transportation Systems County Road V42

Lifeline Utility Systems

City of Keystone Water Treatment Plant City of Keystone City Wells City of Keystone Wastewater Treatment Plant City of Keystone Public Works Department

Vulnerable Population Centers

Benton Community Elementary School—Keystone Center Keystone Nursing Care Center

Financial Institutions

Keystone Savings Bank

Food Supplier Keystone Mini Mart The Chuckwagon

Hardware Stores Pippert Hardware

Gas & Fuel Keystone Mini Mart

73 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.2.6 LUZERNE

The City of Luzerne, the smallest incorporated city of Benton County with a population of 105 according to the 2000 US Census, is located in sections 13 and 24 of Iowa Township and sections 18 and 19 of Leroy Township. The city traces its first records of settlement to 1856. Its plat was recorded and the city was officially incorporated on April 17, 1868. By 1869 the town had grown to 40 buildings, including a church and school house. The city’s “parentage” is owed to the Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company which struck a line through the area in the 1867. The rail line today is a very active line of the Union Pacific Railroad that passes through the center of the city.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.1 square miles. As of the census of 2000, there were 105 people, 37 households, and 31 families residing in the city. There were 37 households out of which 54.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.3% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.2% were non-families. 13.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.06. In the city the population was spread out with 33.3% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 14.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 105.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $28,750, and the median income for a family was $34,688. Males had a median income of $30,833 versus $28,333 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,747. None of the population and none of the families were below the poverty line.

Government

The City of Luzerne is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government with five council members and a mayor, all of whom are elected. The city also has a part-time city clerk, which is an appointed position. General operation of city services is conducted by one part-time public works employee and volunteer assistance when needed.

Building Regulations

The City of Luzerne has various ordinances regulating development and building construction in the city. Chapters of the city’s code relative to development and building construction include:

Chapter 146 – Manufactured, Mobile and Modular Homes Chapter 50 – Code For the Abatement of Unsafe Buildings and Equipment

Streets

The City of Luzerne covers approximately a 10 block area and has 1.5 miles of streets all of which are seal coated. The city’s part-time public works employee takes care of street maintenance for the city.

74 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Water And Water Treatment

The City of Luzerne has no water treatment facility. All residents either have their own wells or receive water from the Poweshiek Rural Water Association.

Wastewater Treatment

The City of Luzerne has no wastewater treatment facility. All residents have their own private septic system.

Emergency Services

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement for the City of Luzerne contracts law enforcement services with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office for coverage that is not to exceed .5 hours per week, or 26 hours per year. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office, headquartered in Vinton, 25 miles away, maintains a staff of 43 people, 16 of whom are actively engaged in law enforcement activities.

Fire Department

The City of Luzerne receives fire protection from the Luzerne Fire Department. The department is staffed with 12 volunteers and maintains a fleet of three vehicles for firefighting and rescue operations. The department averages 3 alarms per year in the city and has no surrounding rural district. The fire departments in Benton County have formed a county-wide mutual aid agreement, making the services of an additional 13 fire departments available to the city in the event of a major fire or emergency.

Emergency Medical Services

Emergency medical service for the City of Luzerne is provided by the Belle Plaine and Blairstown Ambulance Services located four and five miles from the city respectively. Both services maintain a staff of volunteer EMS responders along with a paid director. The Belle Plaine service maintains two ambulances. The Blairstown ambulance service has one ambulance.

Utilities

There is no natural gas service to the City of Luzerne.

Electricity is provided by Alliant Energy.

Telephone, Cable TV and Internet provider is provided by either Iowa Telecom or Coon Creek of Blairstown.

Business and Industry

The City of Luzerne is home to six (6) businesses. The Farmers 3-County Co-Op headquartered in Belle Plaine, Iowa is the city’s largest employer with 5 employees.

75 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Employment

Employed civilian population 16 years and over 35 100.0 OCCUPATION Management, professional, and related occupations 3 8.6 Service occupations 3 8.6 Sales and office occupations 10 28.6 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 0 0.0 Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations 8 22.9 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 11 31.4

INDUSTRY Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 0 0.0 Construction 4 11.4 Manufacturing 2 5.7 Wholesale trade 2 5.7 Retail trade 8 22.9 Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 0 0.0 Information 0 0.0 Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing 0 0.0 Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services 5 14.3 Educational, health and social services 3 8.6 Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services 0 0.0 Other services (except public administration) 11 31.4 Public administration 0 0.0

CRITICAL FACILITIES

Facilities essential to the health and welfare of the entire population, especially following a hazard event: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Luzerne Fire Station and City Hall Emergency Shelters St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Luzerne Fire Station and City Hall Transportation Systems County Roads E66 Union Pacific Rail Line

Lifeline Utility Systems Poweshiek Rural Water Association Supply lines City of Luzerne Public Works Department

Vulnerable Population Centers Happy House Day Care

Financial Institutions None Food Supplier None Hardware Stores None Gas & Fuel None

76 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.2.7 MOUNT AUBURN

The City of Mount Auburn occupies a land area of .3 square miles in Cedar Township in northern Benton County. The first plat for town was recorded on June 19, 1871. In 1875 there were 400 residents. As of the census of 2000, there were 160 people, 62 households, and 46 families residing in the city. Of the 62 households 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.7% were married couples living together, 3.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.04. In the city the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. The median income for a household in the city was $39,250, and the median income for a family was $41,786. Males had a median income of $27,083 versus $22,917 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,909. None of the population or families were below the poverty line.

The City of Mt. Auburn is part of the Union Community School System and Vinton-Shellsburg Community School System. The city has a volunteer fire department. The city is served by County Highway V65 with a traffic load of 500 vehicles daily according to Iowa DOT statistics.

Government

The City of Mt. Auburn is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government with five council members and a mayor, all of whom are elected. The city also has one part time city clerk and one part time public works employee.

Building Regulations

The City of Mt. Auburn has various ordinances regulating development and building construction in the city. Chapters of the city’s code relative to development and building construction include:

Streets

The City of Mt. Auburn has approximately 15 blocks and 3 miles of streets. The street surfaces are seal coated, black top and gravel. The city’s public works employee manages street care for the city.

77 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Water And Water Treatment

Water supply for the City of Mt. Auburn is supplied by two active wells with a capacity of 150 gallons per minute each. The city has one above ground water storage tower built in the 1980’s which holds a maximum of 50,000 gallons of water. The city’s water treatment plant is located on Hall Street and is a iron removal and chlorination system that has a capacity of 100,000 gallons per day. The City of Mt. Auburn’s public works employee is the city’s Water Department.

Wastewater Treatment

The City of Mt. Auburn has an aerated gravity fed lagoon system southeast of the city. The system was upgraded to add another cell in 2008 and has a capacity of 200,000 gallons per day. The City of Mt. Auburn’s public works employee is the city’s Wastewater Department.

Emergency Services

Law Enforcement

The City of Mt. Auburn contracts for law enforcement services with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office for coverage that is not to exceed 2 hours per week, or 104 hours per year. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office, headquartered in Vinton, 25 miles away, maintains a staff of 43 people, 16 of whom are actively engaged in law enforcement activities.

Fire Department

The City of Mt. Auburn receives fire protection from the Cedar/Mt. Auburn Fire Department. The department is staffed with 20 volunteers and maintains a fleet of three vehicles for firefighting and rescue operations. The department averages 12 alarms per year in the city and the surrounding rural district comprising 36 square miles. The fire departments in Benton County have formed a county-wide mutual aid agreement, making the services of an additional 13 fire departments available to the city in the event of a major fire or emergency.

Emergency Medical Services

Emergency medical service for the City of Mt. Auburn is provided by the North Benton Ambulance Service in Vinton, 8 miles away. The provisional paramedic level service is staffed with 15 volunteers and a full-time director trained to the Emergency Medical Technicians or Paramedic level. The service responds to over 1,000 calls for service a year.

Utilities

Natural Gas Provider: Alliant Energy

Electricity: Alliant Energy

There is no local cable TV & no local cell phone service provider

78 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Business And Industry

The City of Mt. Auburn is home to 2 businesses, the Mt. Auburn Elevator and Hendryx Electric. Both businesses together employ 10 part and full-time employees.

Employment

Employed civilian population 16 years and over 74 100.0 OCCUPATION Management, professional, and related occupations 13 17.6 Service occupations 11 14.9 Sales and office occupations 22 29.7 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 3 4.1 Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations 14 18.9 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 11 14.9

INDUSTRY Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 0 0.0 Construction 9 12.2 Manufacturing 16 21.6 Wholesale trade 7 9.5 Retail trade 10 13.5 Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 5 6.8 Information 0 0.0 Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing 2 2.7 Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services 2 2.7 Educational, health and social services 13 17.6 Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services 4 5.4 Other services (except public administration) 1 1.4 Public administration 5 6.8

CRITICAL FACILITIES

Facilities essential to the health and welfare of the entire population, especially following a hazard event: Mt. Auburn City Hall Mt. Auburn Fire Station Emergency Shelters Mt. Auburn American Legion Hall Cedar/Mt. Auburn Fire Station Transportation Systems County Road V-65 Lifeline Utility Systems City of Mt. Auburn Water Treatment Plant City of Mt. Auburn City Wells City of Mt. Auburn Wastewater Treatment Plant City of Mt. Auburn Public Works Department Vulnerable Population Centers---None Financial Institutions--None Food Supplier--None Hardware Stores--None Gas & Fuel--None

79 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.2.8 NEWHALL

The town site of Newhall was settled in the summer of 1881 with the building of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad west from Marion, Iowa. Newhall grew rapidly and by March 1882 the town had four general stores, two blacksmith shops, lumberyards, one hardware store, an implement dealer, a hotel with a saloon and about 150 residences. The town was incorporated in 1912. The population was 886 living on .3 square miles of land at the 2000 census when there were 360 households, and 245 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,966.2 people per square mile. There were 368 housing units at an average density of 1,232.0/sq mi. There were 360 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.1% were married couples living together, 4.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.02. In the city the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. The median income for a household in the city was $43,269, and the median income for a family was $51,250. Males had a median income of $35,250 versus $29,167 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,124. About 0.8% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 2.1% of those age 65 over.

Government

The City of Newhall is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government with five council members and a mayor, all of whom are elected. The city also has one part-time city clerk, one full time public works employee and one part-time public works employee.

Building Regulations

The City of Newhall has various ordinances regulating development and building construction in the city. Chapters of the city’s code relative to development and building construction include:

Chapter 145 – Dangerous Buildings Chapter 150 – Building Numbering Chapter 151 – Trees Chapter 165 –Zoning Regulations, including the Sign Code Chapter 166 – Subdivision Regulations

Streets

The City of Newhall has approximately 57 blocks and 32 miles of streets. The street surfaces are seal coated, black top and gravel. The city’s public works employees manage street care for the city.

80 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Water And Water Treatment

Water supply for the City of Newhall is supplied by three active wells with a capacity of 105-135 gallons per minute each. The city has one above ground water storage tower which holds a maximum of 250,000 gallons of water. The city’s water treatment plant is located at 11 Fifth Avenue and has a capacity of 140,000 gallons per day. The City of Newhall’s public works employees are the city’s Water Department.

Wastewater Treatment

The City of Newhall has an aerated gravity fed lagoon system west of the city. The system has 6 cells with a capacity of up to 6 million gallons each. The City of Newhall’s public works employees are the city’s Wastewater Department.

Emergency Services

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement for the City of Newhall contracts law enforcement services with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office for coverage that is not to exceed 15 hours per week. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office, headquartered in Vinton, 15 miles away, maintains a staff of 43 people, 16 of whom are actively engaged in law enforcement activities.

Fire Department

The City of Newhall receives fire protection from the Newhall Fire and Rescue Department. The department is staffed with 23 volunteers and maintains a fleet of four vehicles for firefighting and rescue operations. The department averages 20 alarms per year in the city and the surrounding rural district. The fire departments in Benton County have formed a county-wide mutual aid agreement, making the services of an additional 12 fire departments available to the city in the event of a major fire or emergency.

Emergency Medical Services

Emergency medical service for the City of Newhall is provided by the Newhall First Responders, headquartered in the Newhall Fire and Rescue Department. The service is the initial primary emergency medical service provider for the 66 square mile area of the Newhall First Responder District. The service is staffed with fifteen volunteers all certified as emergency medical technician B’s. The service responds to an average of 40 calls for service a year. Ambulance service to the Newhall First Responder District is provided by the Blairstown Ambulance Service in Blairstown and North Benton Ambulance Service in Vinton.

81 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Utilities

Natural Gas: Alliant

Electricity: Alliant

Telephone: South Slope Cooperative Communications Company located in North Liberty, Iowa.

Cable TV: South Slope Cooperative Communications Company located in North Liberty, Iowa and Mediacom.

Business And Industry

The City of Newhall is home to 44 businesses and industries. The Central Lutheran School is the largest employer in the city.

Employment

Employed civilian population 16 years and over 438 100.0 OCCUPATION Management, professional, and related occupations 150 34.2 Service occupations 52 11.9 Sales and office occupations 105 24.0 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 0 0.0 Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations 29 6.6 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 102 23.3

INDUSTRY Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 8 1.8 Construction 11 2.5 Manufacturing 106 24.2 Wholesale trade 15 3.4 Retail trade 65 14.8 Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 28 6.4 Information 24 5.5 Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing 26 5.9 Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services 27 6.2 Educational, health and social services 83 18.9 Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services 28 6.4 Other services (except public administration) 11 2.5 Public administration 6 1.4

82 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 CRITICAL FACILITIES

Facilities essential to the health and welfare of the entire population, especially following a hazard event:

Newhall City Hall Newhall Fire Station Newhall Public Works Building Emergency Shelters Newhall Park Pavilion Newhall Fire Station Transportation Systems

County Road E44 County Road W14 State Highway 287

Lifeline Utility Systems

Water Treatment Plant City Wells Wastewater Treatment Plant Public Works Department

Vulnerable Population Centers (These would be child care entities or snior citizen/retirement homes)

Country View Apartments Central Lutheran School Privatized child care providers

Financial Institutions

Wells Fargo Bank

Food Supplier

Newhall First Stop Newhall Locker Carolan’s Pub and Bowl

Hardware Stores None

Gas & Fuel supplier

Newhall First Stop Linn County Co-op

83 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.2.9 NORWAY

The City of Norway, located in sections 17, 19, and 20 of Florence Township, Benton County, was surveyed in 1863 on ground given for the city by Osmond Tuttle. The city was originally known as Florence. In 1865 the city had its first post office. The city was officially incorporated on December 29, 1894. In 2000, according to the US Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 0.4 square miles. Census Bureau figures put the city’s population at 601 in 2000. There were 247 housing units and 241 households out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.01. In the city the population was spread out with 26.1% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. The median income for a household in the city was $44,018, and the median income for a family was $50,278. Males had a median income of $36,103 versus $20,917 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,300. About 4.3% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The City of Norway is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government with five council members and a mayor, all of whom are elected. The city also has a full-time city clerk, which is a hired position. General operation of city services is conducted by one full-time and one part-time public works employees.

Building Regulations

The City of Norway has various ordinances regulating development and building construction in the city. Chapters of the city’s code relative to development and building construction include:

Chapter 155 –Zoning Regulations of Benton County Chapter 146 – Manufactured, Mobile and Modular Homes Chapter 50 – Code For the Abatement of Unsafe Buildings and Equipment

Certain provisions of the Iowa State Building Code promulgated by the State Building Code Commissioner or State Fire Marshall as provided by Iowa Code, Chapters 100 and 103A, are mandatory and supersede the above standards when they conflict.

Streets

The City of Norway has approximately 44 blocks, or 7.5 miles of streets. All streets of the city are seal coated. The city’s two public works employees take care of street maintenance for the city.

84 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Water And Water Treatment

Water supply for the City of Norway is supplied by the Poweshiek Rural Water Association. Water usage averages 48,000 gallons of water per day. The city has one above ground water storage tower holding a maximum of 100,000 gallons of water. The city has one sand point well that is not hooked up to the city’s water supply system.

Wastewater Treatment

The City of Norway’s wastewater treatment facility is located at 2998 77th Street Drive. The lagoon system was built in 1969 and refurbished in 1992 and has a maximum capacity of 88,000 gallons of wastewater per day and uses a system of one lift station.

Emergency Services

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement for the City of Norway contracts law enforcement services with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office for coverage that is not to exceed 10 hours per week. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office, headquartered in Vinton, 25 miles away, maintains a staff of 43 people, 16 of whom are actively engaged in law enforcement activities.

Fire Department

The City of Norway receives fire protection from the Norway Fire and Rescue Department. The department is staffed with 15 volunteers and maintains a fleet of four vehicles for firefighting and rescue operations. The department averages 20 alarms per year in the city and the surrounding rural district. The fire departments in Benton County have formed a county-wide mutual aid agreement, making the services of an additional 12 fire departments available to the city in the event of a major fire or emergency.

Emergency Medical Services

Emergency medical service for the City of Norway is provided by the Norway First Responders, headquartered in the Norway Fire and Rescue Department. The service is the initial primary emergency medical service provider for a 50 square mile area of the Norway First Responder District. The service is staffed with fifteen volunteers all certified as emergency medical technician B’s. The service responds to an average of 40 calls for service a year. Ambulance service to the Norway First Responder District is provided by the Blairstown Ambulance Service in Blairstown.

Utilities

Natural Gas Provider: Alliant Energy

Electricity: Alliant Energy

Telephone and Internet provider is the South Slope Cooperative Communications Company located in North Liberty, Iowa. Mediacom is the cable television provider.

85 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Business And Industry

The City of Norway is home to sixteen (16) businesses and industries. The Benton Community Schools Norway Elementary Center and Frontier Natural Products Coop located on the city’s boundary are the largest employers in the city. Frontier Natural Products employs 250 people.

Employment

Employed civilian population 16 years and over 300 100.0 OCCUPATION Management, professional, and related occupations 79 26.3 Service occupations 45 15.0 Sales and office occupations 68 22.7 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 2 0.7 Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations 38 12.7 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 68 22.7

INDUSTRY Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 16 5.3 Construction 14 4.7 Manufacturing 76 25.3 Wholesale trade 12 4.0 Retail trade 51 17.0 Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 20 6.7 Information 17 5.7 Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing 14 4.7 Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services 7 2.3 Educational, health and social services 33 11.0 Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services 28 9.3 Other services (except public administration) 9 3.0 Public administration 3 1.0

86 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Critical Facilities

Facilities essential to the health and welfare of the entire population, especially following a hazard event:

Norway City Hall Norway Fire Station Emergency Shelters Benton Community Schools Norway Elementary Center Norway Fire Station

Transportation Systems

County Road E66

Lifeline Utility Systems

City Well Wastewater Treatment Plant Street Department

Vulnerable Population Centers

Frontier Natural Products Coop Day Care Center Benton Community Schools, Norway Elementary Center

Financial Institutions Bank Iowa

Food Supplier DJC Stores Big Al’s Bar & Grill

Hardware Stores None

Gas & Fuel DJC Stores

87 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.2.10 SHELLSBURG

The City of Shellsburg, located on .7 square miles of land in sections 10, 11, 14 and 15 of Canton Township, Benton County, was surveyed in 1854, the third city surveyed in Benton County. In 1856 the city had its first post office and rail service was established to the city in 1869. The city was officially incorporated in 1870 with J.C. Summers as the first mayor of the incorporated city. In 1970 the city’s population stood at 740. U.S. Census Bureau figures put the city’s population at 993 with 356 households, and 260 families residing in the city in 2000. There were 370 housing units at an average density of 513.9/sq mi. There were 356 households out of which 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.5% were married couples living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.7% were non- families. 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.00. In the city the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. The median income for a household in the city was $41,912, and the median income for a family was $49,219. Males had a median income of $36,176 versus $24,250 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,352. About 8.1% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.

Today the City of Shellsburg has a volunteer fire department and first responder service, its own police department, an 18-hole golf course and an active business climate.

Government

The City of Shellsburg is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government with five council members and a mayor, all of whom are elected. The city also has a full-time city clerk, which is a hired position. General operation of city services is conducted by two full-time public works employees. The city also has a full-time police chief.

Building Regulations

The City of Shellsburg has various ordinances regulating development and building construction in the city. Chapters of the city’s code relative to development and building construction include:

Chapter 155 –Zoning Regulations Chapter 160 – Flood Plain Regulations Chapter 165 – Subdivision Control – General Provisions Chapter 165 – Subdivision Control – Procedures Chapter 166 – Subdivision Control – Improvements and Design Standards Chapter 146 – Manufactured, Mobile and Modular Homes Chapter 147 – Water Supply Well Field Regulations Chapter 155 – Building Code and Building and Housing Board of Appeals Chapter 131 – Sign Code Chapter 50 – Code For the Abatement of Unsafe Buildings and Equipment

88 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Codes adopted by reference as per Chapter 130 are:

The International Building Code, 2003 edition The International Mechanical Code, 2003 edition The International Code Council Electrical Code, 2003 edition The International Residential Code for One-and Two-Family Dwellings, 2003 edition, published by the International Code Council The State Plumbing Code for Iowa promulgated by the Iowa Department of Public Health

Streets

The City of Shellsburg has approximately 70 blocks, or 12 miles of streets. The majority of the street surfaces are seal coated with the rest being cement and asphalt. The city’s two public works employees take care of street maintenance for the city.

Water And Water Treatment

Water supply for the City of Shellsburg is supplied by two wells, one that is active and the other is inactive and used as a reserve. Water usage averages 90,000 gallons of water per day. The city has one above ground water storage towers holding a maximum of 75,000 gallons of water. Well field protection has been established to a distance of 2,640 feet in circumference for the city’s wells. Each well is surrounded by an eight feet tall chain link fence with barbed wire across the top and are illuminated by security lights at night. The city’s water treatment plant is located at 107 Taylor Street. The plant has stand-by power generation capabilities but has no security systems in place. The City of Shellsburg’s two public works employees are the city’s Water Department.

Wastewater Treatment

The City of Shellsburg’s wastewater treatment facility is located at 1100 Homer Street on the city’s southeast side. The new mechanical system constructed in 2004 at a cost of $2.3 million has a maximum capacity of 395,000 gallons of wastewater per day and uses a system of two lift stations. The system also provides wastewater treatment service to the Timber Ridge Trailer Court with an estimated population of 300 people three miles south of Shellsburg The new plant is surrounded by an eight foot tall security fence. The City of Shellsburg’s two public works employees are the city’s Wastewater Department.

89 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Emergency Services

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement for the City of Shellsburg is provided by the Shellsburg Police Department. The department maintains a full-time Chief of Police plus a contingent of 3 reserve officers. With this staff the department is capable of providing 24-hour coverage for the city. A 28E agreement between the Shellsburg Police Department and Benton County Sheriff’s Office allows for cross coverage between the two entities as situations dictate. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office, headquartered in Vinton, 10 miles away, maintains a staff of 43 people, 16 of whom are actively engaged in law enforcement activities.

Fire Department

The City of Shellsburg receives fire protection from the Shellsburg Fire Department. The department is staffed with 20 volunteers and maintains a fleet of four vehicles for firefighting and rescue operations. The department averages 50 alarms per year in the city and the surrounding rural district. The fire departments in Benton County have formed a county-wide mutual aid agreement, making the services of an additional 12 fire departments available to the city in the event of a major fire or emergency.

Emergency Medical Services

Emergency medical service for the City of Shellsburg is provided by the Shellsburg First Responders, headquartered in Shellsburg, Iowa. The private-non profit service is the initial primary emergency medical service provider for a 77 square mile area of the Shellsburg First Responder District. The service is staffed with thirteen volunteers including one paramedic, five emergency medical technician B’s and seven first responders. The service responds to an average of 175 calls for service a year. Ambulance service to the Shellsburg First Responder District is provided by the North Benton Ambulance Service in Vinton, the Urbana Ambulance Service and the Area Ambulance Service in Cedar Rapids.

Utilities

Natural Gas Provider: Alliant Energy

Electricity: Alliant Energy

Telephone, Cable TV and Internet provider is USA Communications based in Shellsburg.

90 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Business And Industry

The City of Shellsburg is home to twenty eight (28) businesses and industries. The Rock Ridge Care Canter, Shellsburg Center of the Vinton-Shellsburg Schools and USA Communications are the largest employers in the city.

Employment

Employed civilian population 16 years and over 465 100.0 OCCUPATION Management, professional, and related occupations 109 23.4 Service occupations 55 11.8 Sales and office occupations 146 31.4 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 2 0.4 Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations 35 7.5 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 118 25.4

INDUSTRY Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 6 1.3 Construction 20 4.3 Manufacturing 123 26.5 Wholesale trade 17 3.7 Retail trade 59 12.7 Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 33 7.1 Information 25 5.4 Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing 34 7.3 Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services 16 3.4 Educational, health and social services 63 13.5 Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services 27 5.8 Other services (except public administration) 26 5.6 Public administration 16 3.4

91 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 CRITICAL FACILITIES

Facilities essential to the health and welfare of the entire population, especially following a hazard event: Shellsburg City Hall & Police Station Shellsburg Fire Station Shellsburg Family Practice Clinic USA Communications Emergency Shelters Shellsburg Masonic Hall Shellsburg American Legion

Transportation Systems County Roads E36 and W26.

Lifeline Utility Systems Water Treatment Plant City Wells Wastewater Treatment Plant Street Department

Vulnerable Population Centers Rock Ridge Care Center Day care providers Head Start Day Care and Preschool Vinton-Shellsburg Schools, Shellsburg Center

Financial Institutions Wells Fargo Bank

Food Supplier Roys Shellsburg Quick Stop Coop’s Roadhouse Pearl Street Divine Decadents

Hardware Stores None

Gas & Fuel Shellsburg Quick Stop

92 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.2.11 URBANA

The City of Urbana, located in sections 22, 26, 27, 33, 34 and 35 of Polk Township is one of the oldest communities in the county. The first recorded incidence of settlers in the area is 1839. The first name of a community in the area was Hoosier’s Point in 1840. That name was changed in 1847 when a town named Marysville was laid out. The first post office was established in the community in 1848. In 1857 the name of the community was changed to Urbana and in 1895 the city was incorporated. In 1887 the city was noted as having a population of 200 people. In 1923 census figures showed the city’s population “at about 400.” 2000 Census Bureau figures set the population of the city at 1,019. Due to the city’s location along Interstate 380 between Cedar Rapids and Waterloo and development in the area, it is noted as one of the fastest growing areas in the county.

As of the census of 2000, there 372 households, and 284 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,512.5 people per square mile. There were 384 housing units and 372 households out of which 43.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.9% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were non-families. 18.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.13. In the city the population was spread out with 30.5% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 38.0% from 25 to 44, 13.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. The median income for a household in the city was $49,063, and the median income for a family was $54,327. Males had a median income of $35,682 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,005. About 0.7% of families and 1.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The City of Urbana is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government with five council members and a mayor, all of whom are elected. The city also has a full-time city clerk/treasurer and an administrative director/deputy city clerk/treasurer, which are hired positions. General operation of city services is conducted by three full-time public works employees. The city also has a part-time police chief plus three part-time reserve police officers and an on call/as needed building inspector.

Building Regulations

The City of Urbana has various ordinances regulating development and building construction in the city. Chapters of the city’s code relative to development and building construction include:

Chapter 94 – Public Water Well Protection Chapter 145 – Dangerous Buildings Chapter 150 – Building Numbering Chapter 151 – Trees Chapter 155 – Building Code Chapter 156 – Fences Chapter 157 – Storm Drainage Chapter 158 – Sign Code Chapter 165 –Zoning Regulations Chapter 166 – Subdivision Regulations Chapter 168-Storm Water Management Codes adopted by reference as per Chapter 155 are: 93 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

The International Building Code, 2003 edition The International Mechanical Code, 2003 edition The International Residential Code for One-and Two-Family Dwellings, 2003 edition, published by the International Code Council The International Plumbing Code, 2003 Edition The National Electrical Code, 2002 Edition

Streets

The City of Urbana has approximately 200 blocks and 20 miles of streets. The street surfaces are seal coated, asphalt or concrete. The city’s three public works employees take care of street maintenance for the city.

Water And Water Treatment

Water supply for the City of Urbana is supplied by four active wells. Water usage averages 100,000 gallons of water per day. The city has two above ground water storage towers holding a maximum of 100,000 gallons of water in each. Well field protection has been established to a distance of 2,640 feet in circumference for the city’s wells. Each well is surrounded by an eight feet tall chain link fence with barbed wire across the top. Only one is illuminated by security lights at night. The city’s two water treatment plants are located at 507 West Wood Street and 205 West Main Street. The plant has stand-by power generation capabilities. The City of Urbana’s three public works employees are the city’s Water Department.

Wastewater Treatment

The City of Urbana’s wastewater treatment facility is located at 601 Center Avenue. The facility uses a combination of lagoons and a mechanical activated sludge plant. The lagoons are capable of handling a maximum of 101,000 gallons of wastewater per day and the mechanical system is capable of processing 50,000 gallons of wastewater per day. The City of Urbana’s three public works employees are the city’s Wastewater Department.

94 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Emergency Services

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement for the City of Urbana is provided by the Urbana Police Department. The department maintains a part-time Chief of Police plus a contingent of 3 part-time hourly officers. With this staff the department is capable of providing 24-hour coverage for the city. A 28E agreement between the Urbana Police Department and Benton County Sheriff’s Office allows for cross coverage between the two entities as situations dictate. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office, headquartered in Vinton, 10 miles away, maintains a staff of 43 people, 16 of whom are actively engaged in law enforcement activities.

Fire Department

The City of Urbana receives fire protection from the Urbana Fire Department. The department is staffed with 35 volunteers and maintains a fleet of four vehicles for firefighting and rescue operations. The department averages 70 alarms per year in the city and the surrounding rural district. The fire departments in Benton County have formed a county-wide mutual aid agreement, making the services of an additional 12 fire departments available to the city in the event of a major fire or emergency.

Emergency Medical Services

Emergency medical service for the City of Urbana is provided by the Urbana Ambulance Service, headquartered in Urbana, Iowa. The private-non profit service is the initial primary emergency medical service provider for a 48 square mile area of the Urbana Ambulance Service District. The service is staffed with 11 volunteers, which include five emergency medical technicians and six ambulance drivers. The service responds to an average of 80 calls for service a year.

Utilities

Natural Gas Provider: Alliant Energy

Electricity: Alliant Energy and the East Central Iowa REC.

Telephone, Cable TV and Internet provider is USA Communications based in Urbana.

95 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Business And Industry

The City of Urbana is home to 38 businesses and industries. The Center Point-Urbana Middle School, with 43 employees, is the city’s largest employer.

Employed civilian population 16 years and over 549 100.0 OCCUPATION Management, professional, and related occupations 124 22.6 Service occupations 57 10.4 Sales and office occupations 151 27.5 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 1 0.2 Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations 75 13.7 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 141 25.7

INDUSTRY Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 8 1.5 Construction 57 10.4 Manufacturing 150 27.3 Wholesale trade 15 2.7 Retail trade 65 11.8 Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 26 4.7 Information 27 4.9 Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing 39 7.1 Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services 30 5.5 Educational, health and social services 66 12.0 Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services 35 6.4 Other services (except public administration) 14 2.6 Public administration 17 3.1

96 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Critical Facilities

Facilities essential to the health and welfare of the entire population, especially following a hazard event:

Urbana City Hall Urbana Emergency Services Building Urbana Family Practice Clinic Emergency Shelters (School/Churches) Urbana Community Center Don Bosco Hall

Transportation Systems

Interstate 380 Highways 150 County Roads E2W and W26 Sunset Street (former Hwy 363).

Lifeline Utility Systems

Water Treatment Plant City Wells Wastewater Treatment Plant Public Works Department

Vulnerable Population Centers

Day care providers Center Point-Urbana Schools Middle School First Christian Church Day Care Center

Financial Institutions

Security State Bank Wells Fargo Bank

Food Supplier None

Hardware Stores None Gas & Fuel supplier GoAmerica Casey’s General Store

97 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.2.12 VAN HORNE

The community of Van Horne was named after Sir William Cornelius Van Horne (1843-1915), Chicago-Milwaukee Railroad Superintendent. Van Horne was described as the "New Village" in 1883 and was to be an active business center, which it remains today. The population of the city was 716 at the 2000 census. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.7 square miles, all of it land. As of the census of 2000, there were 286 households, and 195 families residing in the city out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.8% were married couples living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.08. The population density was 1,008.2 people per square mile. There were 305 housing units at an average density of 429.5/sq mi. In the city the population was spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. The median income for a household in the city was $45,000, and the median income for a family was $49,261. Males had a median income of $30,550 versus $23,092 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,439. None of the families and 2.9% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 6.7% of those over 64.

Today the City of Van Horne enjoys an active commercial and business base. The city has its own volunteer fire department and first responder EMS service, a community center and a public library.

Government

The City of Van Horne is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government with five council members and a mayor, all of whom are elected. The city also has a full-time city clerk, public works director, assistant public works director, library director and 2 library employees.

Building Regulations

The City of Van Horne has various ordinances regulating development and building construction in the city. Chapters of the city’s code relative to development and building construction include:

Chapter 94 – Wells & Private Wells Chapter 151 – Trees Chapter 155 – Building Code (Permits) Chapter 156 – Sign Code Chapter 165 –Zoning Regulations Chapter 166 – Subdivision Regulations

Codes adopted by reference as per Chapter 155 are:

Streets

The City of Van Horne has approximately 40 blocks and 6 miles of streets. The street surfaces are gravel, seal coated, asphalt or concrete. The city’s two public works employees take care of street maintenance for the city.

Water And Water Treatment

The City of Van Horne purchases water from the Powesheik Rural Water Association. The city has one above ground water tower with a capacity of 500,000 gallons.

Wastewater Treatment

Wastewater Treatment for the City of Van Horne is accomplished with a 6-year old extended aeration activated sludge plant located on 11th St.

Emergency Services

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement for the City of Van Horne contracts law enforcement services with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office for coverage that is not to exceed 15 hours per week. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office, headquartered in Vinton, 20 miles away, maintains a staff of 43 people, 16 of whom are actively engaged in law enforcement activities.

Fire Department

The City of Van Horne receives fire protection from the Van Horne Fire Department (VHFD). The VHFD is staffed with 25 volunteer firefighters. The department maintains a fleet of four vehicles; two pumper/tankers plus a personnel rescue/mobile command vehicle and a wildland firefighting rig. The department responds to an average of 30 fire and emergency alarms annually. The City has an ISO rating of 7 for Fire Protection. Emergency Medical Services

Emergency medical service for the City of Van Horne is provided by the Van Horne First Responders, headquartered in the Van Horne Emergency Services Building. The service is the initial primary emergency medical service provider for the 51 square mile area of the Van Horne First Responder District. The service is staffed with fifteen volunteers all certified as emergency medical technician B’s. The service responds to an average of 50 calls for service a year. Ambulance service to the Van Horne First Responder District is provided by the North Benton Ambulance Service in Vinton.

99 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Utilities providers

Gas—Alliant Energy

Electric provider—Alliant Energy

Telecommunications—Van Horne Cooperative Telephone

Cable TV—Van Horne Cooperative Telephone

Business and Industry

The City of Van Horne is home to 30 businesses and industries. The Benton Community Schools are the city’s largest employer.

Employed civilian population 16 years and over 402 100.0 OCCUPATION Management, professional, and related occupations 130 32.3 Service occupations 41 10.2 Sales and office occupations 106 26.4 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 3 0.7 Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations 51 12.7 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 71 17.7

INDUSTRY Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 13 3.2 Construction 45 11.2 Manufacturing 64 15.9 Wholesale trade 19 4.7 Retail trade 31 7.7 Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 27 6.7 Information 18 4.5 Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing 29 7.2 Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services 36 9.0 Educational, health and social services 86 21.4 Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services 11 2.7 Other services (except public administration) 14 3.5 Public administration 9 2.2

100 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Critical Facilities

Facilities essential to the health and welfare of the entire population, especially following a hazard event: Van Horne City Hall Van Horne Emergency Services Building Van Horne Family Practice Clinic Emergency Shelters Van Horne Emergency Services Building Van Horne Community Building Van Horne City Shed

Transportation Systems County RoadsV66 and E44

Lifeline Utility Systems Van Horne Sewer Plant Van Horne Water Plant – not currently in operation

Vulnerable Population Centers Van Horne Elementary School Benton Community Middle School Benton Community High School Early Beginnings Day Care

Medical Facilities Van Horne Family Medical Service Cornerstone Apothecary

Financial Institutions Chelsea Savings Bank

Food Supplier Benton Quick Stop Bobcat Den

Hardware Stores None

Gas & Fuel supplier

New Century Farm Service Benton Quick Stop O’grady Chemical

101 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.2.13 VINTON

The City of Vinton, on the banks of the Cedar River, is nearly equidistant from Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. The city traces its origins to 1846, the same year Iowa was granted statehood. In that year a portion of the current city site, an area known as Northport, was designated as the County Seat of Justice by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa. Not a single house was erected on the site for three years; then in 1849 several families settled in an area nearby known as Fremont. As time progressed over the next decade, three communities occupied the area: Northport, Freemo nt and Vinton, with Vinton eventually becoming the name of the entire community. Vinton was officially incorporated as a city in 1869. Over the next century the city grew to a population of over 5,000 people with all of the necessary infrastructure necessary to support its population along with various business and industrial operations.

The population of Vinton according to the 2000 census was 5,102. The city has a total area of 4.3 square miles. There were 2,116 households, and 1,390 families residing in the city’s 2,227 housing units. In the 2,116 households, 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.91. In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. The median income for a household in the city was $35,114, and the median income for a family was $41,546. Males had a median income of $32,460 versus $19,988 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,808. About 9.5% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.7% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

GOVERNMENT

The City of Vinton is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government with six council members and a mayor, all of whom are elected. General operation of the city is directed by a full-time city coordinator. Council members serve on various standing committees concerned with aspects of the city’s government, including: Public Safety; Public Works; Culture, Recreation, Health & Social Services; General Government, Community & Economic Development, Business Type Activities and the Electric Utility Board. Both the City Attorney and City Clerk/Treasurer are appointed by the council. The city has a total of 40 full-time employees and 107 part-time employees including volunteer firefighters who are paid on-call.

Building Regulations

The City of Vinton has various ordinances regulating development and building construction in the city. Chapters of the city’s code relative to development and building construction include:

Chapter 120 – Planning and Zoning Commission Chapter 121 –Zoning Regulations Chapter 122 – Flood Plain Regulations Chapter 123 – Airport Zoning Regulations Chapter 124 – Subdivision Control – General Provisions Chapter 125 – Subdivision Control – Procedures Chapter 126 – Subdivision Control – Improvements and Design Standards Chapter 127 – Manufactured, Mobile and Modular Homes 102 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Chapter 128 – Water Supply Well Field Regulations Chapter 130 – Building Code and Building and Housing Board of Appeals Chapter 131 – Sign Code Chapter 132 – Code For the Abatement of Unsafe Buildings and Equipment

Codes adopted by reference as per Chapter 130 are:

Highway/Interstate

The City of Vinton is served by two major Highways, Highway 150 and 218. County Road E24 provides another paved route from the city.

Air

Vinton has its own airport; the Vinton Veterans Memorial Airport located three miles north of the city on Highway 150. The airport has two runways: Runway 9/27 measuring 4,000 feet long by 60 feet wide and Runway 16/34 measuring 2,500 feet long by 50 feet wide. The airport is staffed by a fixed base operator (FBO). Management of the airport is overseen by the Vinton Veterans Memorial Airport Commission.

Rail

Rail service is provided to the City of Vinton by the Iowa Northern Railroad. The railroad averages two trains daily through the city.

Streets

The City of Vinton has approximately 619 blocks, or 35 miles of streets. Surfaces of the city’s streets include 33 percent concrete; 21 percent asphalt; 2 percent brick; 40 percent seal coat and 4 percent gravel. The City of Vinton’s Street Department has 6 employees and is headquartered at 901 West 3rd Street.

103 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Water And Water Treatment

Water supply for the city of Vinton is supplied by four wells, three that are active and one this is an inactive well used as a reserve. Water usage averages 550,000 gallons of water per day. The city has two above ground water storage towers holding a maximum of 1,250,000 gallons of water. Well field protection has been established to a distance of 1,000 feet in circumference of all four of the city’s wells. Each well is surrounded by an eight feet tall chain link fence with barbed wire across the top and are illuminated by security lights at night. The city’s water treatment plant is located at the West Well at 903 West 1st Street. Security systems in place at the water treatment plant include alarm systems for any window breakage or unauthorized door opening and security cameras. The City of Vinton’s Water Department has 4 employees and is headquartered at 903 West 1st Street.

Wastewater Treatment

The City of Vinton’s wastewater treatment facility is located at 6026 25th Avenue Drive on the city’s southeast side. The activated sludge system constructed in 1982 has a maximum capacity of 1.8 million gallons of wastewater per day and uses a system of seven lift stations. The average use, as of May, 2005, was 800,000 gallons per day. The City of Vinton’s Wastewater Department has 3 employees.

Emergency Services

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement for the City of Vinton is provided by the Vinton Police Department. The department maintains a staff of 5 full-time patrol officers, a full-time Chief of Police and Police Lieutenant plus a contingent of 3 reserve officers. With this staff the department is capable of providing 24-hour coverage for the city. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office and Benton County Jail are also headquartered in Vinton. The office maintains a staff of 43 people, 16 of whom are actively engaged in law enforcement activities. A 28E agreement between the Vinton Police Department and Benton County Sheriff’s Office allows for cross coverage between the two entities as situations dictate.

Fire Department

The City of Vinton receives fire protection from the Vinton Fire Department. The department is staffed with 25 volunteers and maintains a fleet of six vehicles for firefighting and rescue operations. The department averages 80 alarms per year in the city and the surrounding rural district. The fire departments in Benton County have formed a county-wide mutual aid agreement, making the services of an additional 12 fire departments available to the city in the event of a major fire or emergency.

104 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Ambulance

Emergency medical service for the City of Vinton is provided by the North Benton Ambulance Service (NBA), headquartered in Vinton, Iowa. The private-non profit service is the primary emergency medical service provider for a 200 square mile area encompassing the communities of Vinton, Garrison, Mt. Auburn, Brandon and Newhall with supplemental coverage to the communities of Shellsburg, Urbana and Van Horne. The service is staffed with one full-time director and 24 volunteers with varying levels of certification ranging from emergency medical technician to paramedic specialist. In 2004 the service responded to 686 calls for service ranging from medical transfers to multiple casualty incidents.

Utilities

Natural Gas Provider: Alliant Energy

Electricity: Purchased by the Vinton Municipal Electric Utility from the Resale Power Group. The city owns and operates the utility which has its own plant with six diesel driven generators capable of 17 megawatts of power used for emergencies and during peak shaving. The plant is capable of powering the entire community.

Telephone, Cable TV and Internet providers: Local telephone is provided by Qwest. Cable TV is provided Mediacom and Satellite TV by Direct TV. Wireless Internet is provided by Eastern Iowa Computers and Prairienet. High speed Internet is provided by Mediacom and Dialup Internet has numerous providers. Qwest offers DSL at various speeds. Satellite Internet is available through Farmers Telephone Coop. in Shellsburg.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY

The City of Vinton is home to numerous businesses and industries. A downtown area along Fourth Street encompassing approximately ten square blocks is the main area of commerce with approximately 100 retail and service businesses. Ideal Industries, located in the Industrial Park on the city’s west side, is the largest industry in the city, employing 30 people.

Employed civilian population 16 years and over 2,347 100.0 OCCUPATION Management, professional, and related occupations 656 28.0 Service occupations 462 19.7 Sales and office occupations 558 23.8 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 0 0.0 Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations 270 11.5 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 401 17.1

INDUSTRY Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 49 2.1 Construction 239 10.2 Manufacturing 234 10.0 Wholesale trade 74 3.2 Retail trade 290 12.4 Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 137 5.8 Information 118 5.0 Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing 151 6.4 Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services 179 7.6 Educational, health and social services 600 25.6 Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services 113 4.8 Other services (except public administration) 101 4.3 Public administration 62 2.6

105 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 CRITICAL FACILITIES

Facilities essential to the health and welfare of the entire population, especially following a hazard event:

Vinton City Hall & Police Station Benton County Court House & Governor Sherman Building Vinton Fire Station North Benton Ambulance Headquarters Emergency Shelters Iowa Braille School Vinton Skate and Activity Center

Transportation Systems

Highway 218 Highway 150 Cedar River Bridge

Lifeline Utility Systems

Water Treatment Plant City Wells Wastewater Treatment Plant Vinton Electric Utility Plant Vinton Street Department

Vulnerable Population Centers

Virginia Gay Annex Vinton Lutheran Home Happy Time Child Care Head Start Day Care and Preschool Vinton-Shellsburg Schools: Tilford Elementary, Washington Middle School and Vinton-Shellsburg High School Iowa Braille and Sight Savings School Windsor Assisted Living Manor

Medical Facilities Virginia Gay Hospital Vinton Family Medical Clinic St. Luke’s Clinic Vinton Family Practice Clingman Pharmacy LaGrange Pharmacy

106 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Financial Institutions

US Bank Farmer’s Savings Bank Cedar Valley Bank and Trust Regions Bank

Food Supplier

Fareway Stores Roy’s Hometown Grocery Casey’s John’s Quick Stop The Ron-da-Voo Café 218 Leon’s Malt Shop Pizza Ranch Pizza Hut Peony Chinese Restaurant Jerry Ray’s BBQ McDonalds Subway

Hardware Stores Thiesens McDowell’s

Gas & Fuel supplier

Casey’s Farm Service Fast Stop Tama-Benton Co-op John’s Quick Stop Henkle’s Service and Repair Ehlinger’s

107 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.2.14 WALFORD

The City of Walford is located on the county line in southeast Benton County. 75% of the city is located in Benton County and 25% is in Linn County. Walford promotes diversity in economic growth, planning and sound strategies for future community changes, a broad local business base, and an excellent quality of life.

The population of Walford was 1,224 at the 2000 census. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.0 square miles. As of the census there were 1,224 people, 389 households, and 348 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,276.8 people per square mile (492.3/km²). There were 399 housing units. There were 389 households out of which 56.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 81.2% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 10.5% were non- families. 8.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.14 and the average family size was 3.35. In the city the population was spread out with 36.4% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 39.8% from 25 to 44, 14.1% from 45 to 64, and 4.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. The median income for a household in the city was $67,833, and the median income for a family was $70,000. Males had a median income of $42,197 versus $27,188 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,370. None of the families and 0.4% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Government

The City of Walford is governed by a Mayor/Council form of government with five council members and a mayor, all of whom are elected. The city also has a full-time city clerk and two full-time public works employees.

Building Regulations

The City of Walford has various ordinances regulating development and building construction in the city. Chapters of the city’s code relative to development and building construction include:

Chapter 145 – Dangerous Buildings Chapter 158 – Sign Code Chapter 165 –Zoning Regulations, including the Sign Code Chapter 166 – Subdivision Regulations

Streets

The City of Walford has approximately 77 blocks, or 9 miles of streets. Surfaces of the city’s streets are concrete and seal coat. The city’s two public works employees take care of street maintenance for the city.

Water And Water Treatment

The City of Walford does not have a water treatment system. Walford residents all maintain their own private wells.

108 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Wastewater Treatment

Wastewater treatment for the City of Walford is accomplished with an extended air activated sludge treatment plant located on 4th Street South. The plant has a capacity of 430,000 gallons per day

Emergency Services

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement for the City of Walford contracts law enforcement services with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office for coverage that is not to exceed 15 hours per week. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office, headquartered in Vinton, 20 miles away, maintains a staff of 43 people, 16 of whom are actively engaged in law enforcement activities.

Fire Department

The City of Walford receives fire protection from the Fairfax Fire Department (FFD). The department has two stations, one in Fairfax and one in Walford. The FFD is staffed with 37 volunteer firefighters, 11 of whom reside in Walford. The department maintains a fleet of 8 vehicles; 2 pumpers, 1 tanker, 1 pumper/tanker, 2 medical response units, 1 rescue unit and 1 wildland/grass firefighting rig, plus a personnel rescue/mobile command vehicle and a wildland firefighting rig. The department responds to an average of 175 fire and medical alarms annually.

Emergency Medical Services

Immediate emergency medical service for the City of Walford is provided by the Fairfax Fire Department which maintains a medical first response unit in Walford. EMS transport service is provided by Area Ambulance Service, a paramedic level service headquartered at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids. The Fairfax Fire Department responds to an average of 150 medical calls annually.

Utilities providers

Natural Gas – Alliant Energy

Electricity – Alliant Energy

Telephone - South Slope Cooperative Communications Company located in North Liberty, Iowa.

Cable TV - South Slope Cooperative Communications Company located in North Liberty, Iowa.

109 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Business and Industry

Walford is home to 18 commercial and industrial enterprises. GSTC Trucking and Midwest Computer Broker are the city’s largest employers.

Employed civilian population 16 years and over 670 100.0 OCCUPATION Management, professional, and related occupations 252 37.6 Service occupations 54 8.1 Sales and office occupations 198 29.6 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations 4 0.6 Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations 52 7.8 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 110 16.4

INDUSTRY Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 8 1.2 Construction 49 7.3 Manufacturing 144 21.5 Wholesale trade 24 3.6 Retail trade 70 10.4 Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 59 8.8 Information 31 4.6 Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing 52 7.8 Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services 51 7.6 Educational, health and social services 135 20.1 Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services 12 1.8 Other services (except public administration) 9 1.3 Public administration 26 3.9

110 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 CRITICAL FACILITIES

Facilities essential to the health and welfare of the entire population, especially following a hazard event: Walford City Hall Fairfax Fire Department—Walford Station Emergency Shelters Clover Ridge United Methodist Church Walford Community Center Walford Public Works Building

Transportation Systems US Highway 151

Lifeline Utility Systems Walford wastewater treatment plant

Vulnerable Population Centers None

Financial Institutions Walford Farmers Savings Bank

Food Supplier Angle Inn Super Dave's Bar and Grill Ponderosa Hall and Ballroom

Hardware Stores None

Gas & Fuel supplier Walford BP Fauser Oil

111 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.2.15 BENTON COUNTY UNINCORPORATED

The US Census Bureau estimated the population of Benton County’s unincorporated area at 8,740 living in 3,506 housing units in 2008.

Government

Benton County is governed by a three-member Board of Supervisors. Elected officials of the county are three county supervisors, the sheriff, recorder, treasurer, attorney, and auditor.

All totaled Benton County has 107 full-time and 47 part time employees of its departments and services. The breakdown is as follows:

112 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Regulations

The following ordinances relative to hazard mitigation are in force in Benton County. In addition to these regulations there are various regulations that are covered under the Code of Iowa.

Ordinance Number Title

11 Collection and Disposal of Waste Matter 15 Airport Tall Structure Zoning Ordinance 16 Issuing Siting Permits 17 Prohibiting Creation or Maintenance of a Nuisance within Benton County 29 Snow removal 31 On-site Wastewater Treatment and Disposal System 32 Well Field Protection 33 Rural Address System 47 Class “C” Roads 48 Quarantine and Isolation 58 Floodplain Management 60 Private Sewage Disposal System

Roads & Transportation Systems

Roads: Benton County has 1,330 miles of rural roads maintained by Benton County Secondary Roads including 97 miles of rural primary, 216 miles of paved/hard surface secondary roads, 924 miles of rock surface secondary roads, 93 miles of earth (dirt) surface secondary roads. Interstate 380/Iowa Highway 27 crosses the northeastern corner of Benton County. Two major highways extend across the county. U.S. Highway No. 30 traverses the southern half of the county. U.S. Highway No. 218 extends east and north across the county. Several state highways and hard surfaced county roads connect these major highways to the smaller communities. Most other roads are hard surfaced or are surfaced with crushed limestone or gravel. State Highways in Benton County include Iowa Highway 8, Iowa Highway 21 and Iowa Highway 150.

Railroads: Benton County has three railroads. Nearly 100 trains per day travel 24 miles of track through the cities of Belle Plaine, Blairstown and Norway on a busy double rail line operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. The Iowa Northern Railroad passes two trains daily over 25 miles of track through Mt. Auburn, Vinton and Shellsburg. Two miles of track operated by the Cedar Rapids—Iowa City Railroad pass through Walford in the southeast corner of the county.

Airports: Benton County has two airports domiciled within the county’s boundaries, the Belle Plaine Airport near Belle Plaine and the Vinton Veterans Memorial Airport near Vinton. Both have 4,000 feet long runways.

113 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Water And Water Treatment

Benton County unincorporated does not have a water treatment system. The only organized means of water supply in the county is rural water that is supplied by the Poweshiek Rural Water Association headquartered at 125 Industrial Drive, Brooklyn, Iowa. ·The association has 1,050 clients in the townships of Bruce, Cedar, Eldorado, Fremont, Florence, Iowa, Jackson, Leroy, Monroe, St, Claire and Union. All of the remaining Residents of Benton the rural Benton County maintain their own private wells.

Wastewater Treatment

Wastewater treatment for Benton County Unincorporated areas is accomplished through private septic systems.

Emergency Services

Emergency Management

Emergency Management for the unincorporated area of Benton County is provided by the Benton County Emergency Management Agency, headquartered in the Benton County Courthouse in Vinton, is governed by a board of commissioners comprised of the Mayors from each of the incorporated jurisdictions in the County or their delegates, a representative of the Benton County Sheriff’s Department and the Benton County Board of Supervisors. The agency currently has one full-time staff person, the Emergency Management Coordinator and one volunteer who assists in the office. The Emergency Management Agency works in conjunction with local fire, rescue, police, and government officials to draft and implement workable emergency action plans in the community. Furthermore, the Agency is responsible for the monthly testing of all outdoor warning sirens in the County.

Law Enforcement

Law Enforcement for the unincorporated area of Benton County is provided by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. The office is headquartered in Vinton and maintains a staff of 43 people, 16 of whom are actively engaged in law enforcement activities as patrol officers.

HAZMAT Services

114 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Fire Departments

Benton County unincorporated areas receive fire protection from 14 domiciled fire departments in Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Garrison, Keystone, Luzerne, Mount Auburn, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Urbana, Van Horne, Vinton and Watkins. Staffing of these departments is entirely volunteer. The fire departments of Benton County are all signatory to a county-wide mutual aid agreement making the services of all departments in the county available to each other in the event of a major fire or emergency. Fire departments in neighboring counties with territory in Benton County include Brandon, Dysart, Fairfax, La Porte City and Walker.

Emergency Medical Services

Utilities providers

Natural Gas – Alliant Energy, Northern Natural Gas

Electricity – Alliant Energy, East Central Iowa REC

Telephone – South Slope Cooperative Communications Company located in North Liberty, Iowa; Van Horne Cooperative Telephone, Van Horne; USA Communications, Shellsburg; Coon Creek Telephone Co., Blairstown; Atkins Telephone Co., Atkins.

Cable TV – South Slope Cooperative Communications Company located in North Liberty, Iowa; Van Horne Cooperative Telephone, Van Horne; USA Communications, Shellsburg; Coon Creek Telephone Co., Blairstown; Atkins Telephone Co., Atkins.

Cell Phone – numerous providers

Business and Industry

Agriculture is the predominant business in the unincorporated area of Benton County. Census Data indicates that in 2009 the county had 1,250 farms totaling 402,000 acres or 86% of the land area of the county. The average size of a Benton County Farm is 322 acres. The average age of Benton County farmers is 56. The average value of a farm and its buildings is $1,446,850.

According to information provided by the Benton County Assessor’s Office there are 132 non-farming business and industries located in the unincorporated areas of Benton County. Data could not be obtained regarding the type of business or industry or the employment at the various businesses and industries.

115 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 CRITICAL FACILITIES

Facilities essential to the health and welfare of the entire population, especially following a hazard event: Road maintainer sheds of Benton County Secondary Roads located in or near Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Bruce Township, Garrison, Keystone, Mt. Auburn, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Urbana and Vinton

Transportation Systems

Interstate 380/Iowa Highway 27 U.S. Highway No. 30 U.S. Highway No. 218 Iowa Highway 8 Iowa Highway 21 Iowa Highway 150. 1,330 miles of rural roads maintained by Benton County Secondary Roads including 97 miles of rural primary, 216 miles of paved/hard surface secondary roads, 924 miles of rock surface secondary roads, 93 miles of earth (dirt) surface secondary roads.

24 miles of Union Pacific Railroad line

Lifeline Utility Systems None

Vulnerable Population Centers None

Financial Institutions Watkins Savings Bank

Food Supplier Ced Rel Supper Club Tara Hills Country Club

Hardware Stores Professional Ag Supplies

Gas & Fuel supplier New Century FS

116 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Communications Systems

Channel 28 FOX Tower Benton County Communications Tower US Cellular Communications Towers Mediacom Communications Tower TV-6 LLC Communications Tower RACOM Communications Tower

117 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.3 PAST DISASTERS AND DISASTER DECLARATIONS

Information provided by FEMA states that since 1990, Benton County has been a part of 6 Presidential Disaster Declarations as follows:

May 27, 2008: Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding March 14, 2007: Severe Winter Storms May 25, 2004: Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding June 19, 2002 Severe Storms and Flooding June 2, 1998: Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding June, 1993: Flooding

After researching local records and consulting FEMA, Information on any previous declarations could not be obtained.

According to USDA records, in the last five years the following agricultural disaster declarations have occurred in Benton County.

2008 Presidential Declaration M1763 for Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding May 25, 2008 to August 13, 2008 2008 Secretarial Declaration S2760 for Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes May 25, 2008 to August 13, 2008 2007 Presidential Declaration M1688 for Severe Winter Storms February 23, 2007 to March 2, 2007 2007 Presidential Declaration M1737 for Severe Winter Storms December 10, 2007 to December 11, 2007 2007 Secretarial Declaration S2574 for Late spring Freeze April 4, 2007 to April 10, 2007 2006 Administrator Declaration N859 for Severe Storms and Tornadoes April 13, 2006 to April 13, 2006 2005 Secretarial Declaration S2127 for Drought January 1, 2005 to September 30, 2005 2004 Presidential Declaration M1518 for Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding May 19, 2004 to June 24, 2004

Throughout the history of Benton County there have been numerous disaster incidents of smaller proportions and influence that did not receive Presidential or Agricultural Disaster Declarations. Some of these events have been documented, some have not. Where appropriate and when information is available, these incidents are noted in this plan.

118 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 2.4 PREVIOUS HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING

Hazard Mitigation Planning in Benton County has previously been undertaken at the individual community level. Plans developed, who they were developed by and the year they received FEMA approval are as follows:

Atkins 2009 Steve Meyer Consulting LLC. Belle Plaine 2007 East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG Blairstown 2009 Steve Meyer Consulting LLC. Keystone 2009 Steve Meyer Consulting LLC. Luzerne 2006 Steve Meyer Consulting LLC. Mt. Auburn 2009 Steve Meyer Consulting LLC. Norway 2006 Steve Meyer Consulting LLC. Shellsburg 2006 Steve Meyer Consulting LLC. Urbana 2007 Steve Meyer Consulting LLC. Vinton 2005 Steve Meyer Consulting LLC.

Communities without plans in Benton County include Garrison, Van Horne and Walford. ECICOG completed an HMP for the City of Newhall in 2002, but it was not DMA2000 compliant and was not approved by FEMA. Additionally, Benton County has never developed a hazard mitigation plan for the unincorporated areas of the county.

Benton County has never had a multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan developed or a hazard mitigation plan for its unincorporated areas.

119 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

2.5 CURRENT AND HISTORIC MITIGATION ACTIVITIES AND MEASURES

A. Benton County (rural areas only)

 All of rural Benton County is covered with Law Enforcement provided by the Benton County Sheriffs office, Fire Service provided by the various municipal fire departments, and Emergency Medical Service provided by Fire Department First Responders and various Ambulance Services. Air ambulances are available from St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo and U of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City.

 Benton County EMA offers annual weather spotter training to all emergency responders, amateur radio club members, and citizens.

 A 100 square mile portion of eastern Benton County is covered by 37 outdoor warning sirens with message capability as part of the Duane Arnold Energy Center nuclear power plant system. These sirens are utilized for severe weather warnings and any other life threatening situation which may occur in this portion of the county.

 Benton County is covered by contract with the Linn County Hazardous Materials team. This team is Technician Level trained. Benton County has a cost recovery ordinance in place and offers Haz-mat Operations Level classes annually to our emergency responders.

 In 2004 Benton County was recognized by the National Weather Service as the second county in Iowa to achieve StormReady status. One part of achieving the recognition was the purchase of 92 NOAA Tone Alert Weather Radios by the Benton County Emergency Management Commission. The radios were installed in key government buildings and care facilities in all Benton County communities.

 The Benton County Emergency Management Agency has plans in place outlining Emergency Operations, Hazard Mitigation, Recovery and FEMA approved plans for a radiological incident at the Duane Arnold Energy Center. The Agency also has a current Hazard Analysis, Emergency Management Accreditation Program Assessment, Homeland Security Needs Assessment, 5 year Strategic Plan and participates annually in the Emergency Management Performance Grant program.

 The Benton County Emergency Management Agency participates in four training drills and two full scale exercises per year in support of the Duane Arnold Energy Center nuclear power plant. The Agency also conducts other hazards drills and exercises throughout the year, with various county officials and volunteers participating at the EOC and on scene.

 Various training opportunities covering a variety of topics are offered to Benton County emergency responders throughout the year.

120 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 B. Atkins

 Emergency Services: Law: Benton County Sheriffs Department Fire: Atkins Fire Department EMS: Atkins First Responders and Hiawatha Ambulance Haz-mat: Linn County Hazardous Materials Team- Technician Level  StormReady community  Battery outdoor warning siren with message capability  EMA Indoor Warning System receiver in elementary school building  Various Ordinances for community safety and cleanliness  FEMA approved Hazard Mitigation plan adopted August 2009

C. Belle Plaine

 Emergency Services: Law: Belle Plaine Police Department Fire: Belle Plaine Fire Department EMS: Belle Plaine Ambulance Haz-mat: Linn County Hazardous Materials Team - Technician Level  StormReady community  Electricity required outdoor warning siren  EMA Indoor Warning System receiver in all school buildings and extended care facility  Various Ordinances for community safety and cleanliness  FEMA approved Hazard Mitigation plan adopted January 2007

D. Blairstown

 Emergency Services: Law: Benton County Sheriffs Department Fire: Blairstown Fire Department EMS: Blairstown Ambulance Haz-mat: Linn County Hazardous Materials Team - Technician Level  StormReady community  Battery outdoor warning siren with message capability  Various Ordinances for community safety and cleanliness  FEMA approved Hazard Mitigation plan adopted August 2009

121 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 E. Garrison

 Emergency Services: Law: Benton County Sheriffs Department Fire: Garrison Fire Department EMS: Garrison First Responders and North Benton Ambulance Haz-mat: Linn County Hazardous Materials Team - Technician Level  StormReady community  Electricity required outdoor warning siren  Various Ordinances for community safety and cleanliness

F. Keystone

 Emergency Services: Law: Benton County Sheriffs Department Fire: Keystone Fire Department EMS: Keystone First Responders and Elberon Ambulance Haz-mat: Linn County Hazardous Materials Team - Technician Level  StormReady community  Electricity required outdoor warning siren  EMA Indoor Warning System receiver in elementary school building and extended care facility  Various Ordinances for community safety and cleanliness

G. Luzerne

 Emergency Services: Law: Benton County Sheriffs Department Fire: Luzerne Fire Department EMS: Belle Plaine Ambulance Haz-mat: Linn County Hazardous Materials Team - Technician Level  StormReady community  Electricity required outdoor warning siren  Various Ordinances for community safety and cleanliness  FEMA approved Hazard Mitigation plan adopted February 2007

122 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 H. Mt. Auburn

 Emergency Services: Law: Benton County Sheriffs Department Fire: Mt. Auburn Fire Department EMS: Mt. Auburn First Responders and North Benton Ambulance Haz-mat: Linn County Hazardous Materials Team - Technician Level  StormReady community  Electricity required outdoor warning siren  Various Ordinances for community safety and cleanliness

I. Newhall

 Emergency Services: Law: Benton County Sheriffs Department Fire: Newhall Fire Department EMS: Newhall First Responders and North Benton Ambulance Haz-mat: Linn County Hazardous Materials Team - Technician Level  StormReady community  Electricity required outdoor warning siren  Various Ordinances for community safety and cleanliness  FEMA approved Hazard Mitigation plan adopted August 2002

J. Norway

 Emergency Services: Law: Benton County Sheriffs Department Fire: Norway Fire Department EMS: Norway First Responders and Blairstown Ambulance Haz-mat: Linn County Hazardous Materials Team - Technician Level  StormReady community  Battery outdoor warning siren with message capability  EMA Indoor Warning System receiver in elementary school building  Various Ordinances for community safety and cleanliness  FEMA approved Hazard Mitigation plan adopted January 2007

K. Shellsburg 123 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

 Emergency Services: Law: Shellsburg Police Department Fire: Shellsburg Fire Department EMS: Shellsburg First Responders and Hiawatha Ambulance Haz-mat: Linn County Hazardous Materials Team - Technician Level  StormReady community  Battery outdoor warning siren with message capability  EMA Indoor Warning System receiver in elementary school building and extended care facility  Various Ordinances for community safety and cleanliness  FEMA approved Hazard Mitigation plan adopted December 2006

L. Urbana

 Emergency Services: Law: Urbana Police Department Fire: Urbana Fire Department EMS: Urbana Ambulance Haz-mat: Linn County Hazardous Materials Team - Technician Level  StormReady community  Battery outdoor warning siren with message capability  EMA Indoor Warning System receiver in middle school building  Adopted Uniform Building Code, National Electric Code, Uniform Plumbing Code and has a building inspector  Various Ordinances for community safety and cleanliness

M. Van Horne

 Emergency Services: Law: Benton County Sheriffs Department Fire: Van Horne Fire Department EMS: Van Horne First Responders and Blairstown Ambulance Haz-mat: Linn County Hazardous Materials Team - Technician Level  StormReady community  Battery outdoor warning siren with message capability  EMA Indoor Warning System receiver in all school buildings  Various Ordinances for community safety and cleanliness

124 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 N. Vinton

 Emergency Services: Law: Vinton Police Department Fire: Vinton Fire Department EMS: North Benton Ambulance Haz-mat: Linn County Hazardous Materials Team - Technician Level  StormReady community.  Battery outdoor warning sirens (3) with message capability  EMA Indoor Warning System receiver in all school buildings  Adopted Uniform Building Code, National Electric Code, Uniform Plumbing Code and has a building inspector  Various Ordinances for community safety and cleanliness  FEMA approved Hazard Mitigation plan adopted September 2005  Safe room constructed in low-to-moderate income subdivision  Refurbished all 4 outdoor warning sirens to have voice-messaging and battery back-up  Currently buying out flood-damaged properties

O. Walford

 Emergency Services: Law: Benton County Sheriffs Department Fire: Fairfax/Walford Fire Department EMS: Norway First Responders and Area Ambulance Haz-mat: Linn County Hazardous Materials Team - Technician Level  StormReady community  Electricity required outdoor warning siren  Various Ordinances for community safety and cleanliness

P. County-wide mitigation activity and measures

 Stockpiles of sandbags located at strategic locations throughout the county  Iowa One Call—800-292-8989—Contractors and citizens can call before they dig.  An epidimiology plan was developed and adopted by the Benton County Public Health Department in 2004.  The Benton County Office of Emergency Management Developed a Mass Casualty/Mass Fatality plan for the county in 2004.  In 2004 the Benton County Emergency Management Commission purchased 92 NOAA weather radios and distributed them free of charge to every county and city office, library, school and care facility in Benton County.  The Benton County EMA and Benton County Health Department have established procedures for radiological monitoring in Benton County.  A Quarantine and Isolation Ordinance for all of Benton County was adopted by Benton County in 2005.

125 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011  A Multi Hazard Operations Plan for Benton County that is maintained and updated as required by the Benton County Emergency Management Agency. This includes a part B which is mitigation.  The Benton County EMS Association undertook the project of developing a mass casualty response trailer in 2004.  An emergency operations center (EOC) located at the Benton County Court House  Existence of a comprehensive land use plan for Benton County.  The establishment of Public Information Officer (PIO) policies and procedures documented in Benton County’s Multi Hazards Operations Plan for use during emergency situations.  The existence of a Public Health Department and a County Sanitarian for Benton County  The Benton County Sheriff’s Office has developed a Rapid Response system intended to be used in incidents involving threats at schools and other public as well as private locations.  Benton County Emergency Management has an Emergency Shelter Trailer with equipment and supplies for up to 50 people and a 13 kw emergency electrical power generator.  In 2009 Benton County implemented an emergency shelter program that identified shelter locations and procedures for opening and operating shelters in every city in the county

126

BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 SECTION 3 HAZARD ANALYSIS

3.1 IDENTIFYING HAZARDS

In order to properly identify mitigation strategies and projects, the hazards that may affect Benton County must be identified. Iowa’s foundation for hazard mitigation is based on a hazard analysis and risk assessment that is comprehensive and multi-hazard. This means that multiple hazards that can possibly occur anywhere in the state are considered and analyzed, and that the risk that each hazard poses is assessed in terms of a disaster or emergency situation that can be created from that hazard. Current hazard analysis and risk assessments, mostly from local plans that have been received at HSEMD from local jurisdictions, were used to accumulate a total of all hazards that occur in the State. The result of this input was the identification of 40 hazards in two major categories, Natural (16) and Human-Caused/Combination hazards (24). The hazards are as follows.

Natural: Thunderstorms/Lightning, Tornadoes, Windstorms, Hailstorms, Severe Winter Storms, Extreme Heat, Expansive Soils, Earthquakes, Landslide, River Flood, Flash Flood, Drought, Grass or Wildland fire, Sink Holes, Dam Failure, Levee Failure

Human-Caused/Combination: Fixed Hazardous Materials Incident, Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident, Radiological Transportation Incident, Air Transportation Incident, Communications Failure, Energy Failure, Highway Transportation Incident, Pipeline Transportation Incident, Rail Transportation Incident, Waterway Incident; Enemy Attack, Public Disorder, Bio-Terrorism; Agro-Terrorism, Chemical Terrorism, Radiological Terrorism, Conventional Terrorism, Cyber Terrorism; Human Disease Incident; Human Disease Pandemic, Animal/Plant/Crop Disease, Structural Fire, Structural Failure

The Hazard Profiles section lists the potential hazards to the county that were identified by the planning committee. This section also discusses previous occurrences of the hazards, the areas of the county most at risk from each hazard, and the populations most at risk. By identifying the hazards and quantifying the risks, the county can better assess current mitigation strategies, develop future mitigation strategies and identify needed mitigation projects. It is important to note that the focus of mitigation is on reducing long-term risks of damage or threats to public health and safety caused by hazards and their effects. Thus, in some cases the hazards identified for mitigation will not include all of, or the same hazards, identified for preparedness, response or recovery. Hazards were identified through discussion by the Benton County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee under direction from the contract planner and research using documents provided by FEMA and the State Emergency Management Division at a meeting held August 5, 2009. Hazards were eliminated if there were no historical occurrence and Committee members felt there was no chance of occurrence in the future or the committee felt the county and/or its municipal jurisdictions had adequate resources to contend with the hazard or the committee felt that based on a presentation of facts as in the case of hail storms that there were no mitigation efforts that could reduce the minimal impact of the hazard.

127 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 HAZARD IDENTIFICATION FOR BENTON COUNTY, IOWA

At a meeting of the Benton County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee held on August 5, 2009, the following probabilities for hazards that Benton County may be vulnerable to was determined.

Natural Hazards Low Has May Potential Hazard Occurred Occur to Occur X Drought X Earthquake X Expansive Soils X Extreme Heat X Flash Flood X Hailstorm X Landslide X River Flood X Severe Winter Storm X Thunderstorm and Lightning X Tornado X Windstorm X Sink Holes X Levee Failure X Dam Failure X Grass/Timber/Wildland Fire Human-Caused/Combination Hazards X Air Transportation Incident X Communications Failure X Energy Failure X Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials Incident X Fixed Radiological Incident X Highway Transportation Incident X Pipeline Incident X Rail Transportation Incident X Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident X Radiological Transportation Incident X Waterway Incident X Enemy Attack X Public Disorder X Agro-terrorism X Bio-terrorism X Chemical Terrorism X Terrorism – Conventional X Cyber Terrorism X Radiological Terrorism X Animal/Plant/Crop Disease X Human Disease Incident X Human Disease Pandemic X Structural Failure X Structural Fire

128 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 3.1.1 NATURAL HAZARDS TO INCLUDE

HAZARD COMMUNITIES IDENTIFIED WITH

Flash Floods Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Garrison, Newhall, Shellsburg, Benton County Unincorporated Tornado Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Garrison, Keystone, Luzerne, Mt. Auburn, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Urbana, Van Horne, Vinton, Walford, Benton County Unincorporated Windstorm Atkins, Blairstown, Garrison, Keystone, Luzerne, Mt. Auburn, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Urbana. Van Horne, Vinton, Walford, Benton County Unincorporated Extreme Heat Atkins, Blairstown, Garrison, Keystone, Mt. Auburn, Shellsburg, Van Horne, Vinton, Walford, Benton County Unincorporated Hailstorms Newhall, Benton County Unincorporated Grass/Timber/Wildland Fire Luzerne, Benton County Unincorporated River Flooding Belle Plaine, Vinton, Benton County Unincorporated Severe Winter Storms Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Garrison, Keystone, Luzerne, Mt. Auburn, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Urbana, Van Horne, Vinton, Walford, Benton County Unincorporated Thunderstorm & Lightning Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Garrison, Keystone, Mt. Auburn, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Van Horne, Vinton, Walford, Benton County Unincorporated

129 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 3.1.2 POTENTIAL HUMAN CAUSED/COMBINATION HAZARDS TO INCLUDE

HAZARD COMMUNITIES IDENTIFIED WITH

Human Disease Pandemic Newhall, Van Horne, Benton County Unincorporated Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials Incident Atkins, Belle Plaine, Luzerne, Newhall, Van Horne, Vinton, Benton County Unincorporated Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Luzerne, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Urbana, Van Horne, Vinton, Walford, Benton County Unincorporated Structural Fire Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Garrison, Keystone, Luzerne, Mt. Auburn, Newhall, Norway, Van Horne, Vinton, Benton County Unincorporated Cyber Terrorism Belle Plaine, Newhall, Vinton, Benton County Unincorporated Highway Transportation Incident Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Garrison, Mt. Auburn, Luzerne, Newhall, Van Horne, Vinton, Benton County Unincorporated Air Transportation Incident Atkins, Norway, Shellsburg, Vinton, Benton County Unincorporated Rail Transportation Incident Blairstown, Luzerne, Mt. Auburn, Norway, Shellsburg, Urbana, Vinton, Walford,, Benton County Unincorporated Bio-terrorism Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Garrison, Keystone, Mt. Auburn, Newhall, Shellsburg, Van Horne, Vinton Pipeline Transportation Incident Van Horne, Vinton, Benton County Unincorporated Chemical Terrorism Atkins, Newhall, Van Horne, Vinton Agro-Terrorism Belle Plaine, Keystone, Van Horne, Vinton, Benton County Unincorporated Energy Failure Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Garrison, Keystone, Luzerne, Mt. Auburn, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Urbana, Van Horne, Walford, Benton County Unincorporated Conventional Terrorism Belle Plaine, Keystone, Newhall, Van Horne, Vinton Structural Failure Belle Plaine, Shellsburg, Van Horne, Vinton, Benton County Unincorporated Communications Failure Belle Plaine, Mt. Auburn, Newhall, Norway, Urbana, Van Horne, Vinton, Benton County Unincorporated Animal/Plant/Crop Disease Atkins, Garrison, Shellsburg, Urbana, Benton County Unincorporated

130 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.1.3 CRITERIA AND INFORMATION USED TO IDENTIFY HAZARDS

The table below summarizes how these hazards were identified and why the Planning Committee selected them for further analysis.

Hazard How Identified Why Identified Extreme Heat  Planning Committee  History of extreme heat events  HSEMD  Potential impact on citizens and  NCDC records agricultural base  FEMA publications  Benton County location and climate Flash Flood  Flood Insurance Rate Map  Identified Special Flood Hazard (FIRM) Area (SFHA)  Planning Committee  Properties located in the SFHA  HSEMD  Flash Flood history in Benton  NCDC records County, in particular recent flash flood events in 2008 and 2009 Severe Winter  HSEMD  Benton County location and climate Storm  NCDC records  History of annual winter events  FEMA publications  Potential impact on citizens  National Weather Bureau  Planning Committee Thunderstorm  Planning Committee  Benton County experiences several and Lightning  NCDC records thunderstorms annually, some of  FEMA publications which produce lightning that  NOAA probability maps damages structures  HSEMD Tornado  Planning Committee  Benton County has a history of  NCDC records tornados  FEMA publications  NOAA probability maps  HSEMD Windstorm  Planning Committee  Straight line winds with a velocity  NCDC records of 60 miles-per-hour or more  FEMA publications frequently strike Benton County  NOAA probability maps  HSEMD Air  Planning Committee  History of air transportation Transportation  HSEMD incidents in Benton County Incident  Benton County EMA  Airports in Benton County  NTSB records managed by the cities of Belle Plaine and Vinton  Benton County position relative to the Eastern Iowa Airport  NTSB records

131 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Hazard How Identified Why Identified Energy Failure  Planning Committee  Health and welfare of Benton County  Benton County EMA residents  Local utility providers,  Critical infrastructure, business and Alliant Utility and REC residential properties are dependent upon energy for sustenance  History of electrical power outages in Benton County Fixed Facility  Benton County EMA  Presence of facilities having Hazardous  Planning Committee hazardous materials on site in Materials  HSEMD Benton County Incident  EPA website  Potential for incidents in Benton  History of hazardous County materials incidents in Benton County  Iowa DNR hazmat spill records Highway  Planning Committee  History of transportation incidents Transportation  Benton County Sheriff’s in Benton County Incident Office accident records  Highway systems going through Benton County  Benton County Secondary roads system Transportation  Benton County EMA  Benton County Highways Hazardous  Planning Committee  History of hazmat incidents in Materials  HSEMD Benton County Incident  EPA website  Agricultural and motor freight  Iowa DNR hazmat spill transportation of hazardous records materials in Benton County Bio-terrorism  HSEMD  Awareness following 9/11  Planning Committee  Potential for terrorism event  FEMA publications involving the water supply systems  Benton County EMA of Benton County Chemical  HSEMD  Awareness following 9/11 Terrorism  Planning Committee  Potential for terrorism event  FEMA publications involving the water supply systems  Benton County EMA of Benton County Human Disease  Planning Committee  Potential for human disease Pandemic  HLSEM epidemic outbreak  CDC  Health and welfare of Benton  Benton County County residents Department of Public Health

132 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Hazard How Identified Why Identified Animal/Plant/Crop  Planning Committee  Potential for animal disease Disease  HLSEM epidemic outbreak, particularly the  CDC prevalent threat of Avian Flu and a  Benton County potential pandemic Department of Public  Potential for animal or crop Health disease that would affect livestock and agricultural crops and the food supply  Health and welfare of Benton County residents Structural  Planning Committee  Importance of protecting city Fire  HLSEM properties  Fire Departments of  Annual fire incidents Benton County  Age and condition of structures in  State Fire Marshall’s Benton County Office records  Benton County fire departments apparatus and firefighting equipment condition concerns  Lack of building/fire inspection ordinances in Benton County Communications  Planning Committee  Importance of maintaining Failure  HSEMD communications--particularly  Benton County during hazard events Emergency Management Coordinator  History of communications difficulties in Benton County Grass/Timber/  Planning Committee  Importance of protecting city Wildland Fire  HLSEM properties  Fire Departments of  Annual fire incidents Benton County  History of grass and wildland fire  State Fire Marshall’s incidents in Benton County Office records  Benton County Fire Department wildland firefighting equipment deficits and concerns Pipeline  Planning Committee  Benton County has three energy Transportation  HSEMD providers with transmission Incident  Fire Departments of pipelines passing through the Benton County county: Alliant Energy Interstate  Energy providers and Power and Light; Mid American pipeline companies with Energy Corp. and Northern lines in Benton County Natural Gas Co.

133 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Hazard How Identified Why Identified Rail  Planning Committee  Benton County has three railroads: Transportation  Federal Railroad Office of the Union Pacific Railroad, the Incident Safety Analysis Reports Iowa Northern Railroad and the  History of rail Cedar Rapids—Iowa City transportation incidents in Railroad Benton County  History of rail transportation incidents in Benton County. Conventional  HSEMD  Awareness following 9/11 Terrorism  Planning Committee  Benton County law enforcement  FEMA publications agencies, school districts and  Benton County emergency responders efforts Emergency Management related to terrorism Coordinator  Conventional terrorism events in  Benton County Law Benton County School Districts Enforcement agencies Agro-terrorism  HSEMD  Awareness following 9/11  Planning Committee  Law Enforcement officials  FEMA publications concern  Benton County  Agri-producer concern Emergency Management  Benton County emergency Coordinator responders and local agri-producer  Benton County efforts related to terrorism agricultural organizations Cyber Terrorism  HSEMD  Awareness following 9/11  Planning Committee  Law Enforcement officials  FEMA publications concern  Benton County  Agri-producer concern Emergency Management  Benton County government entity Coordinator efforts related to terrorism  Benton County government entities concern  Benton County commercial enterprise concern River Flood  Flood Insurance Rate Map  Identified Special Flood Hazard (FIRM) Area (SFHA)  Planning Committee  Properties located in the SFHA  HSEMD  Flood history in Benton County,  NCDC records particularly along the Cedar River  Flood and watershed  Disaster declarations studies by Army Corps of Engineers

134 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Hazard How Identified Why Identified Hailstorm  Planning Committee  Benton County experiences  NCDC records several hailstorms annually, some  FEMA publications of which cause damage to  HSEMD structures, autos and agricultural crops Structural Failure  Planning Committee  Health and welfare of Benton  Benton County EMA County residents  History of bridge failures in Benton County

135 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 3.2 HAZARD PROFILES

The hazards identified are defined and discussed at length here in the Hazard Profiles section. In conducting their hazard analysis and risk assessment, the Planning Committee considered the following Hazard Analysis Scoring Criteria.

 Historical Occurrence (Hazard Profile)  Probability (Hazard Profile)  Vulnerability (Assess Vulnerability)  Maximum Threat (Hazard Profile)  Severity of Impact (Assess Vulnerability)  Speed of Onset (Hazard Profile)

Historical Occurrence: the number of times that a hazard has occurred in the past 25 years Score Description 1 Less than 4 occurrences in the past 25 years 2 4 to 7 occurrences in the past 25 years 3 8-12 occurrences in the past 25 years 4 More than 12 occurrences in the past 25 years

Probability: reflects the likelihood of the hazard’s occurring again in the future, sometimes without regard to the hazard’s historical occurrence Score Description 1 Unlikely Less than 1% probability in the next 100 years Between 1% and 10% probability in the next year, or at least one 2 Possible chance in the next 100 years Between 10% and 100% probability in the next year, or at least one 3 Likely chance in the next 10 years 4 Highly Likely Nearly 100% chance in the next year

Vulnerability: measure of the percentage of people that will be adversely affected by the occurrence of the hazard Score Description  Less than 10% of the total population of the jurisdiction 1 Negligible  No risk to response personnel, or no response needed  10% to 25% of the total population of the jurisdiction 2 Limited  Minimal risk to response personnel  25% to 50% of the total population of the jurisdiction 3 Critical  Moderate risk to response personnel  More than 50% of the total population of the jurisdiction 4 Catastrophic  High risk to response personnel

136 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Maximum Threat: the potential spatial extent of the impacted area Score Description 1 Negligible Less than 10% of the jurisdiction 2 Limited 10% to 25% of the jurisdiction 3 Critical 25% to 50% of the jurisdiction 4 Catastrophic More than 50% of the jurisdiction

Severity of Impact: assessment of severity in terms of injuries and fatalities, personal property, and infrastructure.

Score Description  Few if any injuries  Minor quality of life lost with little or no property damage 1 Negligible  Brief interruption of essential facilities for less than 4 hours  No environmental impact  No impact to reputation of the jurisdiction  Minor injuries and illness  Minor property damage not threatening structural stability 2 Limited  Shutdown of essential facilities and services for 4 to 24 hours  Minor short-term environmental impact  Very limited impact to reputation of the jurisdiction  Serious injury and illness  Major property damage which threatens structural stability

3 Critical  Shutdown of essential facilities and services for 24-72 hours  Minor long-term environmental impact  Moderate impact to reputation of the jurisdiction  Multiple deaths  Property destroyed or damaged beyond repair 4 Catastrophic  Complete shutdown of essential facilities for 3 days or more  Major long-term environmental impact  Severe impacts to the reputation of the jurisdiction

Speed of Onset: rating of the potential amount of warning time that is available before the hazard occurs Score Description 1 More than 24 hours warning time 2 12 to 24 hours warning time 3 6 to 12 hours warning time 4 Minimal or no warning

Hazard Analysis scores determined by the Benton County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee using the above guidelines are found with each hazard discussed in the Hazard Profiles.

137 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.2.1 Energy Failure An extended interruption of electric, petroleum or natural gas service, which could Definition create a potential health problem for the population and possibly mass panic. International events could potentially affect supplies of energy-producing products, while local conditions could affect distribution of electricity, petroleum or natural gas. The magnitude and frequency of energy shortages are associated with international markets. Local and state events such as ice storms can disrupt transportation and Description distribution systems. If disruptions are long lasting, public shelters may need to be activated to provide shelter from either extreme cold or extreme heat. Stockpiles of energy products eliminate short disruptions, but can also increase the level of risk to the safety of people and property in proximity to the storage site. The energy crisis of the 1970s had significant impacts on many consumers in Iowa. High inflation and unemployment were associated with the excessive dependence on foreign oil during the early and mid 1970s. An energy shortage of that magnitude has not affected Iowa in recent years. Energy disruptions have Historical occurred regularly in Benton County since the advent of electrical power and 4 Occurrence natural gas energy. Local records and electrical energy provider records document at least one electrical power outage annually somewhere in the county. There are no records of any natural gas outages. In recent times the most devastating outages have been those associated with the ice storms of February 24, 2007 and the floods of June 12, 2008. Only when free market forces cease to provide for the health, welfare, and safety of the citizens, can governments take appropriate actions to limit the effects of an energy shortage. The state of Iowa has three strategies to limit the likelihood of an energy shortage. Through voluntary and mandatory demand reduction mechanisms; the substitution of alternative energy sources when possible; and state government programs to curtail excessive use, energy supply and demand can be kept in check. The federal government has a strategic petroleum reserve to supplement the fuel supply during energy emergencies. Shortages, especially Probability 4 electrical shortages, can be unpredictable with immediate effects. Natural events, human destruction, price escalation, and national security energy emergencies can cause unavoidable energy shortages. Recent severe winter storms that caused extensive long-term power outages in states like Kansas and Missouri in 2006 and 2007 add more credibility to the probability similar events that some events will impact Benton County. Given the history of energy failure events in Benton County it is a near 100 percent probability that the county will experience an energy failure incident somewhere in the county at least once annually.. Because Iowa is almost entirely dependent on out-of-state resources for energy, Iowans must purchase oil, coal, and natural gas from outside sources. World and regional fuel disruptions are felt in Iowa. It is likely that increasing prices will occur as market mechanisms are used to manage supply disruptions. This will disproportionately affect the low-income population because of their lower purchasing power. Agricultural, industrial, and transportation sectors are also vulnerable to supply, consumption, and price fluctuations. In Iowa, petroleum Vulnerability 2 represents 97% of transportation fuel. Individual consumers such as commuters are most vulnerable. Nearly all citizens of Benton County depend on energy sources for their living needs, therefore nearly all citizens, businesses and industries in the county are vulnerable to an energy failure. Energy failure incidents that have occurred elsewhere in the U.S. have involved geographical areas as large as or larger than a county. It is conceivable that all of Benton County and its 26,352 residents could be affected by an energy failure situation.

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The effects of an energy shortage would be felt throughout the state. Because electrical and natural gas distribution systems are very developed, local shortages Maximum can usually quickly be covered. A natural gas or electrical energy disruption in 2 Threat Benton County usually affects only a portion of the county such as an individual community, though it is not improbable that the entire county could be affected. Injuries and fatalities would not be directly caused by an energy shortage. Injuries and fatalities could occur if energy was not available for heating during extreme cold periods or for cooling during extreme heat. Hospitals, shelters, emergency response vehicles and facilities, and other critical facilities would have priority during energy shortages. Rotating blackouts, voluntary conservation measures, and possibly mandatory restrictions could be used to limit the severity Severity Of of an energy shortage. Effects could range from minor heating and air 2 Impact conditioning disruptions to transportation limitations all the way to civil unrest due to the high demand, low supply, and subsequent high price. Business disruption and increased cost of business would have far-reaching financial implications across many sectors of the economy. The February 24, 2007 winter storm and associated power outage which impacted nearly all of Benton County caused an estimated $10,000,000 in damages in the county. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Energy Bureau monitors domestic and international energy situations and has developed a plan to deal with an energy crisis. Signs that an energy shortage may be developing can be Speed of recognized even months in advance, but energy shortages/emergencies can rise 4 Onset suddenly and unexpectedly. Supply distribution problems in other countries and local weather situations can lead to low supply coupled with high demand in a matter of a day or two. Worksheet Total 18 Number Triggered 20 Rank out of 26 1 Number Resulting From 6

Priority Group: High Composite Score 44

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3.2.2 Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident Accidental release of chemical substances or mixtures that presents danger to the public Definition health or safety during transportation. A hazardous substance is one that may cause damage to persons, property, or the environment when released to soil, water, or air. Chemicals are manufactured and used in ever increasing types and quantities. As many as 500,000 products pose physical or health hazards and can be defined as “hazardous chemicals.” Each year, over 1,000 new Description synthetic chemicals are introduced and transported across the county via semi truck and train. Hazardous substances are categorized as toxic, corrosive, flammable, irritant, or explosive. Hazardous materials incidents generally affect a localized area, and the use of planning and zoning can minimize the area of impact. During the period 1998-2001, there where 346 transportation hazardous materials incidents in Iowa. These were for a range of materials and varying severity.

Historical According to information provided by the Iowa DNR, since 2000 there have been 4 Occurrence 17 transportation hazardous materials incidents in Benton County. All incidents were localized and none threatened any populated areas or caused any evacuations. Large quantities of hazardous materials are transported daily on Iowa streets, highways, interstates, and railways. Roadways are a common site for the release of hazardous materials. Railways are another source for hazardous materials releases. The Department of Transportation regulates routes and speed limits used by carriers and monitors types of hazardous materials crossing state lines. Despite increasing safeguards, more and more potentially hazardous materials are being used in commercial, agricultural, and domestic uses and are being Probability 4 transported on Iowa roads and railways.

Given the historical occurrence of transportation hazardous materials incidents in Benton County and the highway system serving the county and the amount of hazardous materials passing through the county on a daily basis it is probable that there will be transportation hazardous materials incident occurring at least once every year in the county. A hazardous materials incident can occur almost anywhere, so any area is considered vulnerable to an accident. People, pets, livestock, and vegetation in close proximity to transportation corridors and populations downstream, downwind, and downhill of a released substance are particularly vulnerable. Depending on the characteristics of the substance released, a larger area may be in danger from explosion, absorption, injection, ingestion, or inhalation. Occupants of areas previously contaminated by a persistent material may also be harmed either directly or through consumption of contaminated food and water.

Vulnerability Transportation routes that would be the most prone to Transportation Hazardous 1 Materials Incidents would naturally be those that are the most frequently traveled and those that carry the heaviest load of motor freight transports carrying hazardous materials. In Benton County this would be Interstate 380 and US Highways 30, 150 and 218. A Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident could, however, occur on any of Benton County’s 1,330 miles of hard surfaced, secondary, rock and dirt roads and on any street of the county’s 14 incorporated cities. Property adjacent to these transportation routes is vulnerable to damage from a hazardous materials release and people living or traveling near an incident are vulnerable to physical harm from any release that may occur.

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Most hazardous materials incidents are localized and are quickly contained or stabilized by the highly trained fire departments and hazardous materials teams. Depending on the characteristic of the hazardous material or the volume of product involved, the affected area can be as small as a room in a building or as large as 5 square miles or more. Many times, additional regions outside the immediately affected area are evacuated for precautionary reasons. More Maximum widespread effects occur when the product contaminates the municipal water 1 Extent supply or water system such as a river, lake, or aquifer. For Benton County it is probable that an incident within a city that a large release of hazardous materials in the right conditions could affect large areas of the city, possibly even the entire city, necessitating evacuation of large areas of the city. In the rural unincorporated areas where population densities are low, even in the even of a large release the number of home that may need to be evacuated would be significantly lower than in an urban environment. During the period 1993-2001, there where 68 injuries and 9 fatalities related to transport of hazardous materials in Iowa. Many of these are related to the collision itself rather than the product released. Immediate dangers from hazardous materials include fires and explosions. The release of some toxic gases may cause immediate death, disablement, or sickness if absorbed through the skin, injected, ingested, or inhaled. Contaminated water resources may be unsafe and unusable, depending on the amount of contaminant. Some chemicals cause painful and damaging burns if they come in direct contact with skin. Contamination of air, ground, or water may result in harm to fish, wildlife, livestock, and crops. The release of hazardous materials into the environment may cause debilitation, disease, or birth defects over a long period of time. Loss of livestock and crops may lead to economic hardships within the community. The occurrence of a hazmat incident many times shuts down transportation corridors for hours at a time while the scene is stabilized, the product is off- loaded, and reloaded on a replacement container. Severity 2 Data provided by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources concerning the transportation hazardous materials releases that have occurred since 2000 in Benton County does not provide any information relative to costs associated with cleaning up any of the spills or of any property damage that occurred. The information does indicate there was a fatality associated with one of the incidents and injuries with two other incidents but the injuries were due to the accident, not the hazardous materials involved. All but three of the incidents in Benton County were controlled with local resources. For the three incidents that were not controlled with local resources the Linn County Hazardous Materials Response Team was called to assist. None of the incidents had extenuating environmental or property damage. Hazardous materials involved in the incidents were Petroleum (6 incidents), Acids or Bases (1 incident), Organic Chemical (3 incidents), Fertilizer (4 incidents), Ammonia or Agricultural related chemicals (2 incidents). No data is available on damages or costs related to any of these incidents. When managed properly under current regulations, hazardous materials pose little risk. However, when handled improperly or in the event of an accident, hazardous materials can pose a significant risk to the population. Hazardous materials incidents usually occur very rapidly with little or no warning. Even if reported immediately, people in the area of the release have very little time to be Speed of warned and evacuated. During some events, sheltering in-place is the best 4 Onset alternative to evacuation because the material has already affected the area and there is no time to evacuate safely. Public address systems, television, radio, and the NOAA Weather Alert Radios are used to disseminate emergency messages about hazardous materials incidents. The Benton County Office of Emergency Management and Benton County 141 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Sheriff’s office dispatch center notifies applicable Benton County emergency responders about hazardous material incidents. Benton County receives assistance at hazardous materials incidents from the Linn County Hazmat Team located in Cedar Rapids on Benton County’s eastern border. (See Diagram, page 142). Worksheet Total 16 Number Triggered 22 Rank our of 26 2 Number Resulting From 5 Priority Group: High Composite Score 43

LOCATION OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TEAMS IN IOWA

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3.2.3 Highway Transportation Incident A single or multi-vehicle incident which requires responses exceeding normal day-to- Definition day capabilities. An extensive surface transportation network exists in Iowa. Local residents, travelers, business, and industry rely on this network on a daily basis. Thousands of trips a day are made on the streets, roads, highways, and interstates in the state. If the designed capacity of the roadway is exceeded, the potential for a major highway incident Description increases. Weather conditions play a major factor in the ability of traffic to flow safely in and through the state as does the time of day (rush hour) and day of week. Incidents involving buses and other high-occupancy vehicles could trigger a response that exceeds the normal day-to-day capabilities of response agencies. Numerous major and minor traffic accidents take place everyday in Iowa and result in property damage and injury. Major accidents involving multiple vehicles and serious injury unfortunately are not uncommon either. In the ten- year period from 1990 through 1999, there were a total of 714,322 total traffic accidents. These resulted in 32,837 major injuries, 138,155 minor injuries, and Historical 4,724 deaths. 4 Occurrence Incident reports provided by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office show that an average of 246 highway transportation accidents occur annually in the county. These incidents account for an average of 24 major injuries and 5 fatalities annually on Benton County’s 1,330 miles of primary, secondary, rock and dirt roads, highways and interstate due to highway transportation incidents. Although traffic engineering, inspection of traffic facilities, land use management of areas adjacent to roads and highways, and the readiness of local response agencies have increased, highway incidents continue to occur. As the volume of traffic on the state’s streets, highways, and interstates increases, the number of traffic accidents will likely also increase. The combination of large numbers of people on the road, unpredictable weather conditions, potential mechanical problems, and human error always leaves open the potential for a transportation Probability 4 accident.

DOT reports indicate that over 50,000 vehicles travel on the primary, secondary, rock and dirt roads, highways and interstate of Benton County daily. Given this amount of traffic and the historical occurrence of highway transportation incidents in the county; future traffic accidents with death and major injuries annually are a near 100 percent probability. Those who use the surface transportation system primary, secondary, rock and dirt roads, highways and interstate of Benton County are most vulnerable. Travelers, truckers, delivery personnel, and commuters are at risk at all times that they are on the road. During rush hours and holidays the number of people on the road in Iowa is significantly higher. This is also true before and after major Vulnerability 1 gatherings such as sporting events, concerts, and conventions. Pedestrians and citizens of Benton County are less vulnerable but still not immune from the impacts of a highway incident. Intersections on Highway 30 and inclement weather conditions such as winter weather conditions add to the vulnerability of transportation accidents in Benton County. Iowa is crisscrossed by thousands of miles of roads, highways, and interstates. Highway incidents are usually contained to areas on the roadway or adjacent to Maximum the roadway. Few highway incidents affect areas outside the traveled portion of 1 Extent the road and the right-of-way. Extensive segments of the transportation system can be impacted during significant weather events, such as a snowstorm, when multiple separate accidents occur. 143 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

At its maximum extent in the Benton County a highway transportation incident could involve multiple vehicles, including mass transit vehicles and have multiple casualties, but it would still be localized in nature. Such a situation could overwhelm the response capabilities of local emergency responders and also the medical treatment capabilities of Benton County and City of Cedar Rapids hospitals. The area of impact can extend beyond the localized area if the vehicle(s) involved are transporting hazardous materials and could impact several square miles. Highway incidents threaten the health and lives of people in the vehicles, pedestrians, and citizens of the community if hazardous materials are involved. Mass casualty events can occur if mass transit vehicles are involved. Community bus lines, metro transit buses, and school buses have a good safety record, but accidents can and do occur. Numerous injuries are a very real possibility in situations involving mass transit vehicles. Property damage would be limited to vehicles and cargo involved; roads, bridges, and other infrastructure; utilities such as light and power poles; and third-party property adjacent to the accident Severity 1 scene such as buildings and yards. In the ten-year period from 1990 through 1999, there were a total of 714,322 total traffic accidents. These resulted in 32,837 major injuries, 138,155 minor injuries, and 4,724 deaths.

According to records maintained by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office and local emergency responders, during the years of 2000-2008, the largest number of vehicles involved in accidents in Benton County was four and the largest number of people injured in an accident was six. There is usually no warning of highway incidents. During snow storms and Speed of other weather events that may impede travel, travelers, response agencies, and 4 Onset hospitals alike can be notified of hazardous travel conditions. Worksheet Total 15 Number Triggered 22 Rank our of 26 3 Number Resulting From 6

Priority Group: High

Composite Score 43

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3.2.4 Rail Transportation Incident A derailment or a train accident which directly threatens life or property, or which Definition adversely impacts a community’s capabilities to provide emergency services. Railway incidents may include derailments, collisions, and highway/rail crossing incidents. Train incidents can result from a variety of causes. Human error, mechanical failure, faulty signals, and problems with the track can all lead to railway incidents. Description Results of an incident can be range from minor “track hops” to catastrophic hazardous materials incidents and even passenger casualties. With the many miles of track in Iowa, there are numerous at-grade crossings at which vehicles must cross the railroad tracks. Since 1975, there have been 4,839 documented rail incidents in Iowa. There have been 318 injuries and 12 deaths related to these incidents. These incidents range from minor incidents such as “rail jumps” to full derailments of passenger trains.

According to Federal Railroad Administration Office of Safety Analysis records there have been 11 Railway Transportation incidents in Benton County since 1999. These incidents include derailments and collisions. There was one fatality, two injuries and a maximum of $724,000 in damages recorded associated with these incidents. Five of these incidents occurred on the Union Pacific rail line, four on the Iowa Northern Railroad and one on the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City Railroad. There are 9,252 railroad crossings in Iowa. The miles of railroad track in the state, combined with the large number of street and highway crossings, makes the probability of a highway/rail collision significant statewide. Derailments are also Probability possible, while a major derailment would occur less frequently. In 2001, 110 4 grade crossing accidents occurred. Given the history of It is a near certainty that at some time in the future there will be a derailment or some form of railroad incident in Benton County, probably at an average of one incident per year. People and property in close proximity to the railway lines, crossings, sidings, switching stations, and loading/unloading points are most at risk. Those away Vulnerability 1 from railroad tracks and facilities are vulnerable only to large-scale incidents including those in which hazardous materials are involved. Numerous railways crisscross Iowa. Vehicle/train collisions are usually limited to areas in and near intersections. Rarely, the incident will result in widespread effects. The direct area of impact is usually quite small, but depending on the products and materials involved, the area could become extensive. If hazardous Maximum materials are involved, the effects could reach areas up to 1.5 miles from the 2 Threat scene. Harmful products may contaminate streams, rivers, water distribution systems, and storm water systems. If this occurs, a large portion of the community could be affected. The ability of response agencies to contain the product on-scene usually limits the area affected. In Benton County the maximum threat occurs where rail lines pass through cities. Railway incidents can result in death, injury, and property damage. Deaths and Severity Of injuries can range from those directly involved, to citizens in the community 3 Impact affected by hazardous materials. Depending on the materials involved, evacuations may occur, moving residents away from dangerous products and the

145 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 possibility of explosion. Gases, liquids, and solids can contaminate air, soil, and water in and near the incident scene. If a railway incident occurred in Belle Plaine, Vinton or other densely populated areas of Benton County, the health and welfare of thousands of people could be put in jeopardy. Damage may be limited to the train, railcars, and cargo involved, but it can also include loss of production, business disruption due to evacuations, and business disruptions of those served by the railroad. Business and traffic disruptions could last several days until the clean-up efforts are complete. Like other transportation incidents, a railway incident would occur with no Speed of warning. There may be a limited amount of time to warn those in the pathway of 4 Onset the harmful effects. Worksheet Total 18 Number Triggered 18 Rank out of 26: 4 Number Resulting From 6

Priority Group: High Composite Score 42

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3.2.5 Structural Failure The collapse (part or all) of any public or private structure including roads, bridges, Definition towers, and buildings. A road, bridge, or building may collapse due to the failure of the structural components or because the structure was overloaded. Natural events such as heavy snow may cause a roof of a building to collapse under the weight of the snow. Heavy rains and flooding can undercut and washout a road or bridge. The age of the structure is sometimes independent of the cause of the failure. Enforcement of building codes can Description better guarantee that structures are designed to hold up under normal conditions. Routine inspection of older structures may alert inspectors to “weak” points. The level of damage and severity of the failure is dependent on factors such as the size of the building or bridge, the number of occupants of the building, the time of day, day of week, amount of traffic on the road or bridge, and the type and amount of products stored in the structure. There have been several sporadic structural failures across the state. They have included homes, commercial structures, and communications towers. There is no central collection point for this information. The only incidence of structural failures in Benton County that were of any significance could only be determined from local records. One incident in June of 1993 near Garrison involved the washout of a box culvert on Benton County Highway E22 due to heavy rains. A Historical car drove off into the washout and resulted in a triple fatality accident. Another 1 Occurrence incident that occurred the same summer on Benton County Highway D65 north of Mt. Auburn again involved heavy rains that washed out a bridge which a car drove off into and resulted in another fatality. No records of any structural failure to a building of any significant circumstance could be determined, though it is acknowledged by local county and municipal officials across the county that the potential for such incidence does exist. Civil structures may fail in a variety of modes. The unprecedented growth in technology has resulted in a host of problems related to complex structures, special materials, and severe operational and environmental loads, such as fire, excessive vibrations, explosion, high-energy piping failures, missiles, and earthquakes. With the possible exception of misuse, accidental or environmental loads, the causes of failure may be found in deficiencies of design, detailing, material, workmanship, or inspection. With the aging structures in the country Probability 2 along with problems with new materials discussed above, structural failures will continue to occur. Efforts to inspect and maintain these structures will lessen the probability of a failure, but not guarantee that it will not happen in the future. Internal weaknesses can be hidden from inspectors and not be realized until it is too late. Given the lack of any records regarding structural failure other than those that involved transportation related incidents, the probability of some sort of structural collapse in Benton County is once every ten years. There are many buildings in Iowa that are very old or which may become hazardous in the event of an earthquake, fire, high winds, or other natural events. All bridges are vulnerable to the effects of the elements and the deterioration that results. Increases in the amount and weight of traffic they are expected to Vulnerability support increase their vulnerability to failure. No assessment could be obtained 1 regarding the probability of collapse of any structure—building or transportation related—in Benton County. Even though collapses have occurred with devastating result in Benton County, the proportion of the county’s population that would be affected by such an incident is minute. The impacts of the failed structure would be contained to the immediate area and Maximum adjacent properties. This could be as small as the house and yard of a fallen 1 Extent chimney, or the area could be relatively extensive if the structure that failed was a 147 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 multi-story building of a downtown high-rise or a tall communication tower. Even though collapses have occurred with devastating result in Benton County, the proportion of the county’s population that would be affected by such an incident is minute. Bridge failures and debris in the streets and sidewalks would interrupt normal routes of travel. Functional purpose of the building would be terminated or suspended until the integrity of the structure could be restored. Personal injury, death, and property damage may occur in the collapse itself or by falling debris Severity from nearby structures. There would also be a considerable price tag to replace 1 or fix the structure, not to mention the loss of revenue that would occur because the structure could not be used. Utilities may be cut off to surrounding areas and communication transmissions may be lost for a period of time. In Benton County the severity of impact any structural collapse would be minimal. The actual failure of the structure would likely occur suddenly with little or no warning. There are several events that could lead up to structural failure, and these have various warning times. Casual hazards that can contribute to Speed of structural failure can include fire, explosion, overloading of ice and snow, 3 Onset vibration, earthquakes, flooding, high wind, erosion, chemical corrosion, structural deterioration, and lack of general upkeep—some of which have considerable lead time in being detected. Worksheet Total 9 Number Triggered 10 Rank out of 26: 5 Number Resulting From 20

Priority Group:

Medium Composite Score 39

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3.2.6 Structural Fire An uncontrolled fire in populated area that threatens life and property and is beyond Definition normal day-to-day response capabilities. Structural fires present a far greater threat to life and property and the potential for much larger economic losses. Modern fire codes and fire suppression requirements in new construction and building renovations, coupled with improved fire fighting equipment, training, and techniques, lessen the chance and impact of a major urban fire. Description Most structural fires occur in residential structures, but the occurrence of a fire in a commercial or industrial facility could affect more people and pose a greater threat to those near the fire or fighting the fire because of the volume or type of the material involved. Structural fires are almost a daily occurrence in some communities. Nearly all are quickly extinguished by on-site personnel or local fire departments. There have been 116 deaths and 451 injuries in Iowa from fires from 2004-2009. The total number of reported structural fires in Iowa during this time period was 22,268 and total loss from these fires was $297,652,129.

Historical According to records provided by the Sate of Iowa Fire Marshall’s Office, the 14 4 Occurrence fire departments of Benton County answered 221 structural fires from 2003 through 2008, or an average of 37 structural fire alarms per year. Approximately 30 percent of these alarms require mutual aid and the combined efforts of two or more fire departments to extinguish, particularly in rural areas where there is no water supply. In the past 6 years, structural fires have accounted for $1,428,703 in fire losses, 1 civilian fire death, 7 civilian fire injuries and 10 firefighter injuries. Given the history of structural fire incidents in the Benton County, it is a near certainty that the county will experience numerous structural fires annually. Even with Benton County department’s focus on fire prevention effort, both residential and nonresidential structural fires, fires will continue to occur. During Probability 4 colder months, clogged chimneys and faulty furnaces and fire places can increase the probability of structural fires. National Fire Incident Report System records indicate that structural fires occur routinely in Benton County and most likely will continue to. Particularly vulnerable in Benton County are older structures with outdated electrical systems not built to current fire codes. Combustible building materials obviously are more vulnerable than structures constructed of steel or concrete. Structures without early detection devices are more likely to be completely destroyed before containment by response agencies. Structures in areas served by older, smaller, or otherwise inadequate water distribution infrastructure such Vulnerability as water mains and hydrants are also at significant risk. Problems vary from 1 region to region, often as a result of climate, poverty, education, and demographics, but Iowa has about 13.4 fire deaths per million population. The fire death risk for the elderly (65 and older) is more than two times that of the average population and nearly two times that of the average population for children 5 years of age or less. In Benton County this accounts for 5,365 people or 20 percent of the county’s population.

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With modern training, equipment, fire detection devices, and building regulations and inspections, most fires can be quickly contained and limited to Maximum the immediate structure involved. Certain circumstances, such as the 1 Threat involvement of highly combustible materials or high winds, can threaten a larger area. The age and density of a particular neighborhood can also make it more vulnerable to fire due to the spreading of fire from neighboring structures. Based on national averages in the 1990s, there is one death for every 119 residential structure fires and one injury for every 22 residential fires. On Severity Of average, each residential fire causes nearly $11,000 of damage. In nonresidential 1 Impact fires, there is one death for every 917 fires, one injury for each 52 fires, and each nonresidential fire causes an average of nearly $20,000 in damage. While fires usually start with little or no warning time, alert devices can allow Speed of time for responders to contain the fire and allow occupants to evacuate the area. 4 Onset Benton County firefighters are notified of fire incidents by pager via the Benton County Sheriff’s Office dispatch. Worksheet Total 15 Number Triggered 17 Rank out of 26 6 Number Resulting From 6

Priority Group:

Medium Composite Score 38

150 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.2.7 Communications Failure

The widespread breakdown or disruption of normal communication capabilities. This Definition could include major telephone outages, loss of local government radio facilities, or long- term interruption of electronic broadcast services. Emergency 911, law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, public works, and emergency warning systems are just a few of the vital services which rely on communication systems to effectively protect citizens. Business and industry rely heavily on various communication media as well. Mechanical failure, traffic accidents, Description power failure, line severance, and weather can affect communication systems and disrupt service. Disruptions and failures can range from localized and temporary to widespread and long-term. If switching stations are affected, outage could be more widespread. No widespread communications failures have occurred in Iowa. Local incidents due to weather conditions, equipment failure, excavation incidents, and traffic accidents have been reported, but outages have usually been resolved in a timely Historical manner. In Benton County this is exactly the case. According to Benton County 2 Occurrence officials, there have been communications failures including failures of the county’s E911 system, but due to the back-up systems and procedures in place, they have always been resolved in no more than a few hours. Widespread communications losses are unlikely due to backup systems and Probability redundant system designs. Local communications failures are likely to affect 2 small areas of the county. Citizens of the county would be impacted only indirectly. Phone and data Vulnerability transmission could be impacted. Most communication systems that are highly 1 necessary have backup and redundant designs to provide continuity of service. Most communications failures would be limited to localized areas. In the event of Maximum a widespread communications failure, only portions of Iowa would be impacted, 2 Extent but this is highly unlikely due to the support of other jurisdictions and secondary communication devices. A communications failure would not directly result in injuries or fatalities. Most financial losses would be incurred due to the direct damage to electronic equipment and the communication system infrastructure. If 911 systems were to fail due to phone communication disruption, secondary impacts could occur by Severity 1 the inability of citizens to alert responders of their needs. Inter-agency and intra- agency communications would be limited. Data transmission could also be affected. This could disrupt business and financial transactions resulting in potential loss of business. A communications failure would likely occur with little or no warning. It is usually impossible to predict a communications failure. Some communications Speed of may be shut down for a short while for improvements or maintenance. These 4 Onset disruptions are usually made during periods of low demand and those who rely on them are given previous notice that the system will be out of service. Worksheet Total 12 Number Triggered 9 Rank out of 26: 7 Number Resulting From 16

Priority Group:

Medium Composite Score 34

151 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.2.8 Tornado A violent, destructive, rotating column of air taking the shape of a funnel-shaped cloud Definition that progresses in a narrow, erratic path. Rotating wind speeds can exceed 200 mph and travel across the ground at average speeds of 25 to 30 mph. A tornado is a violent whirling wind characteristically accompanied by a funnel shaped cloud extending down from a cumulonimbus cloud. A tornado can be a few yards to about a mile wide where it touches the ground. An average tornado, however, is a few hundred yards wide. It can move over land for distances ranging from short hops to Description many miles, causing great damage wherever it descends. The funnel is made visible by the dust sucked up and by condensation of water droplets in the center of the funnel. The rating scale used to rate tornado intensity is called the Enhanced Fujita Scale (See page 154). In the U.S., Iowa is ranked third in the number of strong-violent (EF2-EF5) tornadoes per 10,000 square miles. From 1950-1995, Iowa averaged 31 twisters per year. In Iowa most tornadoes occur in the spring and summer months, but twisters can and have occurred in every month of the year. Late afternoon to evening hour tornadoes are the most common, but they can occur at any time of the day.

Historical There have been 23 recorded incidents of a direct hit to Benton County by a 4 Occurrence tornado since June 27, 1965. Total damages caused by all 23 tornadoes amounts to $3,910,000 in property damages, $47,000 in crop damages, one death and 17 injuries. One tornado, an EF4 tornado which struck Northern Benton County on August 26, 1965 accounts for the one death and 17 injuries and $2.5 million in damages.

The cities of Atkins, Garrison, Keystone, Mt. Auburn, Newhall, Urbana, Van Horne and Vinton have all had direct hits by a tornado. Historically, 30-40 tornadoes are confirmed in Iowa per year. Developed areas occupy a growing portion of Iowa and stand a likely chance of having a tornado occur in the next ten years. Included in these statistics is Benton County which history has shown will have a tornado touch down somewhere in county every Probability 3 other year. The diagram on page 154 shows tornado risk areas for the United States. As shown in the diagram, geographically Benton County is located in one of the highest risk areas. Based on historical occurrences Benton County will probably experience 1 tornado annually. Those most at risk from tornadoes include people living in mobile homes, campgrounds, and other dwellings without secure foundations or basements. People in automobiles are also very vulnerable to twisters. According to U.S Census Bureau Housing Statistics information for 2005-2007, in Benton County 629 of the county’s 10,974 residential housing units are mobile homes. The elderly, very young, and the physically and mentally handicapped are most vulnerable because of the lack of mobility to escape the path of destruction. People who may not understand watches and warnings due to language barriers Vulnerability 2 are also at risk. According to 2007 US Census Bureau estimates there was 10,817 (40.7 percent of the total population) young and old people living in Benton County. People most at risk are also those who do not have access to early warning capabilities such as are available through siren systems or NOAA Weather Radio. The 2010 State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan estimates that Benton County has an annual loss of $63,300 due to Tornado.

152 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Generally the destructive path of a tornado is only a couple hundred feet in width, but stronger tornadoes can leave a path of devastation up to a mile wide. Normally a tornado will stay on the ground for no more than 20 minutes; however, one tornado can touch ground several times in different areas. Large hail, strong straight-line winds, heavy rains, flash flooding, and lightning are also Maximum associated with severe storms and may cause significant damage to a wider area. 2 Threat It is feasible that a tornado of EF4 magnitude or larger could destroy an entire city. In Iowa, on May 25, 2008 an EF5 Tornado struck the City of Parkersburg, totally destroying 290 homes, killing 7 people and causing tens of millions of dollars in property damage. Total devastation of any city in Benton County could entail losses of all properties as summarized in Table 4.8.2 on page 206 of this document. The severity of damage from tornadoes can be very high. Impacts can range from broken tree branches, shingle damage to roofs, and some broken windows; all the way to complete destruction and disintegration of well constructed structures, infrastructure, and trees. Injury or death related to tornadoes most often occurs when buildings collapse; people are hit by flying objects or are caught trying to escape the tornado in a vehicle. Since 1950, Iowa has had 1,831 injuries related to Severity Of tornadoes and 61 deaths over the same time period. 3 Impact There have been 23 recorded incidents of a direct hit to Benton County by a tornado since June 27, 1965. One death, 17 injuries and $2.5 million in damages were attributed to an EF4 tornado which struck Benton County on August 26, 1965. Total reported property damages due to tornados in Benton County since 1965 is nearly $4 million. Elsewhere in Iowa, on May 25, 2008 an EF5 Tornado struck the City of Parkersburg, totally destroying 290 homes, killing 7 people and causing tens of millions of dollars in property damage. Of the 23 tornadoes that have touched down in Benton County since 1965, 12 were EF0 in magnitude, 7 were EF1, 3 were EF3 and 1 was an EF4. Tornadoes strike with an incredible velocity. Wind speeds may approach 300 miles per hour and the storm can travel across the ground at more than 70 mph. These winds can uproot trees and structures and turn harmless objects into deadly missiles, all in a matter of seconds. Advancements in weather forecasting have allowed watches to be delivered to those in the path of these storms up to hours in advance. The best lead-time for a specific severe storm and tornado is about 30 minutes. Tornadoes have been known to change paths very rapidly, thus limiting the time in which to take shelter. Tornadoes may not be visible on the ground due to blowing dust or driving rain and hail. Public address systems, television, radio, and the NOAA Weather Alert Radios Speed of are used to disseminate emergency messages about a tornado. 4 Onset Benton County has an established system of trained weather spotters. These individuals are called out on an as needed basis when severe weather threatens the county. The Benton County Office of Emergency Management and Benton County Sheriff’s office dispatch center notifies applicable Benton County emergency responders in the event that tornado or funnel cloud is sited in Benton County or if weather situations threaten tornado development. Those residents and facilities of the county that have NOAA weather radios will receive notice of tornadoes and severe weather events from the National Weather Service. All Benton County Cities and that area of the county within the 10 mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) of the Duane Arnold Nuclear Power Plant have warning sirens to notify them of an approaching tornado or dangerous winds. Worksheet Total 18 Number Triggered 1 Rank our of 26: 8 Number Resulting From 14 Priority Group: High Composite Score 33

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ENHANCED TORNADO FUJITA SCALE

Category EF0: Gale tornado (65-85 mph); light damage. Some damage to chimneys; break branches off trees; push over shallow-rooted trees; damage to sign boards. 38.9 percent of all tornadoes.

Category EF1: Moderate tornado (86-110 mph); moderate damage. The lower limit is the beginning of hurricane wind speed; peel surface off roofs; mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned; moving autos pushed off the roads. 35.6 percent of all tornadoes.

Category EF2: Significant tornado (111-135 mph); considerable damage. roofs torn off frame houses; mobile homes demolished; boxcars pushed over; large trees snapped or uprooted; light-object missiles generated. 19.4 percent of all tornadoes.

Category EF3: Severe tornado (136-165 mph); Severe damage. Roofs and some walls torn off well- constructed houses; trains overturned; most trees in forest uprooted; heavy cars lifted off ground and thrown. 4.9 percent of all tornadoes.

Category EF4: Devastating tornado (166-200 mph); Devastating damage. Well-constructed houses leveled; structure with weak foundation blown off some distance; cars thrown and large missiles generated. 1.1 percent of all tornadoes.

Category EF5: Incredible tornado (greater than 200 mph); Incredible damage. Strong frame houses lifted off foundations and carried considerable distance to disintegrate; automobile sized missiles fly through the air in excess of 100 yards; trees debarked; incredible phenomena will occur. Less than .1 percent of all tornadoes.

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3.2.9 Thunderstorms and Lightning Atmospheric imbalance and turbulence resulting in heavy rains, winds reaching or exceeding 58 mph; tornadoes or surface hail at least 1 inch in diameter. Can include a Definition hailstorm which is characterized by balls or irregularly shaped lumps of ice greater than 1 inch in diameter fall with rain. Thunderstorms are common in Iowa and can occur singly, in clusters, or in lines. They are formed from a combination of moisture, rapidly raising warm air, and a lifting mechanism such as clashing warm and cold air masses. Most thunderstorms produce only thunder, lightning, and rain. Severe storms however, can produce tornadoes, high straight-line winds above 58 mph, microbursts, lightning, hailstorms, and flooding. The NWS considers a thunderstorm severe if it produces hail at least 1 inch in diameter, wind 58 mph or higher, or tornadoes. High straight-line winds, which can often exceed Description 60 mph, are common occurrences and are often mistaken for tornadoes. Lightning is an electrical discharge that results from the buildup of positive and negative charges within a thunderstorm. When the buildup becomes strong enough, lightning appears as a “bolt.” This flash of light usually occurs within the clouds or between the clouds and the ground. A bolt of lightning reaches temperatures approaching 50,000 degrees F in a split second. This rapid heating, expansion, and cooling of air near the lightning bolt creates thunder. At least 7,946 severe thunderstorm events have impacted Iowa since 1993. Benton County has been impacted by a number of these events. Because thunderstorms may occur singly, in clusters, or in lines, it is possible that several thunderstorms may affect the area in the course of a few hours. It is likely that more than the 7,946 individual severe storms systems occurred in the county. One system may spawn multiple events. A number of these thunderstorms have caused other hazards such as flash flooding, river flooding, and tornadoes. Historical There have been three Presidential Declarations of Major Disasters since 1990 4 Occurrence related to Severe Storms.

National Climatic Data Center statistics document 192 thunderstorm events in Benton County Between 1961 and 2008. Only one lightning event is recorded; in Vinton on 8/10/2006. The cumulative total of all damages caused by these storms is $6,628,000 in property damages and $15,257,000 in agricultural crop damages. Seven injuries are also recorded as having occurred due to these storms. Iowa, experiences between 30 and 50 thunderstorm days per year on average. Benton County and is impacted by these events also. With Iowa's location in the interior of the U.S., there is a very high likelihood that a few of these summer storms will become severe and cause damage. Because of the humid continental climate that Iowa experiences, ingredients of a severe thunderstorms are usually Probability 4 available (moisture to form clouds and rain, relatively warm and unstable air that can rise rapidly, and weather fronts and convective systems that lift air masses). Due to the historical frequency of thunderstorm and lightning in Benton County it is a near 100 percent certainty the county will be impacted by thunderstorms and lightning in the future. Those in unprotected areas, mobile homes, or automobiles during a storm are at risk. Sudden strong winds often accompany a severe thunderstorm and may blow down trees across roads and power lines. Lightning presents the greatest immediate danger during a thunderstorm. It is the second most frequent weather-related killer in the U.S. with nearly 100 deaths and 500 injuries each year. (Floods and flash floods are the number one cause Vulnerability 1 of weather related deaths in the U.S.) Livestock and people who are outdoors, especially under a tree or other natural lightning rods, in or on water, or on or near hilltops are at risk from lightning. Hail can be very dangerous to people, pets, and livestock if shelter is not available. Flash floods and tornadoes can develop during thunderstorms as well. People in automobiles or low-lying areas when flash flooding occurs and people who in mobile 155 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 homes are vulnerable to the impacts of severe thunderstorms. Every resident and structure in Benton County is vulnerable to the affect of thunderstorms and lightning. The 2010 State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan estimates that Benton County has an annual loss of $1,024,529.30 due to Thunderstorm & Lightning. Severe thunderstorms can be quite expansive with areas of localized severe conditions. Most severe thunderstorm cells are 5 to 25 miles wide with a larger area of heavy rain and strong winds around the main cell. Most non-severe Maximum thunderstorms have a lifespan of 20 to 30 minutes, while severe thunderstorms 1 Threat last longer than 30 minutes. A lightning strike would most likely affect only a single structure or person whereas a thunderstorm would affect broader areas of Benton County. Like tornadoes, thunderstorms and lightning can cause death, serious injury, and substantial property damage. Severe thunderstorms can bring a variety of associated hazards with them including straight-line winds in excess of 100 mph. Straight-line winds are responsible for most thunderstorm damage. High winds can damage trees, homes (especially mobile homes), and businesses and can knock vehicles off of the road. The power of lightning's electrical charge and intense heat can electrocute people and livestock on contact, split trees, ignite Severity Of fires, and cause electrical failures. Thunderstorms can also bring large hail that 1 Impact can damage homes and businesses, break glass, destroy vehicles, and cause bodily injury to people, pets, and livestock. One or more severe thunderstorms occurring over a short period (especially on saturated ground) can lead to flooding and cause extensive power and communication outages as well as agricultural damage. Damages caused by thunderstorms would likely impact an entire city or several cities as occurred on July 5, 2003 when as CDC reports detail, a thunderstorm caused $700,000 in property damages to the cities of Atkins, Mt. Auburn and Vinton and $37,000 in crop damages in the rural areas of the county. Some thunderstorms can be seen approaching, while others hit without warning. The National Weather Service issues severe thunderstorm watches and warnings as well as statements about severe weather and localized storms. These messages are broadcast over NOAA Weather Alert Radios and area TV and radio stations. Advances in weather prediction and surveillance have increased warning times. The resolutions of radar and Doppler radar have increased the accuracy of storm location and direction. Weather forecasting and severe weather warnings issued by the National Weather Service usually provide residents and visitors alike adequate time to prepare. Isolated problems arise when warnings are ignored.

Speed of Benton County has an established system of trained weather spotters. These individuals 3 Onset are called out on an as needed basis when severe weather threatens the county. The Benton County Office of Emergency Management and Benton County Sheriff’s office dispatch center notifies applicable Benton County emergency responders in the event that tornado or funnel cloud is sited in Benton County. Those residents and facilities of the county that have NOAA weather radios will receive notice of tornadoes and severe weather events from the National Weather Service. All cities of Benton County plus rural areas of the county that is within the 10 mile Emergency Planning Zone for the Duane Arnold Nuclear Power Plant have siren warning systems to alert residents of an approaching tornado or dangerous winds.

Worksheet Total 14 Number Triggered 0 Rank out of 26: 9 Number Resulting From 19

Priority Group:

Medium Composite Score 33

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3.2.10 Flash Flood A flood event occurring with little or no warning where water levels rise at an Definition extremely fast rate. Flash flooding results from intense rainfall over a brief period, sometimes combined with rapid snowmelt, ice jam release, frozen ground, saturated soil, or impermeable surfaces. Most flash flooding is caused by slow-moving thunderstorms or thunderstorms repeatedly moving over the same area. Flash flooding is an extremely Description dangerous form of flooding which can reach full peak in only a few minutes and allows little or no time for protective measures to be taken by those in its path. Flash flood waters move at very fast speeds and can roll boulders, tear out trees, scour channels, destroy buildings, and obliterate bridges. Flash flooding often results in higher loss of life, both human and animal, than slower developing river and stream flooding. Floods are the most common and widespread of all-natural disasters except fire. In Iowa, as much as 21" of rain has fallen in a 24-hour period. As recently as June 1998, 13" of rain fell in western Iowa during a single rain event causing severe flooding. The National Climatic Data Center lists 643 flash flooding/urban or small stream flooding events occurring in Iowa since 1993.

Historical In Benton County, NCDC records indicate 11 flood events since 1993 that are 3 Occurrence documented as flash floods. Most notable are flash flooding events that occurred in the county during the months of May and June of 2008. During this time the cities of Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg and extensive rural areas of the county experienced flash flooding. As recently as August 25, 2009, rainfalls in excess of 10 inches caused flash flooding again in Atkins, Newhall, Norway and Shellsburg. As land is converted from fields or woodlands to roads and parking lots, it loses its ability to absorb rainfall. Urbanization increases runoff 2 to 6 times over what would occur on natural terrain. Portions of Iowa are very developed with significant amounts of impervious surfaces. As more development occurs in the watersheds, the amount of runoff produced also increases. Unless measures are taken to reduce the amount of runoff (or slow its movement), flash floods will continue to occur and possibly increase. Often, aging storm sewer systems are not designed to carry the capacity currently needed to handle the increased storm runoff in certain areas. While hundreds of homes and businesses have been Probability removed from the floodplains in the State of Iowa over the last decade, there are 3 many in the state remaining to be removed in areas that have a probability of flooding.

Though 11 flash flood events have officially been documented by the NCDC, discussions with community and emergency management officials in Benton County lend credibility to the assertion that there have been numerous smaller localized flash flooding events that never received official documentation. Given the history of flash flood events in Benton County it is realistic to expect that the county will probably experience some form of flash flooding at least once a year. Flash floods occur in all 50 states in the U.S. Particularly at risk are those in low- lying areas; close to dry creek beds or drainage ditches; near water; or downstream from a dam, levee, or storage basin. People and property in areas with insufficient storm sewers and other drainage infrastructure can also be put Vulnerability at risk because the drains cannot rid the area of the runoff quickly enough. 1 Nearly half of all flash flood fatalities are auto-related. Motorists often try to traverse water-covered roads and bridges and are swept away by the current. Six inches of swiftly moving water can knock persons off their feet and only two feet of water can float a full-sized automobile. Recreational vehicles and mobile

157 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 homes located in low-lying areas can also be swept away by the water

Using FEMA generated Flood Plain Maps (D-Firms) Benton County GIS Department, Auditor and Assessor, it has been determined that 1477 structures are located within the 100-year flood plain areas of Benton County. These structures include 518 (6% of county total) classified as residential with an assessed value of $62,488,700; 125 (16% 0f county total) classified as commercial with an assessed value of $16,739,300; 9 (30% of county total) classified as industrial with an assessed value of $5,240,930 and 209 properties that are tax exempt municipal or county owned properties within Flood Zone A. Using an average of 2.34 people per household, the potential number of people who could be affected is 1,259, or 5 percent of the Benton County population.

The 2010 State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan estimates that Benton County has an annual loss of $9,195,882.35 due to Flooding.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has delineated the probable extent of the 100-year flood hazard areas in most areas. These Flood Insurance Rate Maps (D-FIRMs) show properties affected by the floods that have at least a 1% chance of occurring in any particular year. Generally, these areas are in the floodplain or adjacent areas. Much of these areas are parkland, agricultural areas, or conservation land, but residential and commercial areas are impacted by Maximum river flooding as well. 1 Threat The National Flood Insurance Program Flood Insurance Rate Map shows the areas that would be affected by a 100-year flood. Benton County Flood Maps which became effective 6/03/2008 are shown in Appendix 8, page 593. Working with the Benton County Department of GIS and Benton County Auditor’s Office it has been determined that a total of 9 percent of the properties county-wide have the potential of being impacted by flash flooding. Flash floods are the number 1 weather-related killer in the United States. They can quickly inundate areas thought not to be flood-prone. Iowa ranked number 1 in the United States for average annual flood damage for 1983 through 1997. Much of this damage occurred in losses from the floods of 1993, but smaller-scale floods are a regular occurrence in this state. According to national flood damage reports, from 1997 through 2001, Iowa has had over $331 million dollars in damages from flooding. A portion of this figure is covered by insurance, but much is not. Public assistance programs also cover a portion of these damages under a Presidential Declaration of Major Disaster, but apply only to certain eligible damages. Flash flooding impacts include potential loss of life; property damage and destruction; damage and disruption of communications, transportation, electric service, and community services; crop and livestock Severity damage and loss and interruption of business. Hazards of fire, health and Of Impact 1 transportation accidents, and contamination of water supplies are likely effects of

flash flooding situations. Associated with the 643 flash flooding events since 1993, there have been 4 deaths and 8 injuries in Iowa. Hazards of fire, health and transportation accidents; and contamination of water supplies are likely effects of flash flooding situations as well. The only information that could be obtained relative to damages from the 11 officially documented flash-flood events that have occurred in Benton County is $5,000 in property damages due to the 5/2/1993 flash flood event and $50,000 in property damages due to the 5/30/2008 flash flood event. No information could be determined on agricultural losses. Also, no information is yet available on damages sustained from the floods of 2008 in Benton County though it is known that up to 110 homes and 20 businesses sustained flood damage county-wide and 29 homes in the City of Vinton Qualify for potential FEMA flood buyout funding. Speed of Flash floods are somewhat unpredictable, but there are factors that can point to 3 158 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Onset the likelihood of a flood’s occurring in the area. Flash floods occur within a few minutes or hours of excessive rainfall, a dam or levee failure, or a sudden release of water held by an ice jam. Warnings may not always be possible for these sudden flash floods. Predictability of flash floods depends primarily on the data available on the causal rain. Individual basins react differently to precipitation events. Weather surveillance radar is being used to improve monitoring capabilities of intense rainfall. Knowledge of the watershed characteristics, modeling, monitoring, and warning systems increase the predictability of flash floods. Depending on the location in the watershed, warning times can be increased. The National Weather Service forecasts the height of flood crests, the data, and time the flow is expected to occur at a particular location.

The Benton County EMA monitors potential flood severity by using reports and warnings issued by the National Weather Service. The county EMA and Benton County Sheriff’s office dispatch center notifies Benton County emergency responders in the event that flooding may affect or is affecting the county. Worksheet Total 12 Number Triggered 16 Rank out of 26: 10 Number Resulting From 4 Priority Group: High Composite Score 32 30

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3.2.11 Grass/Timber/Wild Land Fire An uncontrolled fire that threatens life and property in either a rural or wooded area Definition and is beyond normal day-to-day response capabilities. Grass and wildland fires can occur when conditions are favorable such as during Description periods of drought when natural vegetation would be drier and subject to combustibility. 15,520 grass fires were reported in Iowa during the years 2004 to 2009. During Historical the years 2003-2008, 147 grass and wildland fires with $4,100 in fire losses were 4 Occurrence reported to the State of Iowa Fire Marshall’s Office by Benton County’s 14 fire departments. No financial losses were reported for these fires. There is a near 100% chance that there will be a grass fire in each county in the state each year. It is inevitable that some of these fires will occur in Benton Probability County. Vast expanses of grasslands, crop fields and timber exist in Benton 4 County’s rural, unincorporated areas which comprise 98 percent of Benton County’s land area. While wildfires have proven to be most destructive in the Western States, they have become an increasingly frequent and damaging phenomenon nationwide. People choosing to live in wildland settings are more vulnerable to wildfires, and the value of exposed property is increasing at a faster rate than population. Development trends indicate that it is indeed in the rural, unincorporated areas of Benton County where new homes are being constructed on small acreages that Vulnerability 1 are either contingent to or located on tracts of land that are vulnerable to grassland, wildland or timber fires. Grass fires are often more easily contained and extinguished before there is damage to people or developed property. Fires often burn large portions of field crops in the fall when the crops are dry and the harvesting equipment overheats or throws sparks. This can be quite costly to the farmer in terms of lost production. Most grass fires are contained to highway right-of-way and rail right-of-way ditches and are less than a few acres in size. However, in Benton County the Maximum potential threat is more acute due to the expanses of grassland, cropland, wild 1 Threat lands and timber. High winds can turn a small flame into a multi-acre grassfire within a matter of minutes. The extent is dependent upon conditions such as land use/land cover, moisture, and wind. Most grassfires burn only the grasses, crops, or other low land cover. Injuries and deaths from fighting the fire most often occur by natural causes such as heart Severity of attack or stroke. Property damage is usually limited to grass, small trees, etc. 1 Impact Occasionally a house or outbuilding can be damaged or destroyed as could be the case in the rural, unincorporated areas of Benton County where development is occurring. As mentioned above, most grassfires occur without warning and travel at a moderate rate. This situation depends upon conditions at the time such as Speed of moisture, wind, and land cover. 4 Onset Benton County firefighters are notified of grass or wildland fire incidents by pager via the Benton County Sheriff’s Office dispatch. Worksheet Total 15 Number Triggered 12 Rank our of 26: 11 Number Resulting From 5

Priority Group: Low Composite Score 32

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3.2.12 River Flood A rising or overflowing of a tributary or body of water that covers adjacent land not Definition usually covered by water when the volume of water in a stream exceeds the channel’s capacity. Floods are the most common and widespread of all natural disasters, except fire. Most communities in the United States can experience some kind of flooding after spring rains, heavy thunderstorms, winter snow thaws, waterway obstructions, or levee or dam failures. Often it is a combination of these elements that causes damaging floods. Description Floodwaters can be extremely dangerous. The force of six inches of swiftly moving water can knock people off their feet and two feet of water can float a car. Floods can be slow-, or fast-rising but generally develop over a period of days. Flooding is a natural and expected phenomenon that occurs annually, usually restricted to specific streams, rivers or watershed areas. The Floods of 2008 are still fresh in the minds of many Iowans. Flooding has been a regular and frequent hazard in Iowa. The Iowa flood of 2008 was a hydrological event involving most of the rivers in eastern Iowa beginning around June 8, 2008 and ending about July 1 Relevant information has not yet been compiled, but this particular flood was one of the most if not the most devastating natural disaster to impact Benton County. Since 1993, there have been 2,429 river flooding events in Iowa according to the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). NCDC records show a total of 32 major flood events impacting Benton County since 1993. In addition, there are 11 other floods that are documented as flash floods.

For Benton County floods represent both the most widespread and most devastating natural disaster. Riverine Flooding occurs along the Cedar River, which runs through the Northeast corner of Benton County including the City of Historical Vinton and the Iowa River which touches on the southern border of the county. 4 Occurrence The county is also networked with a number of major streams and their tributaries, some of which are known to have Riverine Flooding conditions.

The City of Vinton, on the banks of the Cedar River, has the only flood gauge in Benton County. The top five flood events that have been recorded since 1960 at the Vinton Staff Gauge are:

1) 24.7 feet, June 12, 2008 2) 19.3 feet, March 30, 1961 3) 19.2 feet, April 4, 1993 4) 18.4 feet, May 26, 2004 5) 18.05 feet, April 9, 1965

In the last 10 years floods and flash flood events have occurred in the cities of Atkins, Blairstown, Newhall, Norway and Shellsburg. Given the history of this hazard it is likely that there will be many minor events each year in Iowa and a high likelihood that a major flooding event requiring federal assistance will occur in the next 5 years, though it does appear in recent years that changes in weather patterns attributed to global warming are causing flood issues to occur with increasing frequency. While hundreds of homes and Probability businesses have been removed from the floodplains in the State of Iowa over the 3 last decade, there are many in the state remaining to be removed in areas that have a probability of flooding.

With Benton County’s history of flooding problems and disasters, it is highly probable that the county will routinely witness more floods in the future at a probability of nearly one per year or every other year. Some of these floods may 161 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 cause serious damage. The vulnerability from flooding is quite delineated. Much work in the area of flood hazard mapping has allowed many communities to restrict development in hazardous areas. In Benton County the most vulnerable areas are properties on low lying ground within the 100 year and 500 year flood plains adjacent to the Cedar River and the many streams, creeks and their tributaries that drain the county. People most vulnerable in these areas are those who do not have access to early warning capabilities such as are available through siren systems or NOAA Weather Radio.

Using FEMA generated Flood Plain Maps (D-Firms) Benton County GIS Department, Auditor and Assessor, it has been determined that 1477 structures Vulnerability are located within the 100-year flood plain areas of Benton County. These 1 structures include 518 (6% of county total) classified as residential with an assessed value of $62,488,700; 125 (16% 0f county total) classified as commercial with an assessed value of $16,739,300; 9 (30% of county total) classified as industrial with an assessed value of $5,240,930 and 209 properties that are tax exempt municipal or county owned properties within Flood Zone A. Using an average of 2.34 people per household, the potential number of people who could be affected is 1,259, or 5 percent of the Benton County population.

The 2010 State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan estimates that Benton County has an annual loss of $9,195,882.35 due to Flooding.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has delineated the probable extent of the 100-year flood hazard areas in most areas. These Flood Insurance Rate Maps (D-FIRMs) show properties affected by the floods that have at least a 1% chance of occurring in any particular year. Generally, these areas are in the floodplain or adjacent areas. Much of these areas are parkland, agricultural areas, or conservation land, but residential and commercial areas are impacted by Maximum river flooding as well. 1 Threat The National Flood Insurance Program Flood Insurance Rate Map shows the areas that would be affected by a 100-year flood. Benton County Flood Maps which became effective 6/03/2008 are shown in Appendix 8, page 593. Working with the Benton County Department of GIS and Benton County Auditor’s Office it has been determined that a total of 9 percent of the properties county-wide have the potential of being impacted by riverine or flash flooding. No complete information is available on the 2008 floods yet. An estimated 110 properties were damaged county-wide from actual flooding during the floods of 2008. In the City of Vinton, 29 residential properties qualified for FEMA flood buyouts following the floods of 2008. Also flooded during the floods of 2008 were the Vinton Fire Station, City of Vinton Electrical Utility Plant and the Benton County Law Enforcement Center. The law enforcement center is being replaced using FEMA funds.

Iowa ranked number 1 in the United States for average annual flood damage for Severity Of 1983 through 1997. Much of this damage occurred in losses from the floods of 2 Impact 1993, but smaller-scale floods are a regular occurrence in this state. According to national flood damage reports, from 1997 through 2001, Iowa has had over $331 million dollars in damages from flooding. A portion of this figure is covered by insurance, but much is not. Public assistance programs also cover a portion of these damages under a Presidential Declaration of Major Disaster, but apply only to certain eligible damages. Flooding impacts include potential loss of life; property damage and destruction; damage and disruption of communications, transportation, electric service, and community services; crop and livestock losses; and interruption of businesses. Hazards of fire, health and transportation 162 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 accidents; and contamination of water supplies are likely effects of flooding situations as well. The only specific information that could be obtained after searching Benton County and National Weather Service records pertaining to financial losses from flooding in Benton County is from the flood of 1993 which resulted in an estimated $5 million in damages. Complete data on damages caused by the floods of 2008 are not yet available though it is known that 110 residencies and 20 businesses were damaged county-wide and 29 residential properties in the City of Vinton qualify for FEMA flood buyouts following the floods. Benton County has also qualified for FEMA funding to replacement the flood damaged Benton County Jail at a cost of $5.9 million.

Of the six Presidential Disaster Declarations that have been declared for Benton County since 1990, five have been for flooding. These declarations were made on May 27, 2008, May 25, 2004, June 19, 2002, June 2, 1998 and June, 1993. Gauges along streams and rain gages throughout the state provide for an early flood warning system. River flooding usually develops over the course of several hours or even days depending on the basin characteristics and the position of the particular reach of the stream. The National Weather Service provides flood forecasts for Iowa. Flood warnings are issued over emergency radio and television messages as well as the NOAA Weather Radio. People in Speed of the paths of river floods may have time to take appropriate actions to limit harm 2 Onset to themselves and their property.

The Benton County EMA monitors potential flood severity by using reports and warnings issued by the National Weather Service and flood gauge maintained on the Cedar River in Vinton. The county EMA and Benton County Sheriff’s office dispatch center notifies Benton County emergency responders in the event that flooding may affect or is affecting the county. Worksheet Total 13 Number Triggered 4 Rank out of 26 12 Number Resulting From 15

Priority Group: High Composite Score 32

163 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.2.13 Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials Incident Accidental release of chemical substances or mixtures that presents danger to the public Definition health or safety during production or handling at a fixed facility. A hazardous substance is one that may cause damage to persons, property, or the environment when released to soil, water, or air. Chemicals are manufactured and used in ever increasing types and quantities. As many as 500,000 products pose physical or health hazards and can be defined as “hazardous chemicals.” Each year, over 1,000 new Description synthetic chemicals are introduced. Hazardous substances are categorized as toxic, corrosive, flammable, irritant, or explosive. Hazardous materials incidents generally affect a localized area and the use of planning and zoning can minimize the area of impact. During the period 1993-2008, Hazardous Materials Teams responded to 3937 calls at fixed facilities in Iowa according to the Iowa Department of Public Health HSEES system. Fixed facility releases accounted for about 71% of total releases. (Note: the number of responses to drug-related operations has also risen sharply in the state.) Historical 2 Occurrence In Benton County since January 1, 2000, Iowa DNR records show that there have been 6 fixed facilities hazardous materials incidents. Five of these involved manure from a dairy operation near Blairstown and one involved a spill of transformer oil at the Kostza Substation near the un-incorporated village of Kostza in southeast Benton County. There are 2,728 sites in Iowa that, because of the volume or toxicity of the materials on site, are designated as Tier Two facilities under the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act. Despite increasing safeguards, more and more potentially hazardous materials are being used in commercial, agricultural, and domestic activities. The Benton County Emergency Management Agency has records of 26 Tier Two facilities in Benton County. No records are maintained by the county or any of its Probability communities pertaining to the types and quantities of other hazardous materials 3 maintained at any other sites in the county. It is known that agricultural chemical companies, automotive service centers and light manufacturing and industrial facilities are among those who periodically have hazardous materials on their premises. Historical occurrences and the presence of hazardous materials in multiple locations throughout the county lend credibility to an estimated probability of a fixed facility hazardous materials incident at least once every five years. A hazardous materials accident can occur almost anywhere, so any area is considered vulnerable to an accident. People, pets, livestock, and vegetation in close proximity to facilities producing, storing, or transporting hazardous substances are at higher risk. Populations downstream, downwind, and downhill of a released substance are particularly vulnerable. Depending on the characteristics of the substance released, a larger area may be in danger from explosion, absorption, injection, ingestion, or inhalation. Occupants of areas previously contaminated by a persistent material may also be harmed either Vulnerability 1 directly or through consumption of contaminated food and water. Facilities are required to have an off-site consequence plan that addresses the population of the surrounding area. Responding personnel are required to be trained to HAZMAT Operations Level to respond to the scene, and those personnel that come into direct contact with the substances released are required to have HAZMAT Technician level training. The most vulnerable people in Benton County to health affects from a fixed facility hazmat incident are workers associated with hazardous materials at the 164 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 facilities, emergency responders and people living in close proximity to fixed facilities having hazardous materials. Because of the wide array of variables associated with a hazardous materials release, vulnerability estimates are difficult to determine. Some releases may have virtually no affect, while two to three square miles of the county could be affected in the case of an anhydrous ammonia or LP gas leak. Most of the hazardous materials incidents are localized and are quickly contained or stabilized by the highly trained fire departments and hazardous materials teams. Depending on the characteristic of the hazardous material or the volume of product involved, the affected area can be as small as a room in a building or as large as 5 square miles or more. Many times, additional regions outside the immediately affected area are evacuated for precautionary reasons. More widespread effects occur when the product contaminates the municipal water Maximum supply or water system such as a river, lake, or aquifer. 1 Extent

A gas release such as anhydrous ammonia or LP could affect portions of Benton County as large as two to three square miles. The unpredictable nature of hazardous materials coupled with climatic and geographic variables and the unknown affects of different hazardous materials reacting together creates a situation where the maximum extent of damage from a hazardous material release is unpredictable. Immediate dangers from hazardous materials include fires and explosion. The release of some toxic gases may cause immediate death, disablement, or sickness if absorbed through the skin, injected, ingested, or inhaled. Contaminated water resources may be unsafe and unusable, depending on the amount of contaminant. Some chemicals cause painful and damaging burns to skin if they come in direct contact with your body. Contamination of air, ground, or water may result in harm to fish, wildlife, livestock, and crops. The release of hazardous materials Severity into the environment may cause debilitation, disease, or birth defects over a long 3 period of time. Loss of livestock and crops may lead to economic hardships within the community. Records maintained and provided by the Iowa Department of Natural resources regarding the only reported release of hazardous materials from a fixed facility in Benton County do not mention any injuries or fatalities. The records do not mention any costs associated with cleanup or control of the chemicals or any costs associated with damages caused by the chemicals. When managed properly under regulations, hazardous materials pose little risk. However, when handled improperly or in the event of an accident, hazardous materials can pose a significant risk to the population. Hazardous materials incidents usually occur very rapidly with little or no warning. Even if reported immediately, people in the area of the release have very little time to be warned and evacuated. During some events, sheltering in-place is the best alternative to evacuation because the material has already Speed of affected the area and there is no time to evacuate safely. Public address systems, 4 Onset television, radio and the NOAA Weather Alert Radios are used to disseminate emergency messages about hazardous materials incidents.

The Benton County Office of Emergency Management and Benton County Sheriff’s office dispatch center notifies applicable Benton County emergency responders about hazardous material incidents. Benton County has an agreement with the Linn County Hazardous Materials team for assistance at hazardous materials incidents. (See Diagram, page 142). Worksheet Total 14 Number Triggered 14 Rank our of 26 13 Number Resulting From 2

Priority Group:

Medium Composite Score 30

165 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.2.14 Windstorm High speed winds of 50 mph or higher, often associated with severe winter storms, Definition severe thunderstorms, downbursts and very steep pressure gradients usually accompanying frontal systems. Extreme winds other than tornados are experienced in all regions of the United States. Description It is difficult to separate the various wind components that cause damage from other wind-related natural events that often occur with or generate windstorms. Large-scale extreme wind phenomena are experienced over every region of the United States. Historically, high wind events are associated with severe thunderstorms and blizzards. It is often difficult to separate windstorms and tornado damage when winds get above 70 knots. There have been 357 wind events in Iowa since 1950 in which wind speeds have exceeded 70 knots (80.5 Historical mph). 4 Occurrence National Climatic Data Center statistics document 213 thunderstorm and/or high wind events in Benton County Between 1961 and 2009. The cumulative total of all damages caused by these storms is $11,202,000 in property damages and $15,257,000 in agricultural crop damages. Seven injuries are also recorded as having occurred due to these storms. Based on historical averages, Iowa would expect to have about 7 to 10 wind events each year in which wind speeds exceed 70 knots (80.5 mph). Probability Due to the historical frequency of windstorms in Benton County it is a near 100 4 percent certainty the county will be impacted by windstorms in the future. The diagram on page 167 shows wind zones for the United States. Those most at risk from windstorms include people living in mobile homes, campgrounds, parks, and other dwellings without secure foundations or basements. According to U.S Census Bureau Housing Statistics information for 2005-2007, in Benton County 629 of the county’s 10,974 residential housing units are mobile homes. People in automobiles are also very vulnerable to wind storms. Vulnerability The elderly, very young, and the physically and mentally handicapped are most 1 vulnerable because of the lack of mobility to escape the path of destruction. People who may not understand watches and warnings due to language barriers are also at risk. According to US Census Bureau estimates there was 10,817, or 40.7 percent of the total population, who are young (less than 18 years old) and old people (older than 65 years old) living in Benton County. Unlike tornadoes, windstorms may have a destructive path that is tens of miles wide. Large hail, strong straight-line winds, heavy rains, flash flooding, and lightning are also associated with severe storms and may cause significant Maximum damage to a wider area. A windstorm could, and as has been historically 1 Threat documented, affect several communities and a land area encompassing half the county or more. The 2010 State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan estimates that Benton County has an annual loss of $12,832.21 due to Windstorm. The severity of damage from windstorms can be very high. Impacts can range from broken tree branches, shingle damage to roofs, and some broken windows, all the way to complete destruction and disintegration of well-constructed structures, infrastructure, and trees. Injury or death related to windstorms most often occurs when buildings collapse; people are hit by flying objects or are Severity Of caught trying to escape the windstorm in a vehicle. Crop damage is often 1 Impact associated with windstorms, laying down crops, breaking stalks, and twisting plants, reducing the yield and making it difficult to harvest. Damages caused by windstorms and severe winds would likely impact at a minimum 10 percent of the land area of Benton County. National Climatic Data Center statistics document $11,202,000 in property damages and $15,257,000 in agricultural crop damages due to the 213 windstorms 166 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 that have occurred in Benton County since 1961. Seven injuries are recorded as having occurred due to these storms. There were no deaths attributed to any of these events. Wind speeds may approach 120 miles per hour and the storm can travel across the ground at more than 60 mph. These winds can uproot trees and structures and turn harmless objects into deadly missiles, all in a matter of seconds. The advancement in weather forecasting allows watches to be delivered to those in the path of these storms up to hours in advance. The best lead-time for a specific severe storm is about 30 minutes.

Benton County has an established system of trained weather spotters. These Speed of individuals are called out on an as needed basis when severe weather threatens 3 Onset the county. The Benton County Office of Emergency Management and Benton County Sheriff’s office dispatch center notifies applicable Benton County emergency responders in the event that severe weather threatens Benton County. Those residents and facilities of the county that have NOAA weather radios will receive notice of tornadoes and severe weather events from the National Weather Service. All Benton County Cities and that area of the county within the 10 mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) of the Duane Arnold Nuclear Power Plant have warning sirens to notify them of an approaching tornado or dangerous winds. Worksheet Total 14 Number Triggered 2 Rank out of 26 14 Number Resulting From 12

Priority Group: High Composite Score 28

167 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.2.15 Severe Winter Storm Severe winter weather conditions that affect day-to-day activities. These can include Definition blizzard conditions, heavy snow, blowing snow, freezing rain, heavy sleet, and extreme cold. Winter storms are common during the winter months of October through April. The various types of extreme winter weather cause considerable damage. Heavy snows cause immobilized transportation systems, downed trees and power lines, collapsed buildings, and loss of livestock and wildlife. Blizzard conditions are winter storms which last at least three hours with sustained wind speeds of 35 mph or more, reduced visibility of 1/4 mile or less, and white-out conditions. Heavy snows of more than six inches in a 12-hour period or freezing rain greater than 1/4 inch accumulation causing hazardous conditions in the community can slow or stop the flow of vital supplies as well as disrupting emergency and medical services. Loose snow begins to drift when Description the wind speed reaches 9 to 10 mph under freezing conditions. The potential for some drifting is substantially higher in open country than in urban areas where buildings, trees, and other features obstruct the wind. Ice storms result in fallen trees, broken tree limbs, downed power lines and utility poles, fallen communications towers, and impassable transportation routes. Severe ice storms have caused total electric power losses over large areas of Iowa and rendered assistance unavailable to those in need due to impassable roads. Frigid temperatures and wind chills are dangerous to people, particularly the elderly and the very young. Dangers include frostbite or hypothermia. Water pipes, livestock, fish and wildlife, and pets are also at risk from extreme cold and severe winter weather. Since 1993, Iowa has had 3,636 heavy snow, ice storm, or extreme wind chill events. National Climatic Data Center statistics documents 111 severe winter storm events that have been reported to impact Benton County between 1950 and Historical 2008. All totaled, the 111 Benton County Winter Storm events have caused 4 Occurrence $20,041,000 in damages, 14 injuries and 4 deaths in the county. Three Presidential Declarations of Major Disasters due to winter storms have been declared in Iowa since 1990, the most recent in February, 2007. Winter storms regularly move easterly and use both the southward plunge of arctic cold air from Canada and the northward flow of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico to produce heavy snow and sometimes blizzard conditions in Iowa and other parts of the Midwest. From 1983 to 1998, Des Moines averaged nearly 50 days a year with falling snow. The cold temperatures, strong winds, and heavy precipitation are the ingredients of winter storms. Most counties, including Benton County can usually expect 2 or 3 winter storms a season with an extreme Probability storm every 3 to 5 years on average (more in the northwest, fewer in the 4 southeast). A snowfall of six inches or more from one storm only occurs in 49% of Iowa winters, while a large winter storm event of 10 inches or more will occur about once every 3 years. National Climatic Data Center statistics document 111 snow and ice events as having occurred in Benton County since January 1 of 1950. Due to the historical frequency of severe winter storms and Benton County’s geographical location, it is a near 100 percent certainty the county will be impacted by winter storms in the future. Hazardous driving conditions due to snow and ice on highways and bridges lead to many traffic accidents. The leading cause of death during winter storms is transportation accidents. About 70% of winter-related deaths occur in automobiles and about 25% are people caught out in the storm. The majority of these are males over 40 years of age. Emergency services such as police, fire, and ambulance are unable to respond due to road conditions. Emergency needs of Vulnerability 2 remote or isolated residents for food or fuel, as well as for feed, water and shelter for livestock are unable to be met. People, pets, and livestock are also susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia during winter storms. Those at risk in Benton County are primarily either engaged in outdoor activity (shoveling snow, digging out vehicles, or assisting stranded motorists), or are the elderly or very young (5,395 people or (20.4 percent of the total Benton County population). The schools 168 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 systems of Benton County often close during extreme cold or heavy snow conditions to protect the safety of children and bus drivers. Citizens' use of kerosene heaters and other alternative forms of heating may create other hazards such as structural fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. The 2010 State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan estimates that Benton County has an annual loss of $202,438.26 due to Severe Winter Storm (Extreme Cold and Snow & Ice). Winter storms are quite vast and would likely impact multiple counties. Certain areas may experience local variations in storm intensity and quantity of snow or ice. The Iowa Department of Transportation, Benton County Secondary Roads Maximum and city public works departments are responsible for the removal of snow and 3 Threat treatment of snow and ice with sand and salt on Benton County’s 1,330 miles of hard surfaced, secondary, rock and dirt roads in the county and on any street of the county’s 14 incorporated cities. Travelers using any of the county’s roads stranded in a severe winter storm and may be forced to seek refuge in a shelter. Immobilized transportation (including emergency vehicles), downed trees and electrical wires, building and communication tower collapse, and bodily injury/death are just a few of the impacts of a severe winter storm. Vehicle batteries and diesel engines are stressed and the fuel often gels in extreme cold weather. This impacts transportation, trucking, and rail traffic. Rivers and lakes freeze and subsequent ice jams threaten bridges and can close major highways. Ice jams can also create flooding problems when temperatures begin to rise. An ice coating at least one-fourth inch in thickness is heavy enough to damage trees, overhead wires, and similar objects and to produce widespread power outages. Buried water pipes can burst causing massive ice problems, loss of water and subsequent evacuations during sub-zero temperatures. Fire during winter storms Severity Of presents a great danger because water supplies may freeze, and firefighting 2 Impact equipment may not function effectively or personnel and equipment may be unable to get to the fire. If power is out, interiors of homes become very cold, causing pipes to freeze and possibly burst. Cold temperature impacts on agriculture are frequently discussed in terms of frost and freeze impacts early or late in growing seasons and on unprotected livestock. The cost of snow removal, repairing damage, and loss of business can have large economic impacts on the community. Since 1993, Iowa has had 22 injuries related to winter storms and 12 deaths. Benton County has had 4 deaths and 14 injuries attributed to the 111 reported winter storm events in Benton County between 1950 and 2008. Property damages totaled $20,041,000 for all of Benton County for all 111 storms. Damages reported per storm ranged from $0 to $2,100,000 (February 24, 2007). The National Weather Service (NWS) has developed effective weather advisories that are promptly and widely distributed. Radio, TV, and Weather Alert Radios provide the most immediate means to do this. Accurate information is made available to public officials and the public up to days in advance. Several Speed of notifications made by the National Weather Service include winter storm watch, 2 Onset winter storm warning, blizzard warning, winter weather advisory, and a frost/freeze advisory. The Benton Office of Emergency Management and Benton County Sheriff’s office dispatch center notifies the county’s emergency responders of all weather warnings, including severe winter storms. Worksheet Total 17 Number Triggered 0 Rank out of 26 15 Number Resulting From 10 Priority Group: High Composite Score 27 47

169 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.2.16 Air Transportation Incident

Definition Any incident involving a military, commercial, or private aircraft.

Air transportation is playing a more prominent role in transportation as a whole. Airplanes, helicopters, and other modes of air transportation are used to transport passengers for business and recreation as well as thousands of tons of cargo. A variety of circumstances can result in an air transportation incident. Mechanical failure, pilot Description error, enemy attack, terrorism, weather conditions, and on-board fire can all lead to an incident at or near the airport. Air transportation incidents can occur in remote unpopulated areas, residential areas, or downtown business districts. Incidents involving military, commercial, or private aircraft can also occur while the aircraft is on the ground. Iowa has 8 commercial airports, 3 commercial reliever airports, 107 general aviation airports, and 79 heliports.

Benton County has two airports domiciled within the county’s boundaries, the Belle Plaine Airport near Belle Plaine and the Vinton Veterans Memorial Airport near Vinton. Both have 4,000 feet long runways. Both airports are used by smaller aircraft primarily locally owned, though a 4,000 foot long runway is long enough to land a commercial aircraft as large as a 727.

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) records indicate that there has been 5 reported aircraft accidents with fatalities in Benton County since January 1, 1970 Historical 1 Occurrence A Beech C90 crashed near Blairstown on January 3, 1973 and killed all five people on board.

A Bellanca 17-31A crashed near Garrison on December 20, 1975 and killed all three persons on board.

A Cessna T210L crashed and killed all three people on board near Atkins on March 17, 1977.

A Beech C23 crashed near Belle Plaine on December 29, 1989 and killed one person.

A Bell 206B crashed near Walford on June 30, 2006 and killed one person.

In addition, there have been 6 other aircraft transportation incidents in Benton County since 1970 that resulted in no fatalities. The greater the number of landings and takeoffs, the greater the probability of a crash or accident. More and more people are utilizing air travel now than in the past. The trend of increasing numbers of people flying is likely to continue as will the crowdedness of airports and the skies above Iowa. In FY 1996, there were Probability 2 more than 650,000 flights handled by FAA towers in Iowa. Despite the increase in the number of people using air travel, incidents that require response personnel and involve casualties are likely to continue to decrease in number due to increases in the quality of training, equipment, and safety. Proper land use in the 170 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 vicinity of the airport will also decrease the chance that people and property on the ground will suffer significant impacts in the event of an air transportation accident. With five fatal aircraft accidents occurring in the Benton County over the past 25 years and the county’s proximity to the Eastern Iowa Airport, it is predictable that a fatal aircraft accident will occur on the average of once every 5 years in Benton County. People aboard airplanes are the most vulnerable. Statistics from the National Transportation Safety Board and the airline industry show that the majority (over 75%) of airplane crashes and accidents occur during the takeoff or landing phases of a flight. As a result, developed areas adjacent to the airports and in airport Vulnerability 1 flight paths are particularly vulnerable to this hazard. For areas away from the airport, a smaller percentage of the population would be directly in the area of impact. In Benton County the City of Walford is directly in the flight path of the Main Runway of the Eastern Iowa Airport and only 5 miles from the airport. As mentioned above, most accidents occur during takeoffs and landings. Accordingly, the spatial extent of the majority of incidents would occur on airport grounds or adjacent areas. Compared to many other hazards, an air transportation accident would occupy a relatively small area. The extent to which the impacts Maximum would be felt would depend on the materials involved. For example, if a cargo 1 Threat plane transporting volatile or hazardous substances were involved in an accident, the area of concern would be significantly larger than the area for an accident involving a small personal aircraft carrying stable materials. The largest share of accidents would likely affect only a few city blocks. The level of severity would depend on the type of aircraft involved, the type of cargo being transported, and the area on the ground on which the accident occurred. The lives and health of the pilot, crew, passengers, and the population on the ground would be at risk. There are very few injuries and fatalities when compared to the number of people involved in travel as a whole, but if there is an Severity Of accident, it is very likely that the injuries will be serious or fatal. Damage to the 2 Impact aircraft itself is costly to the owner in terms of direct value lost and amount lost because the airplane is now out of commission. Significant damage can also occur to property on the ground. Often buildings, fences, utility lines, and trees are damaged or destroyed in the event of a plane crash. The cargo aboard a plane that has crashed can also sustain damage or destruction. This too can be extremely costly. The amount of warning time prior to an aircraft accident could vary from tens of minutes to a matter of seconds. Crews aboard a troubled aircraft can radio to Speed of ground crews to prepare for the incident, but little can be done to lessen the direct 4 Onset effects of the impact. Rarely is there adequate time to do more than position on- site response personnel and alert mass casualty care providers of the possible event. Worksheet Total 11 Number Triggered 9 Rank out of 26 16 Number Resulting From 4

Priority Group:

Medium Composite Score 24

171 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.2.17 Cyber Terrorism Electronic attack using one computer system against another in order to intimidate Definition people or disrupt other systems. Cyber terrorism may last from minutes to days depending upon the type of intrusion, disruption, or infection. Generally, there are no direct effects on the built environment, Description but secondary effects may be felt depending upon the system being terrorized. Inadequate security can facilitate access to critical computer systems, allowing them to be used to conduct attacks. Cyber-security and critical infrastructure protection are among the most important national security issues facing our country today, and they will only become more challenging in the years to come. Recent attacks on our Historical infrastructure components have taught us that security has been a relatively low 1 Occurrence priority in the development of computer software and Internet systems. These attacks not only have disrupted electronic commerce, but also have had a debilitating effect on public confidence in the Internet. There have been no documented incidents of cyber-attack in Benton County. Security experts describe the threat as eminent. Intrusion detection systems log thousands of attempts in a single month. There are constant probes by Probability 1 individuals and groups with intent to cause anything from total system shutdown to simply “seeing if they can do it.” Security professionals argue that current approaches are inadequate. With companies increasingly using the Internet to connect to suppliers and customers, they say organizations place too much faith in technology to protect their data, and do not pay enough attention to security education and awareness. Vulnerability 2 Inadequate security can facilitate access to critical computer systems, allowing them to be used to conduct attacks. Some of the municipal jurisdictions in Benton County have not developed the necessary back-up systems to allow retrieval of vital data in the event of a cyber attack. Our society is highly networked and interconnected. An attack could be launched from anywhere on earth and could cause impacts as small as a Maximum computer lab to as large as the world wide web. At its fullest extent a cyber 3 Extent attack could involve all of Benton County and its associated municipal jurisdictions. Generally, there are no direct effects on the built environment. Impacts can range from annoyance to complete shutdown of critical infrastructures due to Severity infiltration of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. 1 Secondary impacts could affect welfare of people and property by denying service or providing false readings. Because of the networks (formal and informal) that exist to share intrusion attempts and impacts, warnings can be put out in advance to alert those in similar situations to take protective security recommendations such as updating virus Speed of detection software, making sure security patches are in place, etc. Warning times 4 Onset can range from no warning to days. Because of our highly evolved computer networks and data sharing, bugs, viruses, and worms can proliferate rapidly. Effects of hacking can be instantaneous. Worksheet Total 12 Number Triggered 12 Rank out of 26: 17 Number Resulting From 0

Priority Group: Low Composite Score 24

172 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.2.18 Human Disease Pandemic A medical, health, or sanitation threat to the general public (such as contamination, epidemics, Definition plagues, and insect infestation). Public health action to control infectious diseases in the 21st century is based on the 19th century discovery of microorganisms as the cause of many serious diseases (e.g., cholera and TB). Disease control has resulted from improvements in sanitation and hygiene, the discovery of antibiotics, and the implementation of universal childhood vaccination programs. Scientific and technologic advances have played a major role in each of these areas and are the foundation for today's Description disease surveillance and control systems. Scientific findings also have contributed to a new understanding of the evolving relation between humans and microbes. As of January 1, 2000, a total of 60 infectious diseases were designated as notifiable at the national level. A notifiable disease is one for which regular, frequent, and timely information regarding individual cases is considered necessary for the prevention and control of the disease. The Iowa Department of Public Health tracks epidemiological statistics in Iowa. Their data indicate no major epidemics of diseases that have high percentages of loss of life or Historical severe illness. Each year, there are many cases of the diseases on the national notification 1 Occurrence list. There has been no human disease epidemic other than the usual outbreaks of common flu and cold that has affected Benton County since the 1800’s or early 1900’s such as the Spanish Flu outbreak in 1918. Public health agencies work to protect Iowans from infectious diseases and preserve the health and safety of Iowans through disease surveillance; investigation of acute outbreaks; education and consultation to county, local, and private health agencies on infectious Probability diseases; immunization and vaccine guidelines; treatment after animal bites; and vaccines 1 for international travel. While this reduces the number of cases, it does not eliminate them. The Benton County Public Health Department is the local public health agency with jurisdiction over Benton County. Public health agencies also work to reduce the impact of communicable diseases in Iowa and to eliminate the morbidity associated with these diseases. Prevention and care services target chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis. Programs guide community-based prevention planning, monitor current infectious disease trends, prevent transmission of infectious diseases, provide early detection and treatment for infected Vulnerability 3 persons, and ensure access to health care for refugees in Iowa. While vaccines are available for many diseases, Iowans remain vulnerable to other diseases known and unknown. A current threat is the probability of a pandemic outbreak due to the H5N1 Bird Flu virus that is affecting many Asian and European countries and the Swine Flu virus H1N1 that reached the level of a pandemic in the spring of 2009.. Because of our highly mobile society, these diseases can move rapidly across the Maximum state and across the nation within days, weeks, or months, thus the possibility 3 Extent exists that a highly infectious human disease could affect all of Benton County. Many of the diseases on the national notification list result in serious illness if not Severity 4 death. Some are treatable, for others only the symptoms are treatable. The private practitioner is the first line of defense and will undoubtedly be the first to witness the symptoms of human disease epidemics. The Iowa Department of Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control monitor reports submitted by local doctors, hospitals, and labs serving Benton County to identify patterns. Local Public Speed of Health Agencies such as the Benton County Public Health Department complete the follow 1 Onset up for reportable diseases to prevent future spread. The Department and CDC are proactive in providing information to the health care community on medical concerns. Conditions related to scope and magnitude can escalate quickly and area resources can be drained of personnel, medications, and vaccinations rather quickly. Worksheet Total 13 Number Triggered 10 Rank our of 26: 18 Number Resulting From 0

Priority Group:

Medium Composite Score 23

173 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.2.19 Pipeline Transportation Incident A break in a pipeline creating a potential for an explosion or leak of a dangerous Definition substance (oil, gas, etc.) possibly requiring evacuation. Iowa is served by many high pressure pipelines to residents and industries. An underground pipeline incident can be caused by environmental disruption, accidental damage, or sabotage. Incidents can range from a small slow leak that is not ignited to a Description large rupture in which the gas is ignited. Inspection and maintenance of the pipeline system along with marked gas line locations and an early warning and response procedure can lessen the risk to those in proximity to the pipelines. According to the Iowa Utilities Board Annual Report, 29 accidents, incidents, or service outages were reported in 2001. One was an incident involving jurisdictional piping, 14 were interruptions of service to customers, 11 were courtesy calls involving incidents that were not reportable, but were considered significant enough by the operator to inform the Board, and 3 were incidents concerning customer piping, propane, and equipment damage. Of the 29 Historical reported, 17 of the accidents, incidents, or outages resulted from third-party 1 Occurrence damage. Across the nation, hundreds of deaths and many more injuries have been caused by underground pipeline incidents. Benton County has three energy providers with transmission pipelines passing through the county: Alliant Energy Interstate Power and Light; Mid American Energy Corp. and Northern Natural Gas Co. For security reasons none of the providers would release information regarding any incidents that have occurred with their lines in Benton County. The vast majority of pipeline incidents that occur are caused by third-party damage to the pipeline, often due to construction or some other activity that involves trenching or digging operations. With development occurring at an unprecedented rate and the ground becoming more and more congested with utilities, the probability of an underground pipeline incident is significant. Petroleum and natural gas pipeline accidents occur with some regularity, but Probability 1 they usually have a limited impact and are quickly and adequately handled by pipeline company emergency crews and local and state responders. Pipeline operators are required to coordinate all safety preparedness and response activities with the communities. Planning, training, and exercising of emergency procedures with all involved parties help to limit the occurrence and severity of incidents. About 60 interstate pipelines operate in the state under federal pipeline jurisdiction. There are many high-pressure gas mains throughout the state which supply residential and industrial users. People and property with pipelines on their land or nearby are the most at risk. In the event of a pipeline incident, those downwind and downhill of the release are most vulnerable. People excavating earth near a pipeline are also at risk. Private homes and business served by natural gas have smaller diameter pipelines connected to their structure. The underground pipelines cross public streets, roads, and highways as well as Vulnerability 2 streams. Iowa’s natural environment is also vulnerable to contamination from an underground pipeline incident.

Alliant Energy IPL has approximately 68 miles of natural gas transmission pipelines in Benton County. The transmission pipeline size ranges from ½” to 6” plastic pipe and 2” to 4” steel pipe. Northern Natural Gas has 39 miles of natural gas transmission pipelines in Benton County. The lines are 2", 3", 4", 6", 12" and 16" Pipe.

174 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Though often overlooked, petroleum and natural gas pipelines pose a real threat in the community. Most incidents affect only the area directly above or near the damaged pipeline. Depending on the size of pipeline and amount of product released, the extent of impact could be several hundred feet in diameter. Large Maximum areas may need to be evacuated to remove people from the threat of fire, 1 Extent explosion, or exposure. Pipelines have automatic shutoff valves installed so that damaged sections can be isolated and the volume of product escaping can be limited. Identification and caution signs are posted wherever pipelines pass under roads, streams, fence lines, or at any aboveground utilities. Petroleum and natural gas pipelines can leak or erupt and cause property damage, environmental contamination, injuries, and even loss of life. Accidents may be caused by internal or external corrosion, defective welds, incorrect operation, outside damage, or other defective pipeline or equipment. Most incidents involve crude oil, gasoline, or natural gas pipelines. All petroleum liquids pose dangers from fire or explosion, and the fire may produce poisonous or irritating gasses. Toxic fumes and direct contact can cause health hazards. Severity Vapor clouds can travel a distance and settle in low-lying areas where the fumes 2 may overcome people and animals. Released products should be treated as any other hazardous material. Large areas may need to be evacuated to remove people from the threat of fire, explosion, or exposure. These evacuations potentially save lives and limit injury, but they also disrupt businesses and inconvenience residents. A break in water pipelines may impact fire protection and continuity of operations at business and industry and may affect the area by saturating the soil and causing rapid erosion. A pipeline incident may occur suddenly, but sight, sound, and smell can alert individuals that there may have been damage done to a pipeline in the area. Speed of Products may bubble up from the ground or collect in low-lying areas, a roaring 4 Onset or hissing noise may be heard, and most products give off a distinct odor. These warning signs can alert individuals not to use any devices that may act as ignition sources and cause a fire or explosion. Worksheet Total 11 Number Triggered 4 Rank out of 26 19 Number Resulting From 7

Priority Group: Low Composite Score 22

175 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.2.20 Hailstorm An outgrowth of a severe thunderstorm in which balls or irregularly shaped lumps of Definition ice greater than 1 inch in diameter fall with rain. Hail is produced by many strong thunderstorms. Strong rising currents of air within a storm carry water droplets to a height where freezing occurs. Ice particles grow in size Description until they are too heavy to be supported by the updraft. Hail can be smaller than a pea or as large as a softball and can be very destructive to plants and crops. Pets and livestock are particularly vulnerable to hail. A total of 4,472 hail events have occurred in Iowa since 1993 according to the National Climatic Data Center. These have resulted in 11 injuries and 4 deaths in the state. Historical The National Climatic Data Center data details 153 hail events, or an average of 4 Occurrence over 3 per year that have impacted Benton County since 1963. These storms have caused a total of $2,889,000 in property damages and $799,000 in crop damages. No deaths or injuries have been attributed to these storms. Data on probability and frequency of occurrence of hailstorms is limited, but research indicates that any given point in Iowa can expect on average two to three Probability 4 hailstorms in a year. The historical occurrence of hail storms in Benton County supports this conclusion. Agricultural crops such as corn and beans are particularly vulnerable to hailstorms stripping the plant of its leaves. Hail can also do considerable damage to vehicles and buildings. Hail only rarely results in loss of life directly although Vulnerability 1 injuries can occur. The 2010 State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan estimates that Benton County has an annual loss of $230,500 due to Hail. The land area affected by individual hail events is not much smaller that that of parent thunderstorm, an average of 15 miles in diameter around the center of the storm. A majority of the hail storms recorded as affecting Benton County are Maximum shown to have only affected 1, 2 or 3 communities at a time. A hailstorm that 1 Extent struck the county on 4/13/2006 affected 8 of the counties 14 communities and the surrounding rural areas. This is equivalent to over one half of the county’s land area. This storm is shown to have caused $55,000 in property damages. Hailstorms cause nearly $1 billion dollars annually in property and crop damage in the United States. The peak hail activity coincides with the Midwest’s peak agricultural season. Financial impacts resulting from damage to property is in the millions of dollars every year, most of which is covered by crop and hazard insurance. The 153 hailstorms that have impacted Benton County have caused a Severity total of $2,889,000 in property damages and $799,000 in crop damages. No deaths 2 or injuries have been attributed to these storms. The highest property damage recorded was $2 million from a hail storm that struck Garrison, Keystone and Urbana on 5/10/2003. The highest amount of crop damage that has occurred in Benton County is $500,000 from a storm that struck Keystone and Norway on 6/7/1994 .

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Forecasting hailstorms as with their parent thunderstorms, is becoming quite accurate due to the advancement in Doppler Radar and other technologies operated by the National Weather Service and many television weather Speed of departments. Warnings in the 20 to 30 minute range are usually available prior to 3 Onset the occurrence of the storm. The Benton County Office of Emergency Management and Benton County Sheriff’s office dispatch center notifies applicable Benton County storm watchers and emergency responders about potential damaging hail incidents. Worksheet Total 15 Number Triggered 5 Rank out of 26: 20 Number Resulting From 1

Priority Group: Low Composite Score 21

177 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.2.21 Animal/Plant/Crop Disease A medical, health, or sanitation threat to the wildlife or domestic animals (such as Definition contamination, epidemics, plagues, and insect infestation). Infectious diseases introduced onto an operation can have a devastating effect on cash flow and equity. Major animal diseases include foot and mouth disease, rinderpest, African swine fever, classical swine fever, brucellosis, lumpy skin disease, and others. Adverse effects of infectious diseases can occur at the farm or industry level. Some diseases may severely limit or eliminate animal marketing options (for example: to Description slaughter only). In the future producers may be responsible for potential pathogen contamination of the food supply or environment. Negative effects may be short- or long-term, depending on the nature of the pathogen and level of concern among producers and consumers. Presence of some pathogens can also affect market access for larger portions of the industry. With the stakes so high, biosecurity should be a very high priority in day-to-day management decisions. Current animal disease epidemics that threaten the United States include the West Nile Virus (WNV) and The Bird Flu (H5N1). First identified in New York City and carried by birds and mosquitoes, the disease spread to four states in 1999 and to 12 states and the District of Columbia in 2000. WNV causes severe neuralgic infections in humans, horses, and other mammal species. As of early 2003, the disease has been found in nearly all states east of the Rocky Mountains, including Iowa where 15 confirmed human cases, 113 birds and 1039 horses have tested positive. Rabbit calicivirus disease was first found on a farm in Crawford Historical County in 2000. A veterinarian in Denison, Iowa, submitted tissue samples from 1 Occurrence one of rabbits in the colony to the Iowa State University (ISU) Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory on March 22, 2000. On March 24, tissues from a second rabbit were submitted. The population was quarantined and the cages destroyed. No further outbreaks have occurred in Iowa. These are only two recent examples of animal diseases of major concern in Iowa in the recent past.

Because of security and privacy issues, the Iowa Department of Agriculture does not release details of specific animal or crop disease incidents or their location, including any that have occurred in Benton County. As the nation’s number one producer of corn, soybeans, eggs, and hogs, Iowa farmers and producers know the importance of securing America’s food supply. With hundreds of thousands of head of livestock produced and transported in Iowa each year, Iowa could be a rich environment for a disease epidemic to take hold if precautions such as vaccinations and handling procedures are not rigorously followed.

Census Data indicates that in 2008 Benton County had 1,250 farms totaling 402,000 acres or 86% of the land area of the county. The average size of a Benton County Farm is 322 acres. The following statistics are also pertinent to the Probability 1 prevalence of crop acres and livestock in Benton County.

No. of all cattle and calves in Benton County 51,018 No. of beef cows in Benton County 11,979 No. of milk cows in Benton County 4,474 All hogs and pigs in Benton County 79,933 Corn acres in Benton County 187,500 Soybean acres in Benton County 153,800 Oats acres in Benton County 900 Hay acres in Benton County 13,900

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U.S. agriculture is very vulnerable to the introduction of a foreign animal disease. Outbreaks can be inadvertently introduced by contaminated material carried by an international traveler or by the importation of infected animals and animal Vulnerability 2 products. Foreign animal diseases could enter the U.S. vectored by wild animals, insects, or migratory birds or they could be intentionally introduced to cause severe economic problems or to target human health. State and federal animal health programs have been very successful in preventing or limiting the scope and magnitude of animal emergencies. However, because Maximum threats to animal health are always changing and because the animal population 1 Threat is mobile, the possibility always exists for a local, regional, or statewide animal health emergency to occur. Animal health emergencies can take many forms: disease epidemics, large-scale incidents of feed or water contamination, extended periods without adequate water, harmful exposure to chemical, radiological or biological agents, and large- scale infestations of disease-carrying insects or rodents, to name a few. One of the Severity 3 principal dangers of disease outbreaks is that they can rapidly overwhelm the local animal care system. Perhaps the greatest animal health hazard would be the intentional release of a foreign animal disease agent to adversely impact a large number of animals. Such a release would likely be an act of sabotage. The private practitioner is the first line of defense and will undoubtedly be the first to witness the symptoms of animal disease epidemics. The United States Department of Agriculture monitors reports submitted by veterinarians and labs Speed of to identify patterns. The department is proactive in providing information to the 1 Onset agricultural community on medical concerns. Conditions related to scope and magnitude can escalate quickly and area resources can be drained of vets, medications, and vaccinations rather quickly. Worksheet Total 9 Number Triggered 8 Rank out of 26: 21 Number Resulting From 2

Priority Group: Low Composite Score 19

179 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.2.22 Agro-terrorism Agro-terrorism is the direct, generally covert contamination of food supplies or Definition introduction of pests or disease agents to crops and livestock. Biological agents and infectious animal or plant diseases as well as liquid or solid contaminants can be dispersed using sprayers/aerosol generators or by point or line sources such as munitions, covert deposits and moving sprayers. All such agents may Description pose viable threats to livestock and crops from hours to years depending upon the agent and the conditions in which it exits. Depending on the agent used and the effectiveness with which it is deployed, contamination can be spread via wind and water. Infections can be spread via human or animal vectors. Iowa has not been immune to acts of terrorism or sabotage. Incidents of agro- terrorism have been limited to malicious acts of vandals. While these acts have caused terror, they have not resulted in injuries or deaths to humans though they have sometimes resulted in deaths of livestock and damages to agricultural structures. Historical In Iowa, intentional incidents have involved feed poisoning causing livestock 1 Occurrence deaths, contamination of raw milk, vandalism and arson to production facilities, and destruction of research and laboratory facilities. No incidents of agro-terrorism in Benton County could be documented. Because of security and privacy issues, the Iowa Department of Agriculture does not release details of specific incidents or their location, including any that have occurred in Benton County. Internationally, such acts have, unfortunately, become quite commonplace, as various religious, ethnic, and nationalistic groups have attempted to alter and dictate political and social agendas, seek revenge for perceived past wrongdoing, or intentionally disrupt the political, social, and economic infrastructure of individual businesses, units of government, or nations. Unfortunately, there will never be a way to totally eliminate all types of these clandestine activities. Persons inclined to cause death and destruction are usually capable of finding a Probability way to carry out their plans. As perpetrators of terrorism improve their ability to 1 collect information, raise money and issue rhetoric, implementation of effective counter measures becomes even more important. Because Iowa serves as the breadbasket to the world, there is an increased risk of agro-terrorist activity. Benton County is at the heart of Iowa’s agriculture industry and is surrounded by farmland and livestock operations. Vacant buildings and remote areas in Benton County offer opportunities for renegade terrorists to carry out clandestine activities. Innocent people are often victims of terrorist activity targeted at certain organizations and activities. Based on the method of delivery, the general public Vulnerability is vulnerable to bio-terrorism. The American public is not vaccinated for many of 3 the agents used as weapons by terrorist groups. Iowa vaccinated volunteers against smallpox at 15 Iowa hospitals in early 2003. Depending on the agent used and the effectiveness with which it is deployed, contamination can be spread via wind and water. Infections can be spread via Maximum human or animal vectors. Because of the variables described above, the 3 Threat geographic extent can become quite broad before the incident is recognized as a terrorist act. The intent of the terrorist is to cause fear based on illness, injury, and death. An agro-terrorism incident would likely result in livestock deaths or contaminated Severity Of agricultural commodities that could impact food supplies. Economic impacts 3 Impact from an agro-terrorism incident would be far-reaching and severely damaging because of loss of production and long-term disruption of commodity flows. Speed of Acts of terrorism can be immediate and often come after little or no warning. 4 180 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Onset There are occasions when terrorists have warned the targeted organization beforehand, but often the attack comes without previous threat. Terrorists threaten people other scare tactics. Even if it is a shallow threat, precautions must be taken to ensure the safety of the people and property involved. Acts of agro- terrorism because of the time it takes for disease vectors to spread may take days or weeks to be recognized. Worksheet Total 15 Number Triggered 0 Rank our of 26 22 Number Resulting From 3

Priority Group: Low Composite Score 18

181 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.2.23 Bio-terrorism Use of biological agents against persons or property in violation of the criminal laws of Definition the United States for purposes of intimidation, coercion or ransom. Liquid or solid contaminants can be dispersed using sprayers/aerosol generators or by point or line sources such as munitions, covert deposits and moving sprayers. Biological agents may pose viable threats from hours to years depending upon the Description agent and the conditions in which it exits. Depending on the agent used and the effectiveness with which it is deployed, contamination can be spread via wind and water. Infections can be spread via human or animal vectors. Iowa has not been immune to acts of terrorism or sabotage. The state has experienced many bomb threats in the distant and recent past. The biological Historical terrorism history, fortunately, has been limited to threats and hoaxes only. While 1 Occurrence these acts have caused terror, they have not resulted in injuries or deaths. There have been no incidents of bioterrorism in Benton County. Internationally, such acts have, unfortunately, become quite commonplace, as various religious, ethnic, and nationalistic groups have attempted to alter and dictate political and social agendas, seek revenge for perceived past wrongdoing, or intentionally disrupt the political, social, and economic infrastructure of individual businesses, units of government, or nations. Unfortunately, there will never be a way to totally eliminate all types of these clandestine activities. Persons inclined to cause death and destruction are usually capable Probability of finding a way to carry out their plans. As perpetrators of terrorism improve their ability 1 to collect information, raise money and issue rhetoric, implementation of effective counter measures becomes even more important. The most probable target for a bioterrorism attack on a Benton County city’s water supply system The probability that Benton County may be affected by an act of bioterrorism terrorism is also somewhat enhanced due to the presence of Highway 30 to the south and I-380 to the north and the county’s proximity to the major metropolitan cities such as Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. Innocent people are often victims of terrorist activity targeted at certain organizations and activities. Based on the method of delivery, the general public Vulnerability is vulnerable to bio-terrorism. The American public is not vaccinated for many of 3 the agents used as weapons by terrorist groups. Iowa vaccinated volunteers against smallpox at 15 Iowa hospitals in early 2003. Because of the characteristics of the weapons terrorists use, the area can be limited to a room, building, or the entire community. Depending on the agent used and the effectiveness with which it is deployed, contamination can be Maximum spread via wind and water. Infections can be spread via human or animal 3 Threat vectors. Because of the variables described above, the geographic extent can become quite broad before the incident is recognized as a terrorist act. A bioterrorism attack on a Benton County city’s water supply system holds the potential for afflicting the entire population of the city. The intent of the terrorist is to cause fear based on illness, injury, and death. A Severity Of bio-terrorism incident would likely result in illness at a minimum, with multiple 3 Impact deaths and long-term health problems as a worst-case. Acts of terrorism can be immediate and often come after little or no warning. There are occasions when terrorists have warned the targeted organization Speed of beforehand, but often the attack comes without previous threat. Terrorists 4 Onset threaten people and facilities through threats and other scare tactics. Even if it is a shallow threat, precautions must be taken to ensure the safety of the people and property involved. Worksheet Total 15 Number Triggered 0 Rank our of 26: 23 Number Resulting From 3 Priority Group: Low Composite Score 18

182 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.2.24 Conventional Terrorism Use of conventional weapons and explosives against persons or property in violation of Definition the criminal laws of the United States for purposes of intimidation, coercion or ransom. Conventional terrorism includes detonation of an explosive device on or near a target delivered via person, vehicle, or projectile. Hazard effects are instantaneous; additional secondary devices may be used, lengthening the duration of the hazard until the attack Description site is determined to be clear. The extent of damage is determined by the type and quantity of explosive. Effects are generally static other than cascading consequences, incremental structural failures, etc. Conventional terrorism can also include tactical assault or sniping from remote locations. Iowa has not been immune to acts of terrorism or sabotage. The state has experienced many bomb threats in the distant and recent past. During the spring of 2002, 18 pipe bombs were found in mailboxes in five states stretching from Illinois to Texas, including Iowa. Six people were injured in the bombings in Historical Iowa and Illinois. 2 Occurrence According to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, there have been four bomb threats in the last 12 years in Benton County, all of them at the Benton Community High School in Van Horne on 4/20/1998; 2/24/1999; 9/29/1999 and 12/16/2005. On all occasions a search of the school found no bomb. Unfortunately, there will never be a way to totally eliminate all types of these clandestine activities. Persons inclined to cause death and destruction are usually capable of finding a way to carry out their plans. As perpetrators of terrorism improve their ability to collect information, raise money and issue rhetoric, implementation of effective counter measures becomes even more important. Probability 2 The most likely targets of a conventional terrorism attack in Benton County include school system facilities of the Belle Plaine Community School District; Benton Community School District; Center Point-Urbana School District; Central Lutheran School; Vinton-Shellsburg School District; The Benton County Courthouse and Benton County Law Enforcement Center. Energy decreases logarithmically as a function of distance from seat of blast. Terrain, forestation, structures, etc. can provide shielding by absorbing or Vulnerability deflecting energy and debris. Exacerbating conditions include ease of access to 1 target; lack of barriers/shielding; poor construction; and ease of concealment of device. Extent of damage is determined by type and quantity of explosive. Effects are Maximum generally static other than cascading consequences, incremental structural failure, 2 Threat etc. Property damage and injuries are almost certain outcomes if a conventional bomb Severity Of is detonated in a developed or populated area. Threats and scares have 4 Impact psychological impacts and disrupt activities at a cost to productivity.

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Explosions are usually instantaneous; additional secondary devices may be used, lengthening the duration of the hazard until the attack site is determined to be clear. Acts of terrorism can be immediate and often come after little or no Speed of warning. There are occasions when terrorists have warned the targeted 4 Onset organization beforehand, but often the attack comes without previous threat. Terrorists threaten people and facilities through "bomb threats" and other scare tactics. Even if it is a shallow threat, precautions must be taken to ensure the safety of the people and property involved. Worksheet Total 15 Number Triggered 0 Rank out of 26 24 Number Resulting From 3

Priority Group:

Medium Composite Score 18

184 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.2.25 Extreme Heat Temperatures (including heat index) in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 3 successive Definition days of 90+ degrees Fahrenheit. A heat advisory is issued when temperatures reach 105 degrees and a warning is issued at 115 degrees. A prolonged period of excessive heat and humidity. The heat index is a number in degrees Fahrenheit that tells how hot it really feels when relative humidity is added to the actual air temperature. Exposure to full sunshine can increase the heat index by at least 15 degrees. Extreme heat can impose stress on humans and animals. Heatstroke, sunstroke, cramps, Description exhaustion, and fatigue are possible with prolonged exposure or physical activity due to the body’s inability to dissipate the heat. Urban areas are particularly at risk because of air stagnation and large quantities of heat absorbing materials such as streets and buildings. Extreme heat can also result in distortion and failure of structures and surfaces such as roadways and railroad tracks. Temperatures of 90 degrees or more occur in Benton County every summer, sometimes for several days in a row. In Iowa, the record high temperature of 110 for Des Moines was recorded in 1936. During July 1936, 12 record setting days topped 100 degrees in Des Moines. The record high temperatures for Des Moines are above 90 degrees Fahrenheit beginning in March and lasting through October. During the summers of 1997 and 1998, there were a combined total of 31 days Historical when the high temperature was 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. There were 3 4 Occurrence periods when temperatures were 90 degrees or above for at least 3 consecutive days during the past 2 summers. Extreme heat conditions, when they occur, are broad based. Therefore, events which occurred in Des Moines would have impacted Benton County. National Climatic Data Center records indicate 3 incidents of heat waves or excessive heat conditions that affected Benton County since January 1, 1994. Based on historical information, Iowa will likely experience about 26 days a year with temperatures above 90 degrees. There is a very good chance that there will also be a period of 3 consecutive days or more with temperatures in the 90s. It is Probability 4 also common for the temperature to hit 100 degrees or more once every three years during the summer months. Given these facts, Benton County will almost certainly experience extreme heat situations recurrently. Elderly persons, small children, chronic invalids, those on certain medications or drugs (especially tranquilizers and anticholinergics), and persons with weight and alcohol problems are particularly susceptible to heat reactions. Healthy individuals working outdoors in the sun and heat are vulnerable as well. Vulnerability 1 Individuals and families with low budgets as well as inner city dwellers can also be susceptible due to poor access to air-conditioned rooms. The 2010 State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan estimates that Benton County has an annual loss of $3,000 due to Extreme Heat. Most of the state would likely be impacted by extreme heat, but urban areas pose special Maximum risks. The stagnant atmospheric conditions of the heat wave trap pollutants in urban areas 1 Threat and add to the stresses of hot weather. Geographically, all of Benton County would be affected by an extreme heat event. Extreme heat has broad and far-reaching impacts. These include significant loss of life and illness, economic costs in transportation, agriculture, production, energy, and infrastructure. Nationally, over the last 30 years, excessive heat accounts for more reported deaths annually than hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and lightning combined. Transportation impacts include the loss of lift for Severity 1 aircrafts, softening of asphalt roads, buckling of highways and railways, and stress on automobiles and trucks (increase in mechanical failures). Livestock and other animals are adversely impacted by extreme heat. High temperatures at the wrong time inhibit crop yields as well. Electric transmission systems are impacted when power lines sag in high temperatures. High demand for

185 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 electricity also outstrips supply, causing electric companies to have rolling black outs. The demand for water also increases sharply during periods of extreme heat. This can contribute to fire suppression problems for both urban and rural fire departments.

Research efforts could not determine any estimates of damages Benton County due to extreme heat conditions. An excessive heat incident which impacted Benton County on July 19, 1999 is shown as having caused 12 heat related injuries or illnesses in the county. As with other weather phenomena, periods of extreme heat are predictable within a few degrees within 3 days or so. Variations in local conditions can affect Speed of the actual temperature within a matter of hours or even minutes. The National 1 Onset Weather Service will initiate alert procedures when the heat index is expected to exceed 105 degrees Fahrenheit for at least two consecutive days. Worksheet Total 12 Number Triggered 0 Rank out of 26: 25 Number Resulting From 6

Priority Group:

Medium Composite Score 18

186 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

3.2.26 Chemical Terrorism Use of chemical agents against persons or property in violation of the criminal laws of Definition the United States for purposes of intimidation, coercion or ransom. Liquid/aerosol contaminants can be dispersed using sprayers or other aerosol generators; liquids vaporizing from puddles/containers; or munitions. Chemical agents may pose viable threats for hours to weeks depending on the agent and the conditions Description in which it exists. Contamination can be carried out of the initial target area by persons, vehicles, water and wind. Chemicals may be corrosive or otherwise damaging over time if not mitigated. Iowa has not been immune to acts of terrorism or sabotage. The state has Historical experienced many bomb threats in the distant and recent past. The chemical 1 Occurrence terrorism history, fortunately, has been limited. No known acts of chemical terrorism have occurred in Iowa or Benton County, only threats and hoaxes. Unfortunately, there will never be a way to totally eliminate all types of these clandestine activities. Persons inclined to cause death and destruction are usually capable of finding a way to carry out their plans. As perpetrators of terrorism improve their ability to collect information, raise money and issue rhetoric, Probability implementation of effective counter measures becomes even more important. 1 The probability that Benton County could be affected by an act of chemical terrorism is somewhat enhanced due to the presence of Interstate 380 and Highway 30 as well as the county’s proximity to the major metropolitan cities of Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. Chemical agents may pose viable threats for hours to weeks depending on the agent and the conditions in which it exists. Shielding in the form of sheltering in Vulnerability 2 place can protect people and property from harmful effects. There are no vaccines available to reduce the vulnerability from chemical agents. Contamination can be carried out of the initial target area by persons, vehicles, water and wind. The micro-meteorological effects of buildings and terrain can Maximum alter travel and duration of agents. The extent is largely determined by the type 2 Extent of chemical, the method of dispersal, and the conditions at the time it is released. It is indeed probable that entire cities within Benton County could be affected by an act of chemical terrorism. Chemicals may be corrosive or otherwise damaging over time if not remediated. Air temperature can affect evaporation of aerosols and ground temperatures Severity affect evaporation of liquids. Humidity can enlarge aerosol particles, reducing 3 the inhalation hazard. Precipitation can dilute and disperse agents but can spread contamination. Acts of terrorism can be immediate and often come after little or no warning. There are occasions where terrorists have warned the targeted organization Speed of beforehand, but often the attack comes without previous threat. Even if it is a 4 Onset shallow threat, precautions must be taken to ensure the safety of the people and property involved. Worksheet Total 13 Number Triggered 0 Rank out of 26 26 Number Resulting From 3

Priority Group: Low Composite Score 16

187 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 3.3 HAZARDS NOT CONSIDERED IN THIS PLAN AND THE RATIONALE FOR NOT INCLUDING THEM

 Drought: Though NCDC records indicate that drought conditions have occurred in Benton County between January 1, 1950 and March 3, 2009, the Benton County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee’s analysis is that drought does not present a significant threat to the county and the welfare of its residents. The committee also determined that the county has the necessary resources for dealing with a drought situation. The only losses or damages associated with the six droughts that have occurred was a cumulative $1.01 billion to agricultural crops. The committee determined these losses were unavoidable by any means.  Levee Failure: The only levee system known in Benton County is remnants of an antiquated levy built by the railroad in 1917 near Atkins. The railroad discontinued service to the community in 1978. Local officials indicate the levy has no affect on local water movement or flash flooding.  Dam Failure: There are two dams in Benton County that are on the Iowa Department of Natural Resources list of major dams. Both dams were constructed for recreational purposes and are located at Hannen Lake in southern Benton County and Rodgers Park in Northern Benton County. The Hannen Lake Dam is listed as low hazard and the Rodgers Park Dam is listed as a moderate hazard. Rogers Park Dam is a dam at a recreational lake that is on a tributary of the Cedar River, located to the north and east of Vinton. The tributary runs from south to north before it joins with the Cedar River then flows south toward Vinton As a significant dam, it is capable of causing property damage to the two roads before it joins the Cedar River and to some City of Vinton structures. The Benton County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee determined that neither of these dams posed a hazard to the county that was significant enough to warrant any mitigation efforts.  Sink Holes: Research efforts could find no incidents of sink holes occurring in Benton County. The Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee determined that since there are no incidents of sinkholes there is negligible potential for a sinkhole to occur and no need to profile sinkholes though sinkholes can cause substantial damage and there are mitigation measures for sinkholes.  Expansive Soils: Expansive soils hazard and risk information provided by Iowa HLSEM, the Multi-Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment document, USGS, and the Benton County Emergency Management Coordinator indicated the level of risk associated with expansive soils was slight with little swelling clay potential in Benton County.  Earthquake: There has been no history of an earthquake that caused any damage to any location in Benton County. It is improbable that one may occur as shown in the following earthquake probability chart.

188 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

EARTHQUAKE PROBABILITY CHART FOR THE UNITED STATES

 Landslide: Most of Benton County is located on flat terrain with low rolling hills and a few bluff areas along the Cedar River. Soils are stable and there has been no documented occurrence of a landslide.  Fixed Radiological Incident: Though the Duane Arnold Nuclear Plant neighbors Benton County, the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee determined that adequate planning and preparation for a fixed radiological incident involving the facility is already being conducted by the plant itself, Benton County Emergency Management and HLSEM. There is no facility within Benton County that has an amount of radiological materials that would pose a significant threat.  Radiological Transportation Incident: It could not be determined if any amounts of radiological material was being transported through Benton County.  Waterway/Waterbody Incident: The only exposure to a waterway or waterbody incident in Benton County is recreational users on the Cedar and Iowa River as well as lakes and ponds in the county. History has proven that the county has the necessary resources to deal with incidents of this nature.  Enemy Attack: There has been no history of enemy attack on Benton County and the county does not have any facilities or locations that would be likely candidates for an enemy attack.  Public Disorder: The Benton County Sheriff’s Office and police departments in the cities of Belle Plaine and Shellsburg has the resources and can quickly gain additional resources through mutual aid to suppress any public disorder event.  Radiological Terrorism: After considering all relevant factors, the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee did not feel Benton County is at significant risk of a radiological terrorist attack.  Human Disease Incident: After considering all relevant factors, the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee determined it could do nothing more than is already being done by local, county, state and federal public health officials and agencies to prevent or prepare for a human disease incident.

189 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 3.4 HAZARD ANALYSIS SUMMARY

The Benton County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee reviewed and scored all of the hazards considered to be relevant for their community. The following is a summary of the list of hazards that were identified and scored for Benton County.

Maximum Severity Of Speed of Hazard Historical Probability Vulnerability Total Threat Impact Onset River Flood 4 3 1 1 2 2 13 Energy Failure 4 4 2 2 2 4 18 Tornado 4 3 2 2 3 4 18 Windstorm 4 4 1 1 1 3 14 Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident 4 4 1 1 2 4 16 Thunderstorms and Lightning 4 4 1 1 1 3 14 Flash Flood 3 3 1 1 1 3 12 Severe Winter Storm 4 4 2 3 2 2 17 Hailstorm 4 4 1 1 2 3 15 Rail Transportation Incident 4 4 1 2 3 4 18 Structural Fire 4 4 1 1 1 4 15 Air Transportation Incident 1 2 1 1 2 4 11 Highway Transportation Incident 4 4 1 1 1 4 15 Conventional Terrorism 2 2 1 2 4 4 15 Extreme Heat 4 4 1 1 1 1 12 Grass/Timber /Wildland Fire 4 4 1 1 1 4 15 Fixed Facility Hazmat Incident 2 3 1 1 3 4 14 Human Disease Pandemic 1 1 3 3 4 1 13 Agro-terrorism 1 1 3 3 3 4 15 Bio-terrorism 1 1 3 3 3 4 15 Chemical Terrorism 1 1 2 2 4 4 14 Communications Failure 2 2 1 2 1 4 12 Cyber Terrorism 1 1 2 3 1 4 12 Animal/Plant/Crop Disease 1 1 2 1 3 1 9 Pipeline Transportation Incident 1 1 2 1 2 4 11 Structural Failure 1 2 1 1 1 3 9

Average total score: 13.92

190 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 3.5 COMPOSITE SCORING WORKSHEET FOR HAZARDS IDENTIFIED THE BENTON COUNTY HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING COMMITTEE

Each hazard identified by the Benton County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee can also either be triggered by some other hazard or cause another hazard to occur. Thus they become part of an event cascade. In developing a composite score for ranking the hazards identified by the Benton County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee a composite score was developed that included the Hazard Analysis score and Cascading event scores consisting of the number of hazards a hazard can resulting from and the number of hazards a hazard can trigger. The cascading event scores were determined from a matrix found in Appendix 5A of the Iowa Hazard Analysis.

Hazard Worksheet Score1 + Number Caused2 + Number Resulting From2 = Composite Score

Hazard Number Number Composite Worksheet Resulting Hazard Caused2 Score Score1 From2 Natural Hazards Extreme Heat 12 0 6 18 Flash Flood 12 4 16 32 River Flooding 13 4 15 32 Grass/Timber/Wildland Fire 15 12 5 32 Hailstorms 15 5 1 21 Severe Winter Storm 17 0 10 27 Thunderstorm and Lightning 14 0 19 33 Tornado 18 1 14 33 Windstorm 14 2 12 28 Human-Caused/Combination Hazards Rail Transportation Incident 18 18 6 42 Highway Transportation Incident 15 22 6 43 Air Transportation Incident 11 9 4 24 Energy Failure 18 20 6 44 Communications Failure 12 9 16 37 Bio-terrorism 15 0 3 18 Chemical terrorism 14 0 3 17 Agro-terrorism 15 0 3 18 Conventional terrorism 15 0 3 18 Cyber terrorism 12 12 0 24 Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident 16 5 22 43 Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials Incident 14 14 2 30 Structural Fire 15 6 17 38 Structural Failure 9 10 20 39 Animal/plant/crop Disease 9 8 2 19 Human Disease Pandemic 13 10 0 23 Pipeline Transportation Incident 11 4 7 22

191 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 3.6 RANKING OF HAZARDS

Following the composite score determination, the ranking of hazards that could influence Benton County is as follows.

HAZARD RANKING

192 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

TABLE 3.6.1: RANKING OF HAZARDS BY JURISDICTION

The table below includes information on the list of hazards chosen by the planning committee, and the jurisdictions to which they pertain. It should be noted that not all hazards were chosen by all jurisdictions. This is due to differences in the various communities. For example, the community of Atkins includes low-lying areas and poorly-drained areas that are susceptible to flash flooding, while the community of Luzerne does not. Windstorms do not impact Belle Plaine in the same way that they do the other communities in Benton County because the city is located on low ground that is surrounded by hills which protect the community from strong winds. Extreme heat does not impact Belle Plaine, Luzerne, Newhall, Norway, and Urbana because of the availability of air-conditioned, sheltered structures in those communities. Hailstorms were chosen only by the unincorporated county and the community of Newhall. Hailstorms cause wide-spread damage to the growing crops of the unincorporated areas, but generally cause only minor damages to the built environment. The minor structural damages are usually covered by individual insurance. However, Newhall included the hazard because [perhaps the community had had some history of more major damages, maybe there are a lot of mobile homes, or structures that are more vulnerable to hail]. Grass and wildland fire was chosen as a hazard by those communities that included a higher percentage of structures located in urban/wildland interface. River flooding was included as a hazard by communities with Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs).

The remaining hazards are man-made or technical hazards. The occurrence of these hazards is often dependant on the geographic or physical characteristics of the participating communities. For example, human pandemic was chosen as a hazard by the communities with the largest populations. Fixed Facility HazMat was chosen only by the communities that include such facilities in or close to the city limits. Rail incidents were included only for the communities with rail lines that are in or close. The ranking of hazards as determined from hazard analysis information from each community is also shown in the table.

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BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Atkins

Vinton

Urbana

Norway

Luzerne

Walford

Newhall

Garrison

Keystone

Shellsburg

Blairstown

Van Horne

Mt. Auburn

Belle PlaineBelle Benton County County Benton Unincorporated

Flash Floods 10 9 11 10 9 8 3 3 Tornado 8 6 10 8 5 5 6 5 6 7 6 5 7 8 4 Windstorm 14 7 X 6 4 5 8 10 5 5 4 10 6 7 Extreme Heat 15 13 12 11 10 7 10 11 17 16

Hailstorms 20 13

Grass or Wildland Fire 11 9

River Flooding 12 13 5 Severe Winter Storms 15 8 6 9 7 6 8 9 11 9 9 6 11 12 6 Thunderstorm/lightning 9 5 6 8 3 X 7 7 6 7 8 7 Human Disease 18 11 8 13 7 12 17 Pandemic Fixed Facility Hazardous Material 13 10 4 10 9 9 14 Incident Transportation Haz 2 2 2 3 2 1 2 2 2 1 2 2 Mat Incident

Structural Fire 6 3 7 3 4 2 2 2 4 3 5 3

Cyber Terrorism 17 15 12 11 Hwy Transportation 3 4 4 3 4 4 3 3 5 Incident Air Transportation 16 12 10 10 8 15 Incident Rail Transportation 4 1 5 3 6 4 4 4 Incident

Bio-Terrorism 23 15 14 12 12 10 11 15 14 11 15 19

Pipeline Incident 19 12 13 18

Chemical Terrorism 26 16 17 18 20

Agro-Terrorism 22 9 9 14

Energy Failure 1 1 6 1 1 1 7 1 1 8 1 3 1 Conventional 24 5 8 16 10 16 10 Terrorism

Structural Failure 5 13 8 4 9 Communications 7 2 3 5 1 2 6 1 Failure Animal/Plant/Crop 21 15 11 13 9 Disease

194 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 3.7 HAZARD PRIORITIZATION

Once the Benton County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee had identified and scored the hazards, they examined each hazard in relation to the risk that hazard presented to the community. All of the identified hazards were then given a priority state. The Committee defined high-risk hazards to be those hazards that caused substantial damage to the community in the past and/or have a high probability of occurring in the future, and/or have the potential to affect a large proportion of the community. High-risk hazards were also considered to be the hazards for which immediate planning and mitigation activities are to be focused.

The Committee considered medium-risk hazards to be those hazards that should be addressed by the community in the future; however, the need for mitigation activities for these hazards was not considered to be as immediate. Finally, the Committee defined low risk hazards as hazards that, at present time, have an acceptable level of risk. The hazards are listed below by priority.

HAZARD PRIORITY Severe Winter Storm I Energy Failure I Windstorm I Tornado I Rail Transportation Incident I Flash Flood I River Flooding I Transportation Hazmat Incident I Highway Transportation Incident I

Air Transportation Incident II Conventional terrorism II Thunderstorm and lightning II Extreme Heat II Structural Fire II Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials II Incident Communications Failure II Human Disease Pandemic II Structural Failure II

Grass or Timber Fire III Hailstorms III Bio-terrorism III Chemical terrorism III Agro-terrorism III Cyber terrorism III Animal/plant/crop Disease III Pipeline Transportation Incident III

195

BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 SECTION 4: VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT

4.1 ENERGY FAILURE

An energy failure could occur by many means, for example, as a result of storms or severe weather, a man-made accident, terrorist incident or equipment failure. Whatever the origin of the disruption, particularly those of prolonged duration, an energy disruption holds the potential of adversely affecting every person, household, institution or business within its sphere of influence. In its most extreme state energy failure will create a high degree of personal hardship and affect the health and well being of a high percentage of those affected. The majority of Benton County residents have done little to prepare themselves for a prolonged energy disruption situation.

Local records and electrical energy provider records document at least one electrical power outage annually somewhere in the county. There are no records of any natural gas outages. In recent times the most devastating outages have been those associated with the ice storms of February 24, 2007 and the floods of June 12, 2008, both of which affected electrical power in multiple communities at the same time.

Nearly all citizens of Benton County depend on energy sources for their living needs, therefore nearly all citizens, businesses and industries in the county are vulnerable to an energy failure. Energy failure incidents that have occurred elsewhere in the U.S. have involved geographical areas as large as or larger than a county. It is conceivable that all of Benton County and its 26,352 residents could be affected by an energy failure situation.

Injuries and fatalities would not be directly caused by an energy shortage. Injuries and fatalities could occur if energy was not available for heating during extreme cold periods or for cooling during extreme heat. Hospitals, shelters, emergency response vehicles and facilities, and other critical facilities would have priority during energy shortages. Rotating blackouts, voluntary conservation measures, and possibly mandatory restrictions could be used to limit the severity of an energy shortage. Effects could range from minor heating and air conditioning disruptions to transportation limitations all the way to civil unrest due to the high demand, low supply, and subsequent high price. Business disruption and increased cost of business would have far- reaching financial implications across many sectors of the economy. The February 24, 2007 winter storm and associated power outage which impacted nearly all of Benton County caused an estimated $10,000,000 in damages in the county

For the purposes of this hazard mitigation plan, Benton County will assess this hazard’s vulnerability on a countywide basis instead of establishing separate geographic planning areas for this type of event. The hazard mitigation planning committee noted that the greatest exposure to this hazard is the population of Benton County rather than physical assets of the county.

Potential damage estimates for energy failure could not be determined due to data limitations. Every attempt will be made to have this information for inclusion in the next plan update.

196 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 4.2 TRANSPORTATION HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENT

A transportation hazardous materials incident can occur anywhere vehicles travel, so any area is considered vulnerable to an accident. People, pets, livestock, and vegetation in close proximity to transportation corridors and populations downstream, downwind, and downhill of a released substance are particularly vulnerable. Depending on the characteristics of the substance released, a larger area may be in danger from explosion, absorption, injection, ingestion, or inhalation.

Immediate dangers from hazardous materials include fires and explosions. The release of some toxic gases may cause immediate death, disablement, or sickness if absorbed through the skin, injected, ingested, or inhaled. Contaminated water resources may be unsafe and unusable, depending on the amount of contaminant. Some chemicals cause painful and damaging burns if they come in direct contact with skin. Contamination of air, ground, or water may result in harm to fish, wildlife, livestock, and crops. The release of hazardous materials into the environment may cause debilitation, disease, or birth defects over a long period of time. Loss of livestock and crops may lead to economic hardships within the community. The occurrence of a hazmat incident many times shuts down transportation corridors for hours at a time while the scene is stabilized, the product is off-loaded, and reloaded on a replacement container.

Transportation routes that would be the most prone to Transportation Hazardous Materials Incidents would naturally be those that are the most frequently traveled and those that carry the heaviest load of motor freight transports carrying hazardous materials. In Benton County this would be Interstate 380 and US Highways 30, 150 and 218. A Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident could, however, occur on any of Benton County’s 1,330 miles of hard surfaced, secondary, rock and dirt roads and on any street of the county’s 14 incorporated cities. Property adjacent to these transportation routes is vulnerable to damage from a hazardous materials release and people living or traveling near an incident are vulnerable to physical harm from any release that may occur.

According to information provided by the Iowa DNR, since 2000 there have been 17 transportation hazardous materials incidents in Benton County. All incidents were localized and none threatened any populated areas or caused any evacuations.

An agreement between Benton County and the Linn County Hazardous Materials Response Team, headquartered in Cedar Rapids, enhances local emergency response agencies capability of managing a hazardous materials incident.

197 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from transportation hazardous materials incidents could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

198 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 4.3 HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION INCIDENT

Because of the interstate, streets, highways, secondary roads and intersections located in Benton County, any intersection or traveled road could be the site of a traffic accident. The hazards of highway accidents are further compounded by the rolling, hilly terrain in some areas of the county and poor driving conditions brought on by winter weather.

DOT reports indicate that over 50,000 vehicles travel on the primary, secondary, rock and dirt roads, highways and interstate of Benton County daily. Incident reports provided by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office show an average of 246 highway transportation accidents occur annually in the county. These incidents account for an annual average of 24 major injuries and 5 fatalities annually on Benton County’s 1,330 miles of primary, secondary, rock and dirt roads, highways and interstate. Given this amount of traffic and the historical occurrence of highway transportation incidents in the county; future traffic accidents with death and major injuries annually are a near 100 percent probability.

At its maximum extent in Benton County a highway transportation incident could involve multiple vehicles, including mass transit vehicles and could have multiple casualties, but it would still be localized in nature. Such a situation could overwhelm the response capabilities of local emergency responders and also the medical treatment capabilities of Benton County and City of Cedar Rapids hospitals. The area of impact can extend beyond the localized area if the vehicle(s) involved are transporting hazardous materials and could impact several square miles.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from highway transportation incidents could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

199 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 4.4 RAIL TRANSPORTATION INCIDENT

Benton County has three railroads. Nearly 100 trains per day travel 24 miles of track through the cities of Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Luzerne and Norway on a busy double rail line operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. The Iowa Northern Railroad passes two trains daily over 25 miles of track through Mt. Auburn, Vinton and Shellsburg. Two miles of track operated by the Cedar Rapids—Iowa City Railroad pass through Walford in the southeast corner of the county. Trains traveling over these tracks carry an extensive array of hazardous materials. People and property in close proximity to railway lines, crossings, sidings, switching stations, and loading/unloading points are most at risk. Those away from railroad tracks and facilities are vulnerable only to large-scale incidents including those in which hazardous materials are involved.

Vehicle/train collisions are usually limited to areas in and near intersections. Rarely, will a rail incident result in widespread effects. The direct area of impact is usually quite small, but depending on the products and materials involved, the area could become extensive. If hazardous materials are involved, the effects could reach areas up to 1.5 miles from the scene. Harmful products may contaminate streams, rivers, water distribution systems, and storm water systems. If this occurs, a large portion of the community could be affected. The ability of response agencies to contain the product on-scene usually limits the area affected. In Benton County the maximum threat occurs where rail lines pass through cities.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from rail transportation incidents could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

200 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 4.5 STRUCTURAL FAILURE

There have been several sporadic structural failures across the state. They have included homes, commercial structures, and communications towers. There is no central collection point for this information. The only incidence of structural failures in Benton County that were of any significance could only be determined from local records. One incident in June of 1993 near Garrison involved the washout of a box culvert on Benton County Highway E22 due to heavy rains. A car drove off into the washout and resulted in a triple fatality accident. Another incident that occurred the same summer on Benton County Highway D65 north of Mt. Auburn again involved heavy rains that washed out a bridge which a car drove off into and resulted in another fatality. No records of any structural failure to a building of any significant circumstance could be determined, though it is acknowledged by local county and municipal officials across the county that the potential for such incidence does exist.

With the possible exception of misuse, accidental or environmental loads, the causes of structural failure may be found in deficiencies of design, material, workmanship, or inspection. With the aging structures in Benton Country along with problems discussed above, structural failures will continue to occur. Efforts to inspect and maintain these structures will lessen the probability of a failure, but not guarantee that it will not happen in the future. Internal weaknesses can be hidden from inspectors and not be realized until it is too late. There is no county-wide building code or building inspection enforcement mechanism in Benton County except some minimal enforcement activities that are conducted by some cities.

Even though collapses have occurred with devastating result in Benton County, the proportion of the county’s population that would be affected by such an incident would be minimal in Benton County. The impacts of the failed structure would be contained to the immediate area and adjacent properties. Bridge failures and debris in the streets and sidewalks would interrupt normal routes of travel. The functional purpose of the building affected would be terminated or suspended until the integrity of the structure could be restored. Personal injury, death, and property damage may occur in the collapse itself or by falling debris from nearby structures. There would also be a considerable price tag to replace or fix the structure, not to mention the loss of revenue that would occur because the structure could not be used. Utilities may be cut off to surrounding areas and communication transmissions may be lost for a period of time.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from structural failures could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

201 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 4.6 STRUCTURAL FIRE

Older structures with outdated electrical systems not built to current fire codes are particularly vulnerable to fire. Combustible building materials obviously are more vulnerable than structures constructed of steel or concrete. Structures without early fire detection devices are more likely to be completely destroyed before a fire is contained by a response agency. Structures in areas served by older, smaller or otherwise inadequate water distribution infrastructure (i.e., water mains and hydrants) are also at significant risk. Problems vary from region to region, often as a result of climate, poverty, education, and demographics.

According to records provided by the State of Iowa Fire Marshall’s Office, the 14 fire departments of Benton County answered 221 structural fires from 2003 through 2008, or an average of 37 structural fire alarms per year. Approximately 30 percent of these alarms require mutual aid and the combined efforts of two or more fire departments to extinguish, particularly in rural areas where there is no water supply. In the past 6 years, structural fires have accounted for $1,428,703 in fire losses, 1 civilian fire death, 7 civilian fire injuries and 10 firefighter injuries.

Iowa has approximately 13.4 fire deaths per million people annually. According to the United States Fire Administration, based on national statistics, senior citizens ages 65 and over, and children under the age of 5 have the greatest risk of fire death. The fire death risk among seniors over 65 is more than double; over age 75 triple; over age 85; three and one half times that experienced by the general population. Children under the age of 10 account for an estimated 22.2 percent of all fire deaths. According to 2006-2008 census estimates, Benton County has 7,094 people or 27 percent of the county’s population who are in the “most at risk” categories for fire death.

Key elements of effective fire suppression for Benton County Fire Departments include staffing, firefighter training, and modern firefighting equipment, all of which present challenges to most contemporary volunteer fire departments.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from structural fires could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

202 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 4.7 COMMUNICATIONS FAILURE

Anyone who relies on communications technology such as telephones, cell phones, computers or radios is vulnerable to experiencing some type of communications failure. Most communication systems that are highly necessary have backup and redundant designs to provide continuity of service. Financial or business institutions that rely on cyber technology for the transfer of data and business transactions can suffer significant disruption of business activities due to communications failures. Emergency responders and peace officers can be impacted by disruptions to radio communications capabilities that impair communications and paging capabilities such as E911 systems.

No widespread communications failures have occurred in Iowa. Local incidents due to weather conditions, equipment failure, excavation incidents, and traffic accidents have been reported, but outages have usually been resolved in a timely manner. In Benton County this is exactly the case, there have been communications failures including failures of the county’s E911 system, but due to the back-up systems and procedures in place, they have been always been resolved in no more than a few hours.

A communications failure would not directly result in injuries or fatalities. Most financial losses would be incurred due to the direct damage to electronic equipment and the communication system infrastructure. If 911 systems were to fail due to phone communication disruption, secondary impacts could occur by the inability of citizens to alert responders of their needs. Inter-agency and intra-agency communications would be limited. Data transmission could also be affected. This could disrupt business and financial transactions resulting in potential loss of business.

In Benton County, most communications failures would be limited to localized areas. Terrain and the location have historically presented radio communications problems in some areas of Benton County. In the event of a widespread communications failure, only portions of Iowa would be impacted, though such a failure could affect all of Benton County it is highly unlikely due to the support of other jurisdictions and secondary communication devices.

A major concern of emergency response agencies in Benton County is compliance with the FCC mandated 2013 Narrow Banding reprogramming requirements. In 2010 a consultant determined that approximately 26% of the base radios, 46% of the mobile radios, 30% of the handheld radios and 46% of the pagers used by Benton County Fire and EMS providers are not capable of the FCC mandated 2013 VHF radio frequency narrow banding reprogramming requirements. When the narrow banding system becomes operational on January 1, 2013 all of this equipment will be rendered useless and will jeopardize the emergency response capabilities of Boone County emergency responders.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from communications failure could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

203 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 4.8 TORNADO

Everyone one of Benton County’s 26,352 residents residing in 14 communities and the unincorporated rural areas of the county are vulnerable to the powerful forces that accompany a tornado. There have been 23 recorded incidents of a direct hit to Benton County by a tornado since June 27, 1965. Total damages caused by all 23 tornadoes amounts to $3,910,000 in property damages, $47,000 in crop damages, one death and 17 injuries. One tornado, an EF4 tornado which struck Northern Benton County on August 26, 1965 accounts for the one death and 17 injuries and $2.5 million in damages. The cities of Atkins, Garrison, Keystone, Mt. Auburn, Newhall, Urbana, Van Horne and Vinton have all had recorded direct hits by a tornado.

There are those people in Benton County who are more vulnerable to tornadoes than others. For example:

1. People in automobiles, 2. People in mobile homes, 3. People who may not understand warnings due to language barriers, 4. The elderly and very young, and 5. People with physical or mental impairments (special needs).

At any given time there may be several thousand people traveling on Benton County highways and secondary roads and city streets. According to U.S Census Bureau Housing Statistics information for 2005-2007, in Benton County 629 of the county’s 10,974 residential housing units are mobile homes. This accounts for an estimated 1,472 residents (5.6% of the county’s population). According to US Census Bureau estimates there was 10,817, or 40.7 percent of the total population, who are young (less than 18 years old) and old people (older than 65 years old) living in Benton County. Table 4.8.1 on page 205 shows vulnerable population numbers by jurisdiction. People most at risk are also those who do not have access to early warning capabilities such as are available through siren systems or NOAA Weather Radio.

204 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 TABLE 4.8.1 VULNERABLE POPULATIONS OF BENTON COUNTY PERSONS 18 YEARS OLD OR LESS AND OVER 65

CITIES TOWNSHIP

ATKINS 434 BENTON 369 BELLE PLAINE 1404 BIG GROVE 94 BLAIRSTOWN 333 BRUCE 131 GARRISON 182 CEDAR 153 KEYSTONE 382 347 CANTON LUZERNE 53 EDEN 113

MT. AUBURN 75 ELDORADO 145

NEWHALL 452 FLORENCE 227 NORWAY 247 FREMONT 311 SHELLSBURG 400 HARRISON 145 URBANA 430 HOMER 100 VAN HORNE 348 IOWA 160 VINTON 2449 JACKSON 122 WALFORD 519 KANE 105 LEROY 141 MONROE 106 POLK 321 ST. CLAIR 189 TAYLOR 320 UNION 115

Property damage from a tornado can range from no or extremely little damage such as would be caused by an F0 tornado to total devastation such as the instance of an F5 tornado striking the City of Greensburg Kansas on May 4, 2007. Table 4.8.2 on page 206 provides estimates of potential property losses and structural losses due to losses of 10 percent, 50 percent and 100 percent in a given area.

205 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 PROPERTY PEOPLE/PROPERTIES PROPERTY PEOPLE/PROPERTIES PROPERTY PEOPLE/PROPERTIES TABLE VALUE OF 10% AFFECTED WITH VALUE 0F 50 % AFFECTED WITH VALUE 0F 100 % AFFECTED WITH 4.8.2 LOSS 10 % LOSS LOSS 50 % LOSS LOSS 100 % LOSS CITIES ATKINS $10,799,170 156/57 $53,995,850 780/283 $107,991,700 1560/566 BELLE PLAINE $10,104,390 281/126 $50,521,950 1406/631 $101,043,900 2812/1261 BLAIRSTOWN $3,420,541 69/33 $17,152,705 343/166 $34,305,411 685/332 GARRISON $766,620 40/18 $3,833,100 200/88 $7,666,200 401/176 KEYSTONE $3,032,220 67/29 $1,516,100 334/145 $30,032,200 668/290 LUZERNE $271,420 9/4 $1,357,100 50/22 $2,714,200 99/43 MT. AUBURN $489,340 16/8 $2,446,700 81/39 $4,893,400 161/78 NEWHALL $4,723,432 95/40 $23,617,160 476/202 $47,234,321 951/404 NORWAY $2,675,864 60/27 $13,379,321 299/136 $26,758,643 597/272 SHELLSBURG $5,198,301 100/41 $25,991,509 502/204 $51,983,018 1004/407 URBANA $7,900,809 145/55 $39,504,049 724/275 $79,008,098 1447/550 VAN HORNE $3,340,790 72/31 $16,703,954 361/157 $33,407,909 722/314 VINTON $23,736,610 508/210 $118,683,050 2540/1050 $237,366,100 5080/2099 WALFORD $6,242,533 143/35 $31,212,666 713/176 $62,425,333 1425/351 TOWNSHIPS BENTON $5,448,170 90/36 $27,240,850 450/182 $54,481,700 900/363 BIG GROVE $3,087,200 23/4 $15,436,000 115/18 $30,872,000 230/36 BRUCE $2,773,231 32/15 $13,866,155 160/26 $27,732,310 319/51 CEDAR $3,769,410 37/11 $18,847,050 187/55 $37,694,100 373/111 CANTON $6,502,980 85/19 $32,514,900 424/95 $65,029,800 847/190 EDEN $3,414,120 28/4 $17,070,600 138/22 $34,141,200 275/44 ELDORADO $3,472,990 35/5 $17,364,950 177/26 $34,729,900 354/51 FLORENCE $4,493,390 55/10 $22,466,950 277/52 $44,933,900 553/103 FREMONT $6,875,030 76/18 $34,375,150 380/92 $68,750,300 759/183 HARRISON $2,229,320 35/8 $11,146,600 177/38 $22,293,200 354/76 HOMER $3,298,670 22/5 $16,493,350 111/25 $32,986,700 222/49 IOWA $2,865,550 39/5 $14,327,750 195/25 $28,655,500 390/49 JACKSON $2,873,760 30/11 $14,368,800 149/54 $28,737,600 297/108 KANE $3,348,470 26/6 $16,742,350 129/28 $33,484,700 257/55 LEROY $3,760,000 35/4 $18,800,000 173/21 $37,600,000 345/41 MONROE $3,065,970 26/9 $15,329,850 130/45 $30,659,700 259/90 POLK $5,899,680 78/10 $29,498,400 392/50 $58,996,800 784/100 ST. CLAIR $3,726,010 46/6 $18,630,050 231/28 $37,260,100 461/55 TAYLOR $5,298,770 78/23 $26,493,850 391/116 $52,987,700 781/231 UNION $3,737,550 28/6 $18,687,750 140/30 $37,375,500 280/60

206 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

In the event of a tornado, all cities of Benton County have outdoor warning sirens that given enough time when they are activated, allows people to search for suitable shelter when the siren is activated. Another area of the county that has a siren warning system is that area of the county that is within the 10 mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) of the Duane Arnold Nuclear Power Plant. The system covers 100 square miles of eastern Benton County in the Atkins, Shellsburg and Urbana area with a network of 37 audio capable sirens.

In 2004 the Benton County Emergency Management Commission purchased 92 NOAA weather radios and distributed them free of charge to every county and city office, library, school and care facility in Benton County.

The 2010 State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan estimates that Benton County has an annual loss of $63,300 due to Tornado.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from tornadoes could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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4.9 THUNDERSTORMS AND LIGHTNING

Everyone is vulnerable to the powerful forces that accompany thunderstorms and lightning. The most vulnerable are people who are out in the open during these events or who live in or work in structures without lightning protection. Other vulnerabilities associated with thunderstorms and lightning are those that occur due to the cascading affect of these events. In Iowa and Benton County it is agricultural crops that often sustain the most damage from a thunderstorm and/or high winds. Thunderstorms are sometimes accompanied by heavy rain which lead to floods and lightning sometimes strikes buildings and starts fires or is associated with localized or widespread power outages when it strikes energy infrastructure or with communications failures when it strikes radio and phone communications infrastructure.

In Benton County the NCDC reports 253 thunderstorm and high wind events since January 1, 1950. Some of these storms are localized to a single community, others were countywide. A majority of these events are recorded as causing no property damage and the highest amount of property damage recorded for a single storm is $250,000. Crop damages range from 0 to $15,100,000 attributed to a countywide storm that occurred on 8/10/2006. Total damages for all thunderstorms and high wind events combined are $11,748,000 in property damages, $15,257,000 in crop damages and 7 injuries. NCDC records reflect only one lightning event in Benton County, a lightning strike in Vinton on 8/10/2006 that caused $1,000 in damages and no injuries.

The 2010 State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan estimates that Benton County has an annual loss of $1,024,529.30 due to Thunderstorm & Lightning.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from thunderstorms or lightning could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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4.10 FLASH FLOOD

The cities of Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Garrison, Keystone, Luzerne, Norway, Shellsburg and Vinton all have creeks or tributaries of creeks running through the cities or adjacent to the city limits that have created flash flooding problems in the past. Additionally, the rural unincorporated area of the county is transacted by numerous creeks and tributaries that have historically created flash flooding problems.

In Benton County, NCDC records indicate 11 flood events since 1993 that are documented as flash floods. Most notable are flash flooding events that occurred in the county during the months of May and June of 2008. During this time the cities of Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg and extensive rural areas of the county experienced flash flooding. As recently as August 25, 2009, rainfalls in excess of 10 inches caused flash flooding again in Atkins, Newhall, Norway and Shellsburg.

Information provided by FEMA states that since 1990, Benton County has been a part of 5 Presidential Disaster Declarations that involved flooding on June, 1993, June 2, 1998, June 19, 2002, May 25, 2004 and May 27, 2008. According to USDA records, in the last five years there have been three agricultural disaster declarations declared for Benton county due to flooding

In Benton County the most vulnerable areas are properties on low lying ground within the 100 year and 500 year flood plains adjacent to the Cedar River and the many streams, creeks and their tributaries that drain the county. People most vulnerable in these areas are those who do not have access to early warning capabilities such as are available through siren systems or NOAA Weather Radio.

 Residential properties in flood plain areas of the county are 518 with a value of $62,488,700 for the structures only and $76,262,400 for the dwelling structures and land.

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 There are 125 commercial properties with an assessed value of $16,739,300 and 9 industrial properties with an assessed value of $5,240,930 within the floodplain areas of Benton County.

 Additionally, there are 209 properties that are tax exempt, municipally or county owned within Benton County floodplain areas.

According to NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) statistics there were a total of 162 flood insurance policies in force in all of Benton County on July 31, 2009. These policies were as follows. As of July 31, 2009, NFIP statistics show that 53 claims for flood insurance losses had been filed in Benton County with 52 of those claims occurring in Vinton and 1 in Belle Plaine. The Belle Plaine loss resulted in no payments. The 52 Vinton claims resulted in $1,158,381.91 in payments made on 46 of the claims.

With Benton County’s history of flooding problems and disasters, it is highly probable that the county will routinely witness more floods in the future at a probability of nearly one per year or every other year. Some of these floods may cause serious damage and result in dislocation of people living within the floodplain as well as disruption of business activity and traffic flow patterns in the county.

The following tables present the potential flood hazard-related exposure/loss for Benton County jurisdictions. Information provided in these tables was derived from data provided by the Benton County Assessor and GIS Offices.

TABLE 4.10.1 RESIDENTIAL FLOOD EXPOSURES

Jurisdiction Exposed Number of Current Damage Potential Population Buildings value as % Dollar Exposure/Loss Atkins 3 1 $199,600 10% $19,960 Belle Plaine 114 47 $5,398,700 10% $539,870 Blairstown 34 14 $739,700 10% $73,970 Garrison 0 0 0 10% 0 Keystone 3 1 $72,100 10% $7,210 Newhall 0 0 0 10% 0 Shellsburg 102 42 $4,017,100 10% $401,710 Urbana 85 35 $5,902,700 10% $590,270 Vinton 581 198 $17,186,600 10% $1,718,660 Walford 112 46 $6,284,400 10% $628,440 Benton County 2119 872 $89,489,800 10% $8,9489,800 Unincorporated (Rural) *Note* Current Value = 100% flood loss

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TABLE 4.10.2 COMMERCIAL FLOOD EXPOSURES

Jurisdiction Exposed Number of Current Damage Potential Population Buildings value as % Dollar Exposure/Loss Atkins 0 0 0 10% 0 Belle Plaine 27 11 $941,800 10% $94,180 Blairstown 5 2 $122,200 10% $12,220 Garrison 3 1 $51,000 10% $5,100 Keystone 0 0 0 10% 0 Newhall 7 3 $404,900 10% $40,490 Shellsburg 12 5 $385,600 10% $38,560 Urbana 5 2 $401,800 10% $40,180 Vinton 120 49 $6,889,730 10% $688,973 Walford 3 1 $115,100 10% $11,510 Benton County 1676 669 $12,452,000 10% $1,245,200 Unincorporated (Rural) including ag buildings *Note* Current Value = 100% flood loss

TABLE 4.10.3 CRITICAL FACILITIES FLOOD EXPOSURES

Jurisdiction Exposed Number of Current Damage Potential Population Buildings value as % Dollar Exposure/Loss Atkins 0 0 0 10% 0 Belle Plaine 8 $424,300 10% $42,400 Blairstown 0 0 10% 0 Garrison 0 0 0 10% 0 Keystone 0 0 0 10% 0 Newhall 0 0 0 10% 0 Shellsburg 0 0 0 10% 0 Urbana 0 0 0 10% Vinton 15 4 $25,000,000 10% $2,500,000 Walford 0 0 0 10% 0 Benton County 0 0 0 10% 0 Unincorporated (Rural) *Note* Current Value = 100% flood loss

The 2010 State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan estimates that Benton County has an annual loss of $9,195,882.35 due to Flooding.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from flash flooding could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

FEMA issued flood plain maps for Benton County are found in Appendix 8, page 593. 211 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

4.11 GRASS OR WILDLAND FIRE

For the purposes of this hazard, a grass or wild land fire is meant to also include field fires and forest fires. During the years 2003-2008, 147 grass and wildland fires with $4,100 in fire losses were reported to the State of Iowa Fire Marshall’s Office by Benton County’s 14 fire departments. Grass and wildland fires can occur when conditions are favorable such as during periods of drought when natural vegetation would be drier and subject to combustibility.

According to the US Census Bureau, Benton County has a total area of 720 square miles of which 716 square miles is land. Of this land area, 65 percent is cropland, 15 percent pastureland, 15 percent woodland, wasteland, and idle land, all of which is susceptible to a grass, timber or wild land fire. The major threat of a grass or wild land fire is spread to structures or an urban area.

Development trends indicate that it is indeed in the rural, unincorporated areas of Benton County where new homes are being constructed on small acreages that are either contingent to or located on tracts of land that are vulnerable to grassland, wild land or timber fires. Grass fires are often more easily contained and extinguished before there is damage to people or developed property. Fires often burn large portions of field crops in the fall when the crops are dry and the harvesting equipment overheats or throws sparks. This can be quite costly to the farmer in terms of lost production.

The fire departments of Benton County are all equipped to manage grass or wild land fires and they have formed a county-wide mutual aid agreement for the purpose of summoning several fire departments to large fires such as a large wild land fire. People and properties in the rural areas of the county, which accounts for 95 percent of the county’s land mass, are those who are most vulnerable to grass, field, timber or wild land fires.

Benton County fire officials state that the worst conceivable scenario for a grass or wildland fire in the county would be a fire that affected 1 percent of the land area of the county. This would be 4,950 acres. Using property values and population estimates found elsewhere in this plan such a fire would affect 87 people, 35 residential properties valued at $3,277,757; 9 commercial properties valued at $1,561,490 and farm crops valued at $2,631,210. A grass or wildfire of this magnitude has never occurred in Benton County.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from grass or wildland fires could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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4.12 RIVER FLOODING

The City of Vinton is located directly on the Cedar River. The cities of Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Garrison, Keystone, Luzerne, Norway, Shellsburg and Vinton all have creeks or tributaries of creeks running through the cities or adjacent to the city limits that have created riverine flooding problems in the past. Additionally, the rural unincorporated area of the county is transacted by numerous creeks and tributaries that have historically created flooding problems.

NCDC records show a total of 32 major flood events impacting Benton County since 1993. Information provided by FEMA states that since 1990, Benton County has been a part of 5 Presidential Disaster Declarations that involved flooding on June, 1993, June 2, 1998, June 19, 2002, May 25, 2004 and May 27, 2008. According to USDA records, in the last five years there have been three agricultural disaster declarations declared for Benton county due to flooding

The only specific information that could be obtained after searching Benton County and National Weather Service records pertaining to financial losses from flooding in Benton County is from the flood of 1993 which resulted in an estimated $5 million in damages. Complete data on damages caused by the floods of 2008 are not yet available though it is known that 110 residences and 20 businesses were damaged county-wide and 29 residential properties in the City of Vinton qualify for FEMA flood buyouts following the floods. Benton County has also qualified for FEMA funding to replace the flood damaged Benton County Jail at a cost of $5.9 million.

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 Residential properties in flood plain areas of the county are 518 with a value of $62,488,700 for the structures only and $76,262,400 for the dwelling structures and land.

 There are 125 commercial properties with an assessed value of $16,739,300 and 9 industrial properties with an assessed value of $5,240,930 within the floodplain areas of Benton County.

 Additionally, there are 209 properties that are tax exempt, municipally or county owned within Benton County floodplain areas.

According to NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) statistics there were a total of 162 flood insurance policies in force in all of Benton County on July 31, 2009. As of July 31, 2009, NFIP statistics show that 53 claims for flood insurance losses had been filed in Benton County with 52 of those claims occurring in Vinton and 1 in Belle Plaine. The Belle Plaine loss resulted in no payments. The 52 Vinton claims resulted in $1,158,381.91 in payments made on 46 of the claims.

With Benton County’s history of flooding problems and disasters, it is highly probable that the county will routinely witness more floods in the future at a probability of nearly one per year or every other year. Some of these floods may cause serious damage and result in dislocation of people living within the floodplain as well as disruption of business activity and traffic flow patterns in the county.

TABLE 4.12.1 RESIDENTIAL FLOOD EXPOSURES

*Note* Current Value = 100% flood loss

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TABLE 4.12.2 COMMERCIAL FLOOD EXPOSURES

TABLE 4.12.2 CRITICAL FACILITIES FLOOD EXPOSURES

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from river flooding could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

The 2010 State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan estimates that Benton County has an annual loss of $9,195,882.35 due to Flooding.

FEMA issued flood plain maps for Benton County are found in Appendix 8, page 593. 215 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

4.13 FIXED FACILITY HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INCIDENT

A hazardous materials accident can occur almost anywhere, so any area is considered vulnerable to an accident. People, pets, livestock, and vegetation in close proximity to facilities producing, storing, or transporting hazardous substances are at higher risk. Populations downstream, downwind, and downhill of a released substance are particularly vulnerable.

The most vulnerable people in Benton County to injury or health affects from a fixed facility hazardous materials incident are workers associated with hazardous materials at the facilities and emergency responders and people living in close proximity to fixed facilities having hazardous materials. Because of the wide vary of variables associated with a hazardous materials release, vulnerability estimates are difficult to determine. Some releases may have virtually no affect, while significant portions of the county could be affected in the case of an anhydrous ammonia or LP gas leak. A release of anhydrous ammonia or LP could affect portions of Benton County as large as two to three square miles.

Depending on the characteristics of the substance released, a larger area may be in danger from explosion, absorption, injection, ingestion, or inhalation. Occupants of areas previously contaminated by a persistent material may also be harmed either directly or through consumption of contaminated foods and water.

The Benton County Emergency Management Agency has records of 26 EPA reporting Tier II facilities in Benton County. No records are maintained by the county or any of its communities pertaining to the types and quantities of other hazardous materials maintained at any other sites in the county. It is known that agricultural chemical companies, automotive service centers and light manufacturing and industrial facilities are among those who periodically have hazardous materials on their premises. Historical occurrences and the presence of hazardous materials in multiple locations throughout the county lend credibility to an estimated probability of a fixed facility hazardous materials incident at least once every five years.

Records maintained and provided by the Iowa Department of Natural resources regarding the only reported release of hazardous materials from a fixed facility in Benton County do not mention any injuries or fatalities. The records do not mention any costs associated with cleanup or control of the chemicals or any costs associated with damages caused by the chemicals.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from fixed facility hazardous materials incidents could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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4.14 WINDSTORM

National Climatic Data Center statistics document 213 thunderstorm and/or high wind events in Benton County Between 1961 and 2009. There has not been a single community of Benton County that was untouched by a windstorm event. The cumulative total of all damages caused by these storms is $11,202,000 in property damages and $15,257,000 in agricultural crop damages. Seven injuries are also recorded as having occurred due to these storms. Due to the historical frequency of windstorms in Benton County it is a near 100 percent certainty the county will be impacted by thunderstorms and lightning in the future.

There are those people in Benton County who are more vulnerable to windstorms than others. For example:

At any given time there may be several thousand people traveling on Benton County highways and secondary roads and city streets. According to U.S Census Bureau Housing Statistics information for 2005-2007, in Benton County 629 of the county’s 10,974 residential housing units are mobile homes. This accounts for an estimated 1,472 residents (5.6% of the county’s population). According to US Census Bureau estimates there was 10,817, or 40.7 percent of the total population, who are young (less than 18 years old) and old people (older than 65 years old) living in Benton County. Table 4.14.1 on page 218 shows vulnerable population numbers by jurisdiction. People most at risk are also those who do not have access to early warning capabilities such as are available through siren systems or NOAA Weather Radio.

The 2010 State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan estimates that Benton County has an annual loss of $12,832.21 due to Windstorm.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from windstorms could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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TABLE 4.14.1 VULNERABLE POPULATIONS OF BENTON COUNTY PERSONS 18 YEARS OLD OR LESS AND OVER 65

CITIES TOWNSHIP

ATKINS 434 BENTON 369 BELLE PLAINE 1404 BIG GROVE 94 BLAIRSTOWN 333 BRUCE 131 GARRISON 182 CEDAR 153 KEYSTONE 382 347 CANTON LUZERNE 53 EDEN 113

MT. AUBURN 75 ELDORADO 145

It is feasible that a high wind event could cause damages to up to 10 percent of the structural property in Benton County. This would equal assessed property values as detailed in Table 4.14.2, page 219.

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TABLE 4.14.2

PEOPLE, PROPERTIES AND PROPERTY VALUES AFFECTED WITH 10 % LOSS

PROPERTY PEOPLE/PROPERTIES VALUE 0F AFFECTED WITH 10 % LOSS 10 % LOSS CITIES ATKINS $10,799,170 156/57 BELLE $10,104,390 281/126 PLAINE BLAIRSTOWN $3,420,541 69/33 GARRISON $766,620 40/18 KEYSTONE $3,032,220 67/29 LUZERNE $271,420 9/4 MT. AUBURN $489,340 16/8 NEWHALL $4,723,432 95/40 NORWAY $2,675,864 60/27 SHELLSBURG $5,198,301 100/41 URBANA $7,900,809 145/55 VAN HORNE $3,340,790 72/31 VINTON $23,736,610 508/210 WALFORD $6,242,533 143/35 TOWNSHIPS BENTON $5,448,170 90/36 BIG GROVE $3,087,200 23/4 BRUCE $2,773,231 32/15 CEDAR $3,769,410 37/11 CANTON $6,502,980 85/19 EDEN $3,414,120 28/4 ELDORADO $3,472,990 35/5 FLORENCE $4,493,390 55/10 FREMONT $6,875,030 76/18 HARRISON $2,229,320 35/8 HOMER $3,298,670 22/5 IOWA $2,865,550 39/5 JACKSON $2,873,760 30/11 KANE $3,348,470 26/6 LEROY $3,760,000 35/4 MONROE $3,065,970 26/9 POLK $5,899,680 78/10 ST. CLAIR $3,726,010 46/6 TAYLOR $5,298,770 78/23 UNION $3,737,550 28/6

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4.15 SEVERE WINTER STORM

National Climatic Data Center statistics document 111 snow and ice events as having occurred in Benton County since January 1 of 1950. Three Presidential Declarations of Major Disasters due to winter storms have been declared in Iowa since 1990, the most recent in February, 2007, which included Benton County. All totaled the 111 Benton County Winter Storm events have caused $20,041,000 in damages, 14 injuries and 4 deaths in the county. Due to the historical frequency of severe winter storms and Benton County’s geographical location, it is a near 100 percent certainty the county will be impacted by winter storms in the future.

Residents of Benton County who are most vulnerable to the effects of a winter storm are those who cannot fend for themselves in times of severe weather. Example populations would be the elderly (65 or older) who rely on outside entities for delivery of food or medicine for their livelihood and the very young (less than five years old). According to 2000 census information this accounts for 5,365 people or 20.4 percent of the Benton County population. Table 4.15.1 documents these populations by jurisdiction in the county. People who work outdoors are also at greater risk of being affected by wind chill, extreme low temperature, and wet winter conditions.

TABLE 4.15.1 VULNERABLE POPULATIONS OF BENTON COUNTY PERSONS LESS THAN 5YEARS OLD AND OVER 65

CITIES TOWNSHIP

ATKINS 205 BENTON 184 BELLE PLAINE 749 BIG GROVE 47 BLAIRSTOWN 177 BRUCE 65 GARRISON 72 CEDAR 76 KEYSTONE 227 172 CANTON LUZERNE 27 EDEN 76

MT. AUBURN 34 ELDORADO 72

NEWHALL 237 FLORENCE 112 NORWAY 115 FREMONT 155 SHELLSBURG 191 HARRISON 72 URBANA 181 HOMER 45 VAN HORNE 177 IOWA 80 VINTON 1359 JACKSON 61 WALFORD 188 KANE 52 LEROY 70 MONROE 53 POLK 160 ST. CLAIR 94 TAYLOR 159 UNION 57

Based on the large area that severe winter storms can cover and the cascading effects that can accompany them, the entire population of Benton County is vulnerable to some type of impact from a winter storm.

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The 2010 State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan estimates that Benton County has an annual loss of $202,438.26 due to Severe Winter Storm (Extreme Cold and Snow & Ice).

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from a severe winter storm could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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4.16 AIR TRANSPORTATION INCIDENT

All Benton County residents have the potential to be vulnerable to an air traffic event, though it is those who live closest to an airport who are most vulnerable. Although the incidence of these types of hazards is relatively high, the number of people and amount of property directly affected is relatively low. Benton County has two airports domiciled within the county’s boundaries, the Belle Plaine Airport near Belle Plaine and the Vinton Veterans Memorial Airport near Vinton. Both have 4,000 feet long runways. Both airports are used by smaller aircraft primarily locally owned, though a 4,000 foot long runway is long enough to land a commercial aircraft as large as a 727. Additionally, the Easter Iowa Airport near Cedar Rapids is just outside Benton County.

Since 1962, there have been 1,877 air transportation accidents in which there was at least one injury involved. A total of 485 people have been killed in air transportation incidents in Iowa since 1962. One hundred eleven fatalities occurred during the crash of United Flight 232 in Sioux City, Iowa. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) records indicate that there have been 5 reported aircraft accidents with fatalities in Benton County since January 1, 1970 In addition, there have been 6 other aircraft transportation incidents in Benton County since 1970 that resulted in no fatalities.

With five fatal aircraft accidents occurring in Benton County over the past 25 years and the county’s proximity to the Eastern Iowa Airport, it is predictable that a fatal aircraft accident will occur on the average of once every 5 years in Benton County.

Statistics from the National Transportation Safety Board and the airline industry show that the majority (over 75%) of airplane crashes and accidents occur during the takeoff or landing phases of a flight. The greatest potential for an air transportation incident to occur in Benton County would be from a plane that has either taken off or is landing at the Belle Plaine, Vinton or Eastern Iowa airports. The City of Walford is within 5 miles of the Eastern Iowa Airport and is directly in line with aircraft that are taking off and landing from the airport.

As mentioned above, most accidents occur during takeoffs and landings. Accordingly, the spatial extent of the majority of incidents would occur on airport grounds or adjacent areas. Compared to many other hazards, an air transportation accident would occupy a relatively small area. The extent to which the impacts would be felt would depend on the materials involved. For example, if a cargo plane transporting volatile or hazardous substances were involved in an accident, the area of concern would be significantly larger than the area for an accident involving a small personal aircraft carrying stable materials. The largest share of accidents would likely affect only a few city blocks.

The level of severity would depend on the type of aircraft involved, the type of cargo being transported, and the area on the ground on which the accident occurred. The lives and health of the pilot, crew, passengers, and the population on the ground would be at risk. There are very few injuries and fatalities when compared to the number of people involved in travel as a whole, but if there is an accident, it is very likely that the injuries will be serious or fatal. Damage to the aircraft itself is costly to the owner in terms of direct value lost and amount lost because the airplane is now out of commission. Significant damage can also occur to property on the ground. Often buildings, fences, utility lines, and trees are damaged or destroyed in the event of a plane crash. The cargo aboard a plane that has crashed can also sustain damage or destruction. This too can be extremely costly. 222 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from an air transportation incident could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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4.17 CYBER TERRORISM

Cyber-security and critical infrastructure protection are among the most important national security issues facing our country including Benton County today, and they will only become more challenging in the years to come. Recent attacks on our country’s infrastructure components have demonstrated that security has been a relatively low priority in the development of computer software and Internet systems. These attacks not only have disrupted electronic commerce, but also have had a debilitating effect on public confidence in the Internet. Impacts of a cyber attack can range from annoyance to complete shutdown of critical infrastructures due to infiltration of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. Secondary impacts could affect welfare of people and property by denying service or providing false readings. At its fullest extent a cyber attack could involve all of Benton County and its associated municipal jurisdictions.

There have been no documented incidents of cyber-attack in Benton County. Some municipal jurisdictions in Benton County have developed the necessary back-up systems to allow retrieval of vital data in the event of a cyber attack while others have not, leaving them vulnerable to a cyber attack that could destroy critical data.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from cyber terrorism could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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4.18 HUMAN DISEASE PANDEMIC

The Benton County Public Health Department is the local public health agency with jurisdiction over Benton County. The Iowa Department of Public Health tracks epidemiological statistics in Iowa. Their data indicate no major epidemics of diseases that have high percentages of loss of life or severe illness. Each year, there are many cases of the diseases on the national notification list. There has been no human disease epidemic other than the usual outbreaks of common flu and cold that has affected Benton County since the 1800’s or early 1900’s such as the Spanish Flu outbreak in 1918. A current threat is the probability of a pandemic outbreak due to the H5N1 Bird Flu virus that is affecting many Asian and European countries and the Swine Flu virus H1N1 that reached the level of a pandemic in the spring of 2009 in the United States. Because of our highly mobile society, these diseases can move rapidly across the state and across the nation within days, weeks, or months, thus the possibility exists that a highly infectious human disease could affect all of Benton County.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from a human disease pandemic could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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4.19 PIPELINE TRANSPORTATION INCIDENT

Pipeline transportation accidents may be caused by internal or external corrosion, defective welds, incorrect operation, outside damage, or other defective pipeline equipment. Most incidents involve crude oil, gasoline, or natural gas pipelines. All petroleum liquids pose dangers from fire or explosion, and the fire may produce poisonous or irritating gasses. Toxic fumes and direct contact can cause health hazards. Vapor clouds can travel a distance and settle in low-lying areas where the fumes may overcome people and animals. Released products should be treated as any other hazardous material. Large areas may need to be evacuated to remove people from the threat of fire, explosion, or exposure. These evacuations potentially save lives and limit injury, but they also disrupt businesses and inconvenience residents. A break in water pipelines may impact fire protection and continuity of operations at business and industry and may affect the area by saturating the soil and causing rapid erosion. Most pipeline incidents affect only the area directly above or near the damaged pipeline.

An incident involving a natural gas pipeline such as those passing through Benton County would only involve a small localized area comprising 10 percent or less of the county’s properties or people. Such an incident could, however, could result in death or injury if there was an explosion and it could result in the loss of natural gas supply to substantial portions, if not all, of the community for 24-72 hours.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from a pipeline incident could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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4.20 HAILSTORMS

The National Climatic Data Center data details 153 hail events, or an average of over 3 per year that have impacted Benton County since 1963. These storms have caused a total of $2,889,000 in property damages and $799,000 in crop damages. No deaths or injuries have been attributed to these storms.

Agricultural crops such as corn and beans are particularly vulnerable to hailstorms stripping the plant of its leaves. Hail can also do considerable damage to vehicles and buildings. Hail only rarely results in loss of life directly although injuries can occur to people caught outside when a hailstorm occurs.

All people and property of Benton County are vulnerable to the affects of a hailstorm. Anything or anyone outside during a hailstorm is most vulnerable. The only damage and injury prevention measures that can be taken are to park vehicles inside, close window shutters and park vehicles inside.

The 2010 State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan estimates that Benton County has an annual loss of $230,500 due to Hail.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from hailstorms could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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4.21 ANIMAL/PLANT/CROP DISEASE EPIDEMIC

Animal and plant diseases have come to the forefront of emergency management concerns due to the English experience with Foot and Mouth disease which devastated the country’s economy. Also looming is the pending threat of a pandemic due to mutations of the H5N1 Bird Flu virus. While the entire animal population is vulnerable to some degree, the risk of disease in animals can be largely reduced by ensuring that domesticated animals receive the proper nutrition in their diet, livestock living areas are kept as dry as possible, sick animals are quickly identified and treated, proper vaccinations are administered, and dead animals are quickly and properly disposed of.

Records provided by the USDA show the following livestock and crop numbers for Benton County in 2008. All of these are at risk of an animal or plant disease.

No. of all cattle and calves in Benton County 51,018 No. of beef cows in Benton County 11,979 No. of milk cows in Benton County 4,474 All hogs and pigs in Benton County 79,933

Corn acres in Benton County 187,500 Soybean acres in Benton County 153,800 Oats acres in Benton County 900 Hay acres in Benton County 13,900

Census Data indicates that in 2008 the county had 1,250 farms totaling 402,000 acres or 86% of the land area of the county.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from an animal/plant/crop disease epidemic could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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4.22 AGRO-TERRORISM

A major Midwestern concern, given the predominance of agriculture in the area is contamination of the food supply. This is, perhaps, the most extreme concern facing the Midwestern region of the United States today. Because Iowa serves as the breadbasket to the world, there is an increased risk of agro-terrorist activity. Benton County is at the heart of Iowa’s agriculture industry and is surrounded by farmland and livestock operations. Vacant buildings and remote areas in Benton County offer opportunities for renegade terrorists to carry out clandestine activities.

Agro-terrorism may take the form of a release of genetic diseases against crops or livestock or any malicious activity directed at crops and livestock. In addition to the extreme loss of life that could occur from such an attack, at the very least it would result in dramatic financial consequences to the agriculture industry. Agriculture is widely recognized as an industry that Benton County, the State of Iowa, and all the residents therein are largely dependent on. An incident of agro-terrorism in Benton County would have far reaching and probable devastating affect on the local economy, possibly even the food supply. The Benton County Emergency Management Agency has developed plans and conducted training seminars dealing with agro- terrorism.

No incidents of agro-terrorism in Benton County could be documented. Because of security and privacy issues, the Iowa Department of Agriculture does not release details of specific incidents or their location, including any that have occurred in Benton County.

The largest exposure to a potential agro-terrorism incident is livestock and an agricultural related business, most specifically those related to production of food from agricultural food products.

Census Data indicates that in 2008 Benton County had 1,250 farms totaling 402,000 acres or 86% of the land area of the county. The average size of a Benton County Farm is 322 acres. The following statistics are also pertinent to the prevalence of crop acres and livestock in Benton County.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from agro-terrorism fires could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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4.23 BIO-TERRORISM

A major human welfare concern, given the many possible acts that can be perpetrated is bio- terrorism. The introduction of a human disease such as anthrax by a terrorist into a local environment such as somewhere in Benton County could have a range of consequences from a small localized infection of a single individual to a sweeping pandemic affecting a large portion of the county’s population.

A potential event of concern is introduction of a biological agent into a local water system. All cities in Benton County with the exception of Watkins and parts of Luzerne have a municipal water supply system and a portion of Benton County receives water supply from the Poweshiek Rural Water Association. An act of bio-terrorism involving a city’s water supply or the Poweshiek Rural Water Association supply has the potential for affecting user of the particular system.

Benton County cities have no plans in place to taken no measures to address a biological terrorism event. The Benton County Emergency Management Agency and Benton County Department of Public Health has developed broad-based plans for such a situation.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from bio-terrorism could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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4.24 CONVENTIONAL TERRORISM

The most glaring vulnerability to a terrorist act appears to be an act of conventional terrorism by a renegade terrorist or organized group of terrorists targeting an area of mass assembly such as any of the school system facilities in Benton County and county or city government facilities.

A renegade act of terrorism could be committed anywhere, thereby creating a degree of risk for all Benton County residents, though the risk is greater at school system facilities of the Belle Plaine Community School District; Benton Community School District; Center Point-Urbana School District; Central Lutheran School; Vinton-Shellsburg School District; The Benton County Courthouse and Benton County Law Enforcement Center.

According to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, there have been four bomb threats in the last 12 years in Benton County, all of them at the Benton Community High School in Van Horne on 4/20/1998; 2/24/1999; 9/29/1999 and 12/16/2005. On all occasions a search of the school found no bomb.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from conventional terrorism could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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4.25 EXTREME HEAT

National Climatic Data Center records indicate 3 incidents of heat waves or excessive heat conditions that affected Benton County since January 1, 1994. During the summers of 1997 and 1998, there were a combined total of 31 days when the high temperature was 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. There were 3 periods when temperatures were 90 degrees or above for at least 3 consecutive days during the past 2 summers. Extreme heat conditions, when they occur, are broad based. Therefore, extreme heat events will impact all of Benton County.

Every resident or transient through Benton County is susceptible to the impacts of a heat wave or extreme heat event. Those who have an elevated risk include the elderly, young children, chronic invalids, those on certain medications or drugs, persons who are over their recommended weight, alcoholics, and individuals who work outdoors or in confined spaces without air conditioning. Furthermore, economic class can also figure into who is vulnerable. Those individuals or families who cannot afford air conditioning or do not have access to air conditioning are also more susceptible to the effects of elevated temperatures.

All populations, buildings, critical facilities, infrastructure and lifelines, and hazardous materials facilities are considered potentially exposed to extreme heat hazards and could potentially be affected. The Benton County Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee noted that the greatest exposure to extreme heat hazards is the population of the county. For purposes of this plan, based on age the populations most at risk to heat related medical conditions are seniors age 64 and over and the very young age 5 and under. This accounts for 20.4 percent of the Benton County population or 5,365 people according to 2000 census information. These populations by jurisdiction are shown in Table 4.25.1, page 232.

The 2010 State of Iowa Hazard Mitigation Plan estimates that Benton County has an annual loss of $3,000 due to Extreme Heat.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from extreme heat could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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TABLE 4.25.1 VULNERABLE POPULATIONS OF BENTON COUNTY PERSONS LESS THAN 5YEARS OLD AND OVER 65

CITIES TOWNSHIP

ATKINS 205 BENTON 184 BELLE PLAINE 749 BIG GROVE 47 BLAIRSTOWN 177 BRUCE 65 GARRISON 72 CEDAR 76 KEYSTONE 227 172 CANTON LUZERNE 27 EDEN 76

MT. AUBURN 34 ELDORADO 72

The level of vulnerability can be greatly reduced by taking certain precautionary steps. Such measures include, but are not limited to, drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated, moving to air conditioned areas, using sun block, reducing the amount of physical exertion normally expended, etc.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from extreme heat could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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4.26 CHEMICAL TERRORISM

The most serious threat to Benton County involving an act of chemical terrorism is contamination of a municipal water supply.

The cities of Atkins, Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Garrison, Keystone, Mt. Auburn, Newhall, Shellsburg, Urbana and Vinton have their own municipal water supply system. The cities of Luzerne, Norway and Van Horne have their water supplied by the Poweshiek Rural Water Association. Residents of the City of Walford have their own private wells for water supply. Rural residents in the southern portion of the Benton County are also supplied by the Poweshiek Rural Water Association.

An act of chemical terrorism involving a water supply system has the potential for affecting every user of the system.

None of the cities in Benton County have plans in place for measures to address a chemical terrorism event. The Benton County Emergency Management Agency and Benton County Department of Public Health has developed broad-based plans for such a situation, but nothing specific to a city.

The probability that Benton County cold be affected by an act of chemical terrorism is somewhat enhanced due to the presence of Interstate 380 and Highway 30 as well as the county’s proximity to the major metropolitan cities of Cedar Rapids and Waterloo.

Due to data limitations, no further determination of potential damages from chemical terrorism could be determined. Every attempt will be made to have more detailed information in the next plan update.

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SECTION 5: GOALS AND STRATEGIES

5.1 HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN GOALS

The Benton County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee set as a priority the development of broad-based goals that would address a multitude of hazards and encompass a variety of mitigation activities. By identifying these goals the Committee was able to develop mitigation action steps that would work toward the broader goal. The hazard mitigation plan goals identified are as follows:

Each of the mitigation activities identified as a “Future Hazard Mitigation Activity” in the following section can be related to at least one of the hazard mitigation plan goals.

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5.2 MITIGATION STRATEGY OVERVIEW

Benton County hazard mitigation goals are directly connected to the 26 hazards determined by the Benton County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee to be of planning importance to the county. The mitigation measures (activities) listed are arranged into six broad categories.

1. Preventive Measures. Government administrative or regulatory actions or processes are developed and implemented that influence the way land and buildings are developed and built. These actions also include public activities to reduce hazard losses. Preventive measures are used to keep problems from getting started or getting worse. Mitigation measures that fall into this group include planning and zoning, building codes, conducting technical studies, inspection, enforcement, implementation, hazard analysis risk assessment, security, capital improvement programs, open space preservation, and storm water management regulations. Community participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) also protects both individuals and the community as a whole from devastating losses.

2. Property Protection. These are measures that involve the modification of existing buildings or structures to protect them from a hazard(s), or removal from the hazard area. They are implemented in order to remove people, property, and businesses permanently out of unsafe areas where, in terms of wise disaster planning, they shouldn’t have been in the first place. Property protection measures include acquisition, elevation, relocation, structural retrofits, and security.

3. Public Education and Awareness. These measures help to inform and educate citizens, elected officials, and property owners about the hazards and potential ways to mitigate them. These measures include outreach projects, real estate disclosure, hazard information centers, and school age and adult education programs.

4. Natural Resource Protection. These are actions that, in addition to minimizing hazard losses, also preserve or restore the functions of natural systems. These actions include sediment and erosion control, stream corridor protection and restoration, watershed management, forest and vegetation management, and wetland restoration and preservation.

5. Emergency Services. These actions protect people and property during and after a disaster or hazard event in order to minimize its impact and preserve the community’s health and safety. Emergency services include warning systems, monitoring systems, response and recovery planning, emergency response services, evacuations, protection of critical facilities, acquisition of equipment to facilitate the delivery of these services, and training for responders in emergency situations.

6. Structural Projects. These projects involve the construction and maintenance of structures to reduce or redirect the impact of a hazard away from at-risk populations and facilities. Such structures include, but are not limited to, dams, levees, floodwalls, seawalls, retaining walls, and safe rooms.

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SECTION 6: MITIGATION MEASURES

6.1 MITIGATION MEASURES

Potential mitigation measures for Benton County have been developed using a combination of sources as follows:

 Existing community hazard mitigation plans (Appendix 12—page 650)  The Benton County Strategic Plan maintained by the Benton County Emergency Management Agency  Consultation and meetings with city and county officials and representatives

MITIGATION MEASURE COMMUNITY HAZARD IDENTIFIED WITH 1. EMS training All Benton County All Hazards communities, Benton County un-incorporated 2. Develop and enhance local All communities All hazards emergency operations plan Benton County unincorporated 3. Establish community All communities, Benton All hazards emergency response teams County unincorporated (CERT) 4. Improve public awareness of All communities All hazards hazard risks and educate the Benton County public about measures they can unincorporated take to protect themselves and their property from these hazards

5. Emergency/disaster response All communities All hazards training and exercises for Benton County emergency responders and key unincorporated county and community leaders

6. Maintain well-trained and All communities, Benton All Hazards viable law enforcement County unincorporated agencies in order to identify and respond to potential threats and events

7. Mandate installing visible Garrison, Walford, Benton All hazards house numbers or property County unincorporated markers on every residence or property location and enforcement of the regulation 237 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

8. Compliance with FCC 2013 All communities All hazards Radio Frequency Narrow Banding regulations 9. Maintain electronic resource All communities, Benton All Hazards directory of local resources County Unincorporated 10. Encourage residents to All communities All hazards have Disaster Supply Kits on Benton County hand to be used in the event of unincorporated a disaster event 11. PPE for first responders All communities, Benton Highway Transportation County Unincorporated Incident, Rail Transportation Incident, Air Transportation Incident, Tornado, Windstorm, Structural Failure, Extreme Heat, Severe Winter Storm, Human Disease Pandemic, Conventional Terrorism, Bio-terrorism, Chemical Terrorism, Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident, Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials Incident, Structural Fire, Grass or Timber Fire 12. Promote NOAA weather All communities Bio-terrorism radio use and encourage Benton County Chemical Terrorism purchase of NOAA weather unincorporated Communications Failure radios by vulnerable Conventional Terrorism populations Energy Failure Extreme Heat Flash Flood Thunderstorm and Lightning Severe Winter Storm Tornado Windstorm

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13. Purchase new ambulances All communities, Benton Highway Transportation and first responder units County Unincorporated Incident Rail Transportation Incident Air Transportation Incident, Tornado Windstorm Structural Failure Extreme Heat Severe Winter Storm Human Disease Pandemic Conventional Terrorism Bio-terrorism Chemical Terrorism 14. Install back-up power All communities Communications Failure sources that will keep critical Benton County Energy Failure infrastructure and critical unincorporated Extreme Heat facilities operational during Severe Winter Storm prolonged power outages Thunderstorm and Lightning Tornado Windstorm 15. Develop community All communities Energy Failure emergency shelters Benton County Extreme Heat unincorporated Severe Winter Storm Thunderstorm and Lightning Windstorm Tornado

16. Prepare/Implement mass All communities, Benton Air Transportation Incident casualty incident plans County unincorporated Highway Transportation Incident Rail Transportation Incident Conventional Terrorism Tornado 17 Maintain and enhance storm All communities Tornado spotter training Benton County Windstorm unincorporated Thunderstorm and Lightning 18. Tree-trimming to reduce Belle Plaine, Garrison, Mt. Energy Failure Severe the likelihood of falling Auburn, Newhall, Norway, Winter Storm branches on power lines Shellsburg Van Horne Thunderstorm and Lightning Tornado Windstorm

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19. Develop/publicize city Luzerne, Newhall, Norway, Conventional Terrorism evacuation plans Shellsburg, Urbana, Van Highway Transportation Horne HAZMAT Incident Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials Incident Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident Rail Transportation Incident 20. Continue HAZMAT All Communities, Benton Fixed Facility Hazardous agreements and support regional County unincorporated Materials Incident HAZMAT teams Highway Transportation Incident Rail Transportation Incident Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident Chemical Terrorism Bio-terrorism 21. Ensure that first responders All Communities, Benton Fixed Facility Hazardous are properly trained to County unincorporated Materials Incident recognize and respond to any Highway Transportation potential HAZMAT event Incident Rail Transportation Incident Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident Chemical Terrorism Bio-terrorism 22. Construct public tornado Atkins, Keystone, Newhall, Energy Failure safe rooms at vulnerable points Norway, Shellsburg, Thunderstorm and Urbana, Van Horne, Vinton, Lightning Walford, Benton County Tornado unincorporated Windstorm 23. Improve outdoor warning Belle Plaine, Garrison, Communications Failure siren system Luzerne, Mt Auburn, Thunderstorm and Newhall, Norway, Lightning Shellsburg, Urbana, Van Tornado Horne, Walford Windstorm Benton County unincorporated 24. Implement system to Garrison, Luzerne, Structural Fire backup city and county files Newhall, Norway, Van Tornado and records-store in alternate Horne, Benton County Cyber Terrorism locations unincorporated Energy Failure 25. Develop debris disposal Atkins, Shellsburg, Van Flash Flood sites Horne Tornado Benton County Windstorm unincorporated River Flood

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26. Purchase standby (trash) Blairstown, Garrison, Flash Flood pumps Newhall, Van Horne, River Flood Vinton Thunderstorm and Lightning 27. Update sanitary sewer Garrison, Newhall, Urbana, Thunderstorms and system and reduce water Van Horne, Vinton Lightning infiltration into sanitary sewage Flash Flood system River Flood 28. Rescue/extrication Garrison, Mt Auburn, Highway Transportation equipment and training for fire Luzerne, Newhall, Norway, Incident departments Shellsburg, Van Horne, Rail Transportation Incident Benton County Air Transportation Incident unincorporated Tornado 29. Require the installation of Garrison, Newhall, Van Thunderstorms and back flow valves in structures Horne, Vinton, Benton Lightning in order reduce the risk of County unincorporated Flash Flood sewer backup damage River Flood 30. Special needs registration All communities Energy Failure program Benton County Extreme Heat unincorporated Severe Winter Storm 31. Laptop computers with Norway, Shellsburg, Benton Fixed Facility Hazardous satellite downlinks for first County unincorporated Materials Incident responder vehicles Transportation Hazardous materials Incident Bio-terrorism Chemical Terrorism Agro-terrorism, Conventional Terrorism 32. Encourage construction of Atkins, Keystone, Newhall, Tornado tornado safe rooms Norway, Shellsburg, Windstorm Urbana, Van Horne, Thunderstorm and Walford, Benton County Lightning unincorporated 33. Work with Utility Belle Plaine, Garrison, Tornado Companies to bury power lines Newhall, Van Horne Windstorm Benton County Severe Winter Storm unincorporated Energy Failure 34. Conduct study on use of sump Atkins, Newhall, Van River Flood pumps Horne Flash Flood Thunderstorm and Lightning 35. Continuity of All communities Tornado Government/Continuity of Benton County Windstorm Operations Planning unincorporated Communication Failure Conventional Terrorism Energy Failure 36. Improve storm sewer Blairstown, Garrison, Flash Flood drainage Newhall, Norway, Van River Flood 241 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Horne, Walford, Benton Thunderstorm and County unincorporated Lightning 37. Have sandbagging Blairstown, Newhall, Flash Flood equipment and local supplies of Norway, Shellsburg, River Flood sandbags on hand for future Vinton, Walford, Benton flood events County unincorporated 38. Develop a written flood plan Atkins, Shellsburg, Flash Flood Norway, Vinton, Benton River Flood County unincorporated 39. Floodplain manager All communities, Benton Flash Flood training County unincorporated River Flood 40. Continue to evaluate Newhall, Vinton Flash Flood, critical public utilities (i.e. lift River Flood stations, wells, etc.) for ways they can be further flood proofed

41. Continue to identify, Vinton, Benton County Flash Flood, River Flood purchase, and remove structures unincorporated and populations in danger of being flooded. 42. Raise road grades to Benton County River Flood eliminate backup flooding unincorporated Flash Flood damage 43. Compliance with the All communities, Benton Flash Flood National Flood Insurance County unincorporated River Flood Program regulations 44. Elevate structures above Vinton, Benton County River Flood flood plain level Unincorporated Flash Flood 45. Implement Operation Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Rail Transportation Incident Lifesaver program Luzerne, Mt. Auburn, Highway Transportation Norway, Shellsburg, Incident Vinton, Benton County unincorporated 46. Identify special needs of All communities, Benton Bio-terrorism first responders and make effort County unincorporated Chemical Terrorism to see that they are equipped as Conventional Terrorism necessary in order to properly Agri-terrorism respond to a variety of potential terrorist events 47. Improve safety at rail Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Rail Transportation Incident crossings Luzerne, Mt Auburn, Norway, Shellsburg, Walford, Vinton Benton County unincorporated 48. Establish Good Neighbor All communities, Benton Severe Winter Storm program for winter storms County unincorporated 49. Enforce snow removal Shellsburg, Van Horne Severe Winter Storm

242 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 policies by establishing an ordinance recognizing entire town as an emergency snow route 50. Develop plans to address All communities Energy Failure utility outages and emergencies Benton County unincorporated 51. Develop/maintain security All communities, Benton Bio-terrorism at city/county facilities County unincorporated Chemical Terrorism Conventional Terrorism 52. Develop alternative energy Atkins, Blairstown, Energy Failure sources Garrison, Keystone, Mt Auburn, Walford 53. Purchase snow removal Belle Plaine, Luzerne, Mt Severe Winter Storm equipment Auburn, Van Horne, Benton County unincorporated 54. Improve awareness of All communities, Benton Animal/plant/crop disease animal disease hazard risks County unincorporated outbreak Agri-terrorism 55. Maintain first response All communities, Benton Air transportation incident organizations capable of County unincorporated responding to and managing an air transportation incident 56. Maintain well equipped All communities, Benton Structural Fires, and well trained fire County unincorporated Transportation Hazardous departments capable of Materials Incident appropriate and effective Fixed Facility Hazardous response to all potential fire and Materials Incident emergency incidents Highway Transportation Incident Rail Transportation Incident Air Transportation Incident, Conventional Terrorism Chemical Terrorism Bio-terrorism Agri-terrorism 57. Maintain and publicize a All Communities, Benton Extreme Heat list of sites that could be used County unincorporated as cooling shelters for public retreats during extreme heat events

58. Work with Benton County All Communities, Benton Fixed Facility Hazardous EMA to ensure that local Tier II County unincorporated Materials Incident Reports are being filed

59. Purchase new or used fire Garrison, Newhall, Mt Structural Fire apparatus Auburn, Urbana, Van Horne, Vinton 243 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

60. Identify critical facilities Atkins, Luzerne, Newhall, Fixed Facility Hazardous that contain hazardous Van Horne, Benton County Materials Incident materials and obtain hazardous unincorporated materials inventories 61. Recognize that language Atkins, Norway, Van Communications Failure barriers may exist and develop Horne, Benton County policies and train personnel in unincorporated ways to overcome these challenges 62. Encourage citizen All communities Structural Fire purchase/use of smoke Benton County detectors unincorporated 63. Investigate and develop Blairstown, Mt. Auburn, Structural Fire alternative water sources for Norway, Benton County fire suppression including unincorporated placing dry hydrants

Blairstown, Vinton Structural Fires, 64 Identify location for and Transportation Hazardous construct new fire station Materials Incident Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials Incident Highway Transportation Incident Rail Transportation Incident Air Transportation Incident, Conventional Terrorism Chemical Terrorism Bio-terrorism Agri-terrorism 65. Establish ordinance to Shellsburg Structural Fire require fire extinguishers in multi-family units 66 Mandate restricted entry Benton County Animal/Plant/Crop Disease, into livestock facilities by unincorporated Agro-terrorism unauthorized personnel 67. Adopt county-wide building Norway, Shellsburg, Benton Structural Fire codes and building inspection County unincorporated Structural Failure capabilities

68. Maintain awareness of All communities, Benton Pipeline incident pipeline locations and proper County unincorporated locating procedures to use before digging 69. Continue to cooperate with All communities, Benton Animal/plant/crop disease local medical facilities and County unincorporated incidents Public Health Department officials to increase the likelihood of detection and 244 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011 proper response to animal/plant/crop disease incidents

Benton County Schools Mitigation Measures are detailed in Appendix 11, Page 645.

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6.2 MITIGATION MEASURE PROFILES

Action Step 1 EMS training Applicable Hazards All hazards Applicable All Benton County communities, Benton County un-incorporated Communities Every disaster or emergency situation that can occur in Benton County has the potential for personal injury, even multiple casualties. Community first responder and ambulance services are the initial response and transportation services for all emergency medical and Analysis trauma incidents including multi-casualty incidents in Benton County. It is incumbent that the emergency medical response services of Benton County maintain adequate rosters of properly trained EMS personnel in order to respond to medical emergencies anywhere in Benton County Training can be secured through a variety of sources. Timeline Ongoing $1,000 per EMS responder for basic EMTA training up through $5,000 Estimated Cost per EMS responder for paramedic level training. Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Responsible Party Emergency medical service providers of Benton County Related to Goals 1,2,4 Priority 1

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Action Step 2 Develop and enhance local emergency operations plan Applicable Hazards All hazards Applicable All communities, Benton County Unincorporated Communities The Benton County Emergency Management Agency has a full scope of Emergency Operations Plans. Some cities in Benton County have rudimentary Emergency Operations Plans while most have nothing at all. This is intended to be a general plan for application in all emergency and Analysis disaster situations. Development or enhancement of existing plans is essential in order to provide an organized local response to all disasters and to provide the guidelines necessary for incident and resource management in disaster and emergency situations that may influence any city in Benton County. Timeline Completion by December 31, 2015 Estimated Cost $5,000 per plan for contract planner Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category The City councils and emergency response entities of individual Benton Responsible Party County communities; Benton County EMA Related to Goals 1, 2, 4 Priority 1

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Action Step 3 Establish community emergency response teams (CERT) Applicable Hazards All hazards Applicable All communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Analysis The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community. Currently none of the Benton County Communities have established CERT teams. Establishing CERT teams in every community in Benton County is integral to successful disaster and emergency management.

Timeline Implementation by December 31, 2015 Estimated Cost $5,000 per community Responsible Party Benton County EMA, City Councils, Emergency Services and citizens of Benton County Communities Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Related Goal 2,3,4,5,6 Priority 2

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Improve public awareness of hazard risks and educate the public about Action Step 4 measures they can take to protect themselves and their property from these hazards Applicable Hazards All hazards Applicable All communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities There are many measures that can be taken to prepare citizens for disaster and sustaining themselves for a prolonged period of time. Crucial to preparing citizens for disasters is education and awareness. Several publications to distribute to citizens and public announcements for news media have been produced by such entities as FEMA and the Analysis American Red Cross that describe the hazards and what people can do to prepare themselves for disaster. Placing copies of this information in the hands of Benton County residents and news media and encouraging them to take the necessary steps to prepare themselves is a critical step in disaster preparedness for Benton County. Timeline Education on this topic is an ongoing process The cost of this project can vary substantially based on what type of educational effort is made. For purposes of this plan, the cost estimate will assume that the county and individual communities of the county will contact every household by mail. According to 2008 Census Estimated Cost estimates there are 26,934 residents living in 11,029 households in Benton County. Assuming $1.00 cost per household (copies, postage and handling) it would cost the county and/or its individual communities $11,000 annually for the educational effort. Mitigation Measure Public Awareness and Education Category The City councils and emergency response entities of individual Benton Responsible Party County communities; Benton County EMA, Benton County, American Red Cross, FEMA Related to Goals 1, 2, 5 Priority 1

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Emergency/disaster response training and exercises for emergency Action Step 5 responders and key county and community leaders Applicable Hazards All hazards Applicable All communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Critical to effective response operations at a disaster or emergency incident is the training and knowledge of emergency responders, governing body officials, and others with expertise who have the potential of becoming involved. This training covers many aspects, including NIMS, incident management, actual strategic and tactical considerations. Analysis In Benton County a great deal of effort has already been expended in this area, but there is more to be done, particularly in regards to training new people who come into the system, continuing NIMS compliance requirements and the evolution of new equipment and guidance for response to disaster and emergency incidents of any magnitude and any potential hazard. Timeline Ongoing Much of the training can be obtained for free. In other cases depending Estimated Cost upon the complexity and time commitment of the educational opportunity costs of up to $5,000 or more per session could be incurred. Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category The City councils and emergency response entities of individual Benton Responsible Party County communities; Benton County EMA, Benton County Related to Goals 1,2,4 Priority 1

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Action Step 6 Maintain well-trained and viable law enforcement agencies in order to identify and respond to potential threats and events. Applicable Hazards All Hazards Applicable All communities, Benton County Unincorporated Communities Analysis Every disaster or emergency situation that can occur in Benton County has the potential for requiring law enforcement services. Community based police departments and the Benton County Deputies as well as the Iowa Highway Patrol will be the initial response law enforcement services in Benton County. It is incumbent that Benton County law enforcement services be maintained by their respective jurisdictions for the safety and welfare of all Benton County residents.

The cities of Belle Plaine, Shellsburg, Urbana and Vinton maintain a local Police Department and Benton County maintains the Benton County Sheriff’s office. The cities of Benton County that do not have their own domiciled law enforcement agency contract with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services. Timeline This is an ongoing mitigation effort. Estimated Cost Estimated costs of maintaining the law enforcement entities of Benton County department’s current operating and capital improvement budget. Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Responsible Party All communities, Benton County Related Goal 1, 2, 3, 4 Priority 1

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Mandate installing visible house numbers or property markers on every Action Step 7 residence or property location and enforcement of the regulation Applicable Hazards All Hazards Applicable Garrison, Walford, Benton County unincorporated Communities Identifying the precise location of disaster and emergency incidents is critical to dispatching emergency response resources and identifying a Analysis hazard area. Some cities in Benton County have regulations mandating visible house numbering, others do not. Benton County has regulations concerning rural address signs, but they are not consistently enforced. Timeline Implementation by 2015 Undetermined—will vary per jurisdiction and residence, perhaps up to Estimated Cost $50 per sign or house number Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Responsible Party City of Garrison, Benton County Supervisors Related to Goals 1,2 Priority 1

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Compliance with FCC 2013 Radio Frequency Narrow Banding Action Step 8 regulations Applicable Hazards All hazards Applicable All communities, Benton County Unincorporated Communities All emergency services providers are required to have their communications equipment reprogrammed to meet the FCC 2013 Radio Frequency Narrow Banding regulations. Some of the equipment that first responder emergency services of Benton County have is capable of being reprogrammed and some is not. First responder services will need Analysis to inventory their pagers, handheld, mobile and base radios to determine what equipment can be reprogrammed as required. Equipment that cannot be reprogrammed will need to be replaced or Benton County emergency service’s response to emergencies and disasters as well as operations at such incidents as storm watches will be impaired. Timeline Completion by December 31, 2013 Estimated Cost Up to $10,000 per emergency service provider Governing bodies and service providers of the first responder Responsible Party emergency services of Benton County, Benton County E911 Board Mitigation Emergency Services Measures Category Related to Goals 1,2,4 Priority 2

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Action Step 9 Maintain electronic resource directory of local resources Applicable Hazards All hazards Applicable All communities, Benton County Unincorporated Communities In order to effectively manage any disaster or emergency situation, municipal and emergency management officials need to know what resources are available and where they can obtain the necessary resources for management of the situation. An electronic resource directory with Analysis lists of contact information for implementing the response of necessary resources is necessary in order to accomplish this objective. In 2009 the Benton County EMA was able to have such a resource directory developed with the use of DHS funds. It is now necessary to revise the directory annually in order to maintain accuracy. Timeline Ongoing Estimated Cost This is a job function of Benton County EMA Coordinator or designee Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Responsible Party Benton County EMA Related to Goals 1, 2, 4 Priority 1

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Action Step 10 Encourage residents to have Disaster Supply Kits on hand to be used in the event of a disaster event Applicable Hazards All hazards Applicable All communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Analysis Having Disaster Supply Kits on hand could help to speed recovery after a disaster event occurs and may provide some peace of mind prior to and during and event. Generally, Disaster Supply Kits contain some combination of the following items to be used in the wake of a disaster event:

Water Food First Aid Kit Non Prescription Drugs Tools and Supplies Sanitation Equipment Clothing and bedding Special items Entertainment items Critical Family Documents Disaster Preparedness Guides and Manuals

The American Red Cross maintains a more extensive list of what should be included in a Disaster Supply Kit. Timeline This is an ongoing mitigation effort. Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Estimated Cost $100-$500 per household depending on the quality and quantity of items stored. $11,000 for a direct mail promotional campaign. Responsible Party The City councils and emergency response entities of individual Benton County communities; Benton County EMA, Benton County Related Goal 1, 2, 5 Priority 2

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Action Step 11 PPE for first responders Highway Transportation Incident, Rail Transportation Incident, Air Transportation Incident, Tornado, Windstorm, Structural Failure, Extreme Heat, Severe Winter Storm, Human Disease Pandemic, Applicable Hazards Conventional Terrorism, Bio-terrorism, Chemical Terrorism, Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident, Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials Incident, Structural Fire, Grass or Timber Fire Applicable All communities Communities All first responders, fire, EMS and law enforcement require adequate Personal Protective Clothing (PPE) that is current with contemporary emergency services standards in order to safely operate at the broad Analysis variety of emergencies and disasters they respond to. The PPE is the first line of defense that emergency responders rely on for their protection in firefighting and other hazardous environments they encounter. Timeline Maintaining adequate PPE is an ongoing requirement Estimated Cost Up to $2,500 per emergency responder Governing bodies and service providers of the first responder Responsible Party emergency services of Benton County. Mitigation Emergency Services Measures Category Related to Goals 1,2,4 Priority 2

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Action Step 12 Promote NOAA weather radio use and encourage purchase of NOAA weather radios by vulnerable populations Applicable Hazards Bio-terrorism, Chemical Terrorism, Communications Failure, Conventional Terrorism, Energy Failure, Extreme Heat, Flash Flood, Thunderstorm and Lightning, Severe Winter Storm, Tornado, Windstorm Applicable All communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Analysis The purpose of NOAA weather radios is to increase the likelihood that the general public is given sufficient warning of any impending hazard. Unlike outdoor warning sirens, NOAA weather radios are intended to warn people who are indoors and are loud enough to wake an individual even if they are sleeping. Furthermore, the radios can follow a warning alert with information on what the specific threat is and how one should react. The Benton County EMA has purchased NOAA weather radios and placed them in areas of large population (i.e. nursing homes, schools, library, city hall etc.). The next step is to encourage citizens to install NOAA weather radios in their home through such means as a multi- media campaign involving print media and local access television channels. Timeline This is an ongoing mitigation effort. Estimated Cost Costs of the radios could be as high as $90 apiece. $11,000 for a county-wide direct mail promotional campaign. Responsible Party The City councils and emergency response entities of individual Benton County communities; Benton County EMA, Benton County Mitigation Measure Public Education and Awareness Category Related Goal 1,2,3,4 Priority 1

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Action Step 13 Purchase new ambulances and first responder units Highway Transportation Incident, Rail Transportation Incident, Air Transportation Incident, Tornado, Windstorm, Structural Failure, Applicable Hazards Extreme Heat, Severe Winter Storm, Human Disease Pandemic, Conventional Terrorism, Bio-terrorism, Chemical Terrorism Applicable All communities, Benton County Unincorporated Communities Ambulances and first responder units in the fleets of emergency medical services department’s in Benton County need replacement periodically. The services and their respective districts rely on these units for Analysis emergency medical services response capabilities to a broad variety of emergencies and disasters. Costs of these units coupled with increasingly tight budgets are making it difficult if not impossible for some services to purchase new units. Delivery of new ambulances and first responder units as per Timeline replacement schedules maintained by the individual ambulance and fire districts of the county Estimated Cost Up to $120,000 per ambulance or first responder unit Governing bodies of the individual ambulance or first responder Responsible Party services Mitigation Emergency Services Measures Category Related to Goals 1,2,4 Priority 2

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Maintain well equipped and well trained fire departments capable of Action Step 14 appropriate and effective response to all potential fire and emergency incidents Structural Fires, Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident, Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials Incident, Highway Transportation Incident, Applicable Hazards Rail Transportation Incident, Air Transportation Incident, Conventional Terrorism, Chemical Terrorism, Bio-terrorism, Agri-terrorism Applicable All communities, Benton County Unincorporated Communities The 14 domiciled fire departments of Benton County are the primary initial responders to fires, rescue, extrication, hazardous materials and disaster incidents. Depending upon the circumstance they may also be the Analysis primary initial responder to a terrorism incident. Maintaining the personnel and their PPE and all necessary equipment to operable levels is a critical hazard mitigation necessity. Timeline Ongoing mitigation effort Budgets of the individual fire department’s of Benton County range from Estimated Cost $15,000 to $140,000 Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Governing bodies, fire districts and cities of the 14 domiciled Benton Responsible Party County Fire Departments Related Goal#: 1,2,4 Priority 1

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Action Step 15 Identify location for and construct new fire station Structural Fires, Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident, Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials Incident, Highway Transportation Incident, Applicable Hazards Rail Transportation Incident, Air Transportation Incident, Conventional Terrorism, Chemical Terrorism, Bio-terrorism, Agri-terrorism Applicable Blairstown, Vinton Communities Two cities in Benton County, Blairstown and Vinton, have identified the need for a new fire station. The current Blairstown Fire Station has been in use since the 1950’s. Since that time the size of fire apparatus has grown and the Blairstown Fire Department fleet has grown. More space is needed to accommodate the department’s equipment and training needs. The Vinton Fire Station has special problems also, but more significant is Analysis the need for moving the station out of the 500-year flood plain. The monumental floods of June, 2008 which impacted the City of Vinton flooded the Vinton Fire Station and left it inoperable for several weeks. Establishing a new fire station in a location outside of the 500 year flood plain to insure that the service capabilities of the Vinton Fire Department remain intact during flood situations is a priority for the City of Vinton. Timeline Completion by December 31, 2015 Estimated Cost $500,000 for Blairstown, $2,000,000 for Vinton Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category City of Blairstown, Blairstown Fire Department, City of Vinton, Vinton Responsible Party Fire Department Related to Goals 1, 2, 4 Priority 2

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Install back-up power sources that will keep critical infrastructure and Action Step 16 critical facilities operational during prolonged power outages Communications Failure, Energy Failure, Extreme Heat, Severe Winter Applicable Hazards Storm, Thunderstorm and Lightning, Tornado, Windstorm Applicable All communities Communities Benton County unincorporated Emergency back-up electrical power generators are essential for keeping critical facilities and infrastructure operational during prolonged power outage situations. Facilities where generators are necessary include but are not limited to: public works facilities, city halls, municipal wells, Analysis water and wastewater treatment facilities, lift stations, emergency services buildings, emergency shelters; park, camp and recreational facilities. In Benton County only a small percentage of these facilities have generators. Timeline Installation by December 31, 2015 Estimated Cost Up to $50,000 per generator Mitigation Measure Prevention Category The city councils and emergency response entities of individual Benton Responsible Party County communities; Benton County Related to Goals 1,2,4 Priority 2

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Action Step 17 Develop Community Emergency Shelters Energy Failure, Extreme Heat, Severe Winter Storm, Thunderstorm and Applicable Hazards Lightning, Windstorm, Tornado Applicable All communities, Benton County Incorporated Communities In 2009 the Benton County EMA, working with a consultant, undertook the project of identifying Community Emergency Shelters for every city of Benton County and developing policies and procedures for activating, operating and demobilizing these shelters. Every community participated in the process and has its own plan for shelter operations. The designation of such facilities is necessary in order to provide for the health, safety and Analysis sustenance needs of people displaced by disasters or suffering from such incidents as extreme heat, severe winter weather or energy disruption situations. Most of the shelters are not equipped with emergency power generators. The shelters are also without supplies and provisions. Equipping the shelters with emergency electrical power generators and stocking the shelters with provisions for feeding and other human needs is the next step in completing preparation of the shelters. As funding becomes available from each entity designated as a primary Timeline shelter, or as funding becomes available through grants or other sources. This will be determined by the specific shelter. Costs could be as high as Estimated Cost $50,000 per shelter, particularly for those in need of a generator.. Mitigation Measure Prevention Category The city councils of individual Benton County communities; Benton Responsible Party County, Benton County EMA, American Red Cross Related to Goals 1,2,5,6 Priority 2

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Action Step 18 Prepare/Implement mass casualty incident plans Applicable Hazards Air Transportation Incident, Highway Transportation Incident, Rail Transportation Incident, Conventional Terrorism, Tornado Applicable All communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Analysis Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) plans have a variety of applications in disaster and emergency situations. Having an MCI provides the guidelines for incident organization and securing the necessary resources to manage the large number of victims involved in a MCI. The Benton County Office of Emergency Management has MCI plans that can be applied to any situation by any entity. Timeline On demand Estimated Cost No cost Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Responsible Party Emergency services agencies, departments and organizations of Benton County communities, Benton County Sheriff’s Department, Benton County Emergency Management Agency Related Goal 1, 2, 4 Priority 1

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Action Step 19 Tree-trimming to reduce the likelihood of falling branches on power lines Energy Failure Severe Winter Storm, Thunderstorm and Lightning Applicable Hazards Tornado, Windstorm Applicable Belle Plaine, Garrison, Mt Auburn, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg Van Communities Horne Keeping trees trimmed is one method of preventing damage to power lines and structures from windstorms, tornadoes, thunderstorms and winter storms. The cooperation of utility companies with communities is essential in accomplishing adequate tree trimming. In some situations Analysis individual communities may need to seek outside funding sources in order to maintain adequate tree trimming. It may also be necessary in some communities to develop or update local ordinances and policies regarding tree trimming. Timeline Ongoing Costs will be situational depending upon the amount of trimming Estimated Cost necessary in a given city and the local utility provider. Estimated at $100 per tree. Mitigation Measure Prevention Category City councils of the applicable city in conjunction with local utility Responsible Party providers Related to Goals 1, 2, 4 Priority 1

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Action Step 20 Continuity of Government/Continuity of Operations (COG/COOP) Planning Applicable Hazards Tornado, Windstorm, Communication Failure, Energy Failure, Conventional Terrorism Applicable All communities, Benton County Incorporated Communities Analysis In a disaster or emergency situation the continuity of government and continuity of functions critical to human need by local government as well as continuity of business operations essential to human needs is critical to human welfare. All cities in Benton County lack a plan concerning maintenance of government operations in the event of a disaster or emergency and operations of businesses critical to human function. A COG/COOP plan was developed for Benton County in 2005 but no action has been taken on implementing it. Timeline December 31, 2015 contingent upon availability of funds or grants Estimated Cost $5,000 per community for a contract planner to complete a Continuity of Government/Continuity of Operations Plan Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Responsible Party The city councils of appropriate jurisdiction; Benton County EMA, Benton County Related Goal 1, 2, 5

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Action Step 21 Continue HAZMAT agreements and support regional HAZMAT teams Transportation Hazardous Materials Incidents, Rail Transportation Applicable Hazards Incidents, Highway Transportation Incidents, Chemical Terrorism, Bio- terrorism, Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials Incident Applicable All Communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Benton County maintains a 28E agreement with the Linn County Hazardous Material Response Team for hazmat response assistance Analysis anywhere in Benton County. It is incumbent that the agreement be maintained. Indefinite, the agreement can be discontinued only upon the agreement of Timeline both parties, Benton County and the Linn County HazMat. Team. Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Estimated Cost: $3,500 annually from Benton County Responsible Party Benton County Board of Supervisors Related Goal 1, 2, 5 Priority 1

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Action Step 22 Ensure that first responders are properly trained to recognize and respond to any potential HAZMAT event Applicable Hazards Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials Incident, Highway Transportation Incident, Rail Transportation Incident, Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident, Chemical Terrorism, Bio-terrorism Applicable All Communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Analysis Hazardous Materials Incidents can pose an extreme risk to anyone in close proximity, including first responders. For that reason it is imperative that first responders be properly trained in recognition and response procedures. The type of training required for this type of response shall be determined by each individual agency. The primary initial response agencies to any hazardous materials incident in Benton County are the domiciled fire departments, law enforcement agencies and emergency medical response services. Therefore the most intense training should be directed toward these services. Timeline This is an ongoing effort. Estimated Cost Cost of training would include time for individuals to attend training, the cost of any training materials and equipment, and the cost of securing an instructor, if necessary. The costs vary depending upon the particular course. Some of the training is available at no cost. Some courses cost as much as $5,000 or more. Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Responsible Party Benton County Fire Departments, Benton County Ambulance and First Responder Services, Benton County Police Departments, Benton County Sheriff, Benton County EMA Related Goal 1, 2, 4 Priority 1

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Action Step 23 Develop debris disposal site Applicable Hazards Tornado, Windstorm, Flashflood, River Flood Applicable Atkins, Shellsburg, Van Horne, Benton County unincorporated Communities The Cities of Atkins, Shellsburg and Van Horne plus Benton County unincorporated areas do not have sites for the disposal of debris accumulated from or resulting from floods, tornadoes, windstorms or other disasters. In order to comply with debris removal regulations and to be able to remove debris following such events the county and its cities need locations for debris disposal site that is in compliance with Iowa Analysis DNR regulations. In order to develop a debris disposal site, the county and any city wanting a debris disposal site will need to go through the Iowa DNR permitting process, either purchase land or designate land already under municipal jurisdiction control for development of the debris disposal site and conduct such earthwork activities as are necessary for development of the site. Timeline Contingent on availability of local funds or securing grant funding or Estimated Cost $25,000 to $50,000 depending upon need for property acquisition Mitigation Measure Property Protection Category Cities of Atkins, Shellsburg, Van Horne, Benton County, Iowa Responsible Party Department of Natural Resources Related to Goals 2, 3, 5 Priority 2

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Action Step 24 Develop/publicize city evacuation plans Applicable Hazards Conventional Terrorism, Highway Transportation HAZMAT Incident, Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials Incident, Transportation Hazardous Materials Incident, Rail Transportation Incident Applicable Luzerne, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Urbana, Van Horne Communities Analysis Documentation of procedures to follow in the event that an evacuation of a city needs to be conducted is critical to an orderly and thorough evacuation. The plan needs to address a broad range of potential emergencies or disasters and distributed to every household in the city. Timeline December 31, 2015 contingent on funding. Estimated Cost $3,000 per community for a contractual planner Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Responsible Party City councils and emergency response agencies of Luzerne, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Urbana and Van Horne, Benton County Emergency Management Agency. Related Goal 1, 2 Priority 1

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Action Step 25 Construct public safe rooms at vulnerable points Applicable Hazards Energy Failure, Tornado, Windstorm, Thunderstorms and Lightning Applicable Atkins, Keystone, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Urbana, Van Horne, Communities Vinton, Walford, Benton County unincorporated Users of parks and recreational areas are out in the open and could find themselves exposed to severe weather conditions, most notably the affects of a tornado or windstorm. Places of mass assembly or congregal living such as schools, daycare centers and senior citizen centers also present an area of vulnerability. Another area of vulnerability is mobile home parks and areas with homes that do not have basements. In Benton County there are a number of areas that have such exposures. The only resolution that protects the health and welfare Analysis of park and recreational area users from extreme weather is construction of a storm shelter. The shelter can be used as multi purpose structures that can be used for more than just a severe weather retreat. There are occasionally funding opportunities for such a project through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In order to be eligible for these funds, the proposed structure must meet certain design standards established by FEMA, must be readily accessible to the general public, and must be maintained. Benton County Schools Mitigation Measures are detailed in Appendix 11, Page 645. The likelihood of accomplishing this goal hinges on the ability to secure Timeline outside funding assistance. No date for completion has been established for completion of such a project in any community. Estimated Cost Minimum of $250,000 per facility Mitigation Measure Property protection Category The City councils of appropriate jurisdiction; Benton County EMA, Responsible Party Benton County, FEMA Related to Goals 1,2,3 Priority 2

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Action Step 26 Work with utility companies to bury utility lines Applicable Hazards Tornado, Windstorm, Severe Winter Storm, Energy Failure Applicable Belle Plaine, Garrison, Newhall, Van Horne, Benton County Communities unincorporated Analysis Throughout Benton County and its respective cities are hundreds of miles of above ground utility lines. In tornado, high wind, and winter storm situations these lines are vulnerable to being broke or knocked down, thereby causing power outages and safety concerns. The only sure way of alleviating this problem is to bury the power lines underground. Timeline Complete3df by December 31, 2015 years contingent on funding Estimated Cost $20 per foot for materials and contractor work Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Responsible Party The city councils of individual Benton County communities; Electrical Utility providers of Benton County Related Goal 1, 2, 5 Priority 2

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Action Step 27 Improve outdoor warning siren system Tornado, Windstorm, Communication Failure, Thunderstorm and Applicable Hazards Lightning Applicable Belle Plaine, Garrison, Luzerne, Mt Auburn, Newhall, Norway, Communities Shellsburg, Urbana, Van Horne, Walford, Benton County unincorporated Vulnerability to natural and manmade hazards can affect a variety of resident and transient populations in Benton County. Having the capability to avert personal harm and damage to property in the event of a natural or man-made disaster relies upon early warning capabilities. Establishing alert systems to address this need requires an audio capable Analysis siren warning system with a battery backup so the siren system remains functional during electrical power outages. Some cities of Benton County are in need of updating their siren warning system to have this capability. Additionally, this capability is needed in Benton County parks and rural areas that are outside of the Duane Arnold Energy Center 10 mile EPZ. Timeline As financing is procured from grant sources. Estimated Cost Costs per siren warning system is estimated at $25,000. Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category The city councils and emergency response entities of individual Benton Responsible Party County communities; Benton County Related to Goals 1,2,3,4 Priority 2

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Action Step 28 Implement system to backup city and county files and records-store in alternate locations Applicable Hazards Energy Failure, Structural Fire, Tornado, Cyber Terrorism Applicable Garrison, Luzerne, Newhall, Norway, Van Horne, Benton County Communities unincorporated Analysis Some cities of Benton County and some departments of Benton County government do not have systems and processes in place that allow them to backup critical data files in a secure location that is off-site. This capability is necessary in order to retrieve data and files in situations that have resulted in destruction of original files. Timeline Implementation of systems by December 31, 2015 Estimated Cost Costs are minimal; this is mostly a policy and procedural issue. Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Responsible Party Cities of Garrison, Luzerne, Newhall, Norway, Van Horne; Benton County IT Department Related Goal 5 Priority 1

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Action Step 29 Maintain and enhance storm spotter training Applicable Hazards Tornado, Windstorm, Thunderstorms and Lightning Applicable All communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Benton County emergency response personnel and other citizens receive severe weather spotter training sponsored by the Benton County EMA and the National Weather Service annually. The level of training needs to be Analysis maintained and more personnel need to be recruited to participate in the training in order to insure there are enough qualified severe weather spotters available 24/7 to provide comprehensive storm spotter coverage for the community when severe weather situations prevail. Timeline Ongoing Estimated Cost None, all training is free Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Benton County emergency services, Benton County EMA, National Responsible Party Weather Service Related to Goals 4 Priority 1

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Action Step 30 Purchase standby (trash) pumps Applicable Hazards Thunderstorm and Lightning, Flash Flood, River Flood

Applicable Blairstown, Garrison, Newhall, Van Horne, Vinton Communities Analysis Standby (trash) pumps are needed by municipalities in order to deal with flooded basements, sanitary and storm sewer systems and flood prone areas of the respective jurisdictions. Some communities of the county have trash pump capabilities that are inadequate. In some cities this mitigation capability is non existent. Timeline 5 years contingent on funding Estimated Cost $1,000 to $5,000 per pump dependent upon size of pump needed Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Responsible Party Cities of Blairstown, Garrison, Newhall, Van Horne, Vinton and their respective public works departments Related Goal 1, 2, 5 Priority 2

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Update sanitary sewer system and reduce water infiltration into the Action Step 31 system Applicable Hazards Thunderstorm and lightning, Flash Flood, River Flood Applicable Garrison, Newhall, Urbana, Van Horne, Vinton Communities Maintaining a functional sanitary sewer system is vital to the health and welfare of every citizen. The Iowa DNR has conducted assessments of sewer systems in Benton County and has determined that some systems Analysis are non-compliant with current regulations and requirements and are in need of improvements. Others due to age and groundwater infiltration problems are in need of upgrading and replacement soon before environmental and potential health problems develop. Timeline As determined by the Iowa DNR Estimated Cost Up to $7 million per system Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Responsible Party Cities of Garrison, Newhall, Urbana, Van Horne, Vinton Related to Goals 1, 2 Priority 2

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Action Step 32 Rescue/extrication equipment and training for fire department Highway Transportation Incident, Rail Transportation Incident Applicable Hazards Air Transportation Incident, Tornado Applicable Garrison, Mt Auburn, Luzerne, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Van Horne Communities Benton County unincorporated The fire departments of Benton County are the initial responder rescue/extrication incidents such as highway transportation, rail and air transportation incidents in the county as well as such disasters tornadoes and conventional terrorism which may require rescue/extrication. Some Analysis of the departments in the county are in varying need of equipment and training. This ranges from departments with no equipment or training up through departments with equipment and training that have particular needs in order to achieve desirable rescue/extrication capabilities. Timeline Completion by December 31, 2015 Estimated Cost Up to $30,000 for equipment and training per department Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Fire departments of Garrison, Mt Auburn, Luzerne, Newhall, Norway, Responsible Party Shellsburg, Van Horne Related to Goals 1, 2, 4 Priority 2

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Require the installation of back flow valves in structures in order to reduce Action Step 33 the risk of sewer backup damage. Applicable Hazards Thunderstorms and Lightning, Flash Flood, River Flood Applicable Garrison, Newhall, Van Horne, Vinton, Benton County unincorporated Communities There is currently no requirement for installation of back flow valves to prevent storm water and sewage from backing up into homes during floods and excessive rainfall situations. Fulfilling this requirement will Analysis: require adoption of an ordinance requiring the valves be installed and that every sewer line to residencies and businesses be dug up and a valve installed. Timeline: Contingent upon securing funding from a grant source Estimated Cost: $1,000 per residence or business. Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Residential and business property owners in the cities of Garrison, Responsible Party Newhall, Van Horne, Vinton and Benton County unincorporated areas Related Goal #: 1, 2, 3, 6 Priority 2

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Action Step 34 Special needs registration program Applicable Hazards Energy Failure, Severe Winter Storm, Extreme Heat Applicable All Communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Residents live in every community who are dependent upon the assistance of others and/or sustainable energy in order to maintain themselves physically. An example is those people who require oxygen therapy. In a disaster or emergency situation, particularly those that result in an energy failure, it is critical that the welfare of these people be checked on immediately and regularly. In order to accomplish this, it is essential that Analysis a registry of residents with special needs is created and maintained. Such a registry will have to follow all Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) regulations. The Benton County Public Health Agency, Mental Health Department and Emergency Management Agency do maintain databases of some county residents who have special needs, but the list is voluntary and incomplete. Timeline Completion by December 31, 2015 This effort can be conducted using volunteers or by accessing records that Estimated Cost are maintained by other agencies. Contracting with an individual to develop a comprehensive county-wide list could cost as much as $60,000. Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Health care providers, emergency services personnel and volunteer Responsible Party organizations of Benton County, Benton County Public Health Related to Goals 2 Priority 1

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Action Step 35 Laptop computers with satellite downlinks for first responder vehicles Applicable Hazards Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials Incident, Transportation Hazardous materials Incident, Bio-terrorism, Chemical Terrorism, Agro-terrorism, Conventional Terrorism Applicable Norway, Shellsburg, Benton County unincorporated Communities Analysis Wireless internet presents another communications capability to use when other means of communication have failed. Having a laptop computer in emergency response vehicles provides a wealth of critical necessary information and resources in a timely manner to emergency responders from all venues. Few emergency response vehicles in Benton County have this capability. Timeline Operational where desired by December 31, 2015 Estimated Cost $5,000 per vehicle Responsible Party Cities and emergency response entities of the Norway and Shellsburg, Benton County Board of Supervisors Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Related Goal 1,2,3,4 Priority 2

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Action Step 36 Encourage construction of tornado safe rooms Applicable Hazards Tornado, Windstorm, Thunderstorm and Lightning Applicable Atkins, Keystone, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Urbana, Van Horne, Communities Walford, Benton County unincorporated Analysis The construction of tornado safe rooms in private residences, businesses, schools and recreational; areas in Benton County would likely be an educational process. The County EMA would work with private property and business owners, day care and senior citizen centers, municipal and school district officials to help them identify resources to help them successfully design and complete the construction of a safe room. Tornado safe rooms are, like tornado shelters are intended to provide a place of retreat for those individuals in a structure. The rooms are constructed to withstand very severe tornadic winds. Private property owners, business owners, municipal and school district officials of Benton County are encouraged to consider incorporating safe room into any new construction and considering retrofits into existing construction. Benton County Schools Mitigation Measures are detailed in Appendix 11, Page 645 Timeline There is no timeline established for this particular action step. Accomplishment of this step will be contingent upon securing the necessary funding through personal or corporate finance or grant sources. Mitigation Measure Public Awareness and Education Category Estimated Cost The cost of this project can vary substantially based on what type of educational effort is made. For purposes of this plan, the cost estimate will assume that the County will contact every household by mail or local access television. Estimates for this component are $11,000 for the entire county. Construction costs for a tornado safe room are estimated at $140 to $240 per square foot. Responsible Party Private property owners of Benton County, business owners of Benton County, municipal and school district officials of Benton County, Benton County Conservation, Benton County EMA, FEMA. Related Goal 1,2. Priority 1

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Action Step 37 Conduct study on use of sump pumps Applicable Hazards River Flood, Flash Flood, Thunderstorm and Lightning Applicable Atkins, Newhall, Van Horne Communities A contributory factor to problems experienced in some cities in Benton County during flash flood situations is sump pumps that residents have plumbed into the city’s sanitary and storm sewer systems without the city’s knowledge. This situation causes excessive ground water that had Analysis seeped into residencies to be pumped into the sewer and storm sewers and overload the sewer system. Studies needs to be conducted to determine how many residencies have sump pumps that tie into the sewer and storm sewer systems and to determine what kind of corrective actions can be taken. Timeline Completion by December 31, 2015 $20,000 for consultant to conduct study and present options for remedy to Estimated Cost the Atkins City Council Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Responsible Party Cities of Atkins, Newhall, Van Horne Related to Goals 1, 2 Priority 1

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Action Step 38 Improve storm sewer drainage Applicable Hazards Flash Flood, River Flood, Thunderstorm and Lightning Applicable Blairstown, Garrison, Newhall, Norway, Van Horne, Walford, Benton Communities County unincorporated Inadequate and antiquated storm sewer systems contribute to the problems created by excess water from thunderstorms, flash floods and river floods. Correcting these inadequacies can entail many things, including: Analysis  Clearing and deepening ditches  Installing curbs/gutters in areas of standing water  Constructing storm sewer drainage

Timeline As funding can be secured Dependent upon project, but costs can range from miniscule amounts to Estimated Cost over $1 million per project Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Cities of Blairstown, Garrison, Newhall, Norway, Van Horne and Benton Responsible Party County Related to Goals 1, 2 Priority 2

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Have sand, sandbagging equipment and local supplies of sandbags on Action Step 39 hand for future flood events Applicable Hazards Flash Flood, River Flood Applicable Blairstown, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Vinton, Walford, Benton Communities County Unincorporated A supply of at least 20,000 sandbags strategically positioned around the county along with the necessary sandbag filling equipment readily available is necessary in order to prevent flood damage in those cities and areas of Benton County that experience river and flash flooding problems. Analysis: Cities of the county that are most prone to flooding in the county include Blairstown, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Vinton, Benton County Unincorporated. Also necessary is a stockpile of 500 tons of sand for filling at least 20,000 sandbags. Timeline: Ongoing mitigation effort. $45,000 countywide. This includes costs for 20,000 sandbags, 500 tons of Estimated Cost: sand and a machine that can be used to fill them. Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Public works departments of Blairstown, Newhall, Norway, Shellsburg, Responsible Party Vinton, Benton County Secondary Roads, Benton County EMA. Related Goal #: 1, 2, 6, 7 Priority 2

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Action Step 40 Develop a written flood plan Applicable Hazards Flash Flood, River Flood Applicable Atkins, Norway, Shellsburg, Vinton, Benton County unincorporated Communities Analysis The City of Atkins does not have a local plan for addressing floods that impact the city. The only plans in existence for flood incidents are those at the county level as maintained by the Benton County Office of Emergency Management. A locally developed plan will be more pertinent to local details that need to be addressed in a flood situation. Flood plans maintained by the Benton County Office of Emergency Management are also in need of revision and expansion. Timeline December 31, 2013. Estimated Cost $5,000 per plan per community for a contractual planner Mitigation Measure Prevention and Property Protection Category Responsible Party City of Atkins, Benton County EMA Related Goal 1, 2, 6 Priority 2

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Action Step 41 Floodplain Manager Training Applicable Hazards Flash Flood, River Flood Applicable All communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Cities of Benton County and Benton County have designated floodplain managers. None of them have had formal training in this capacity. Formal Analysis training is necessary in order for the Floodplain manager to fully understand all of the regulations and intricacies of floodplain management. Timeline Complete by December 31, 2015. Estimated Cost $3,000 per training session Mitigation Measure Prevention Category FEMA, Cities of Benton County, Benton County and the respective flood Responsible Party plain managers of all respective jurisdictions in Benton County Related to Goals 1,2,6,7 Priority 1

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Continue to evaluate critical public utilities (i.e.lift stations, wells, etc.) for Action Step 42 ways they can be further flood proofed. Applicable Hazards Flash Flood, River Flood Applicable Newhall, Vinton Communities Protecting infrastructure and critical public utilities from floodwaters can require several remedies including but not limited to erection of berms, construction of floodwalls, installation of generators and trash pumps, even relocation of a facility. Some engineering studies have been Analysis: undertaken in Benton County to determine what can be done to protect some facilities and infrastructure such as the City of Vinton Electrical Utility plant which would require construction of a floodwall estimated at costing $9.1 million. Timeline: This measure is totally dependent upon availability of grant sources Costs will vary per project, ranging from estimates for as little as $5,000 to add further flood protection to a lift station to $9.1 million for a Estimated Cost: floodwall to protect areas of the City of Vinton that are within 100 and 500 year floodplains. Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Responsible Party Cities of Newhall and Vinton Related Goal #: 1,2,5 Priority 2

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Continue to identify, purchase, and remove structures and populations in Action Step 43 danger of being flooded. Applicable Hazards Flash Flood, River Flood Applicable Vinton, Benton County unincorporated Communities The only sure method of totally eliminating a structure from the threat of damage by flooding is to totally remove the structure from the floodplain. The FEMA Flood Buy Out program is one method of accomplishing this mission. Under the auspices of the program, the U.S. government purchases the property and residents relocate to a safe location out of the Analysis: flood plain. The City of Vinton and Benton County have been progressive in identifying, structures that are in the flood plain that are good candidates for removal because of repetitive loss problems due to flooding. Following the floods of June, 2008, 29 residential structures in the City of Vinton qualified for FEMA flood buyout funding. This is an ongoing mitigation effort. Future buyouts will be considered Timeline: pending release of more buyout funding and identification of structures that are candidates for buyout funding. Unknown. Costs are subject to approval for funding and values of the Estimated Cost: individual structures. Mitigation Measure Property Protection Category Responsible Party City of Vinton, Benton County, FEMA Related Goal #: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 Priority 2

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Action Step 44 Raise road grades to eliminate backup flooding damage Applicable Hazards Flash Flood, River Flood Applicable Benton County unincorporated Communities Some roads in Benton County become impassable due to river and flash flooding situations when they occur. Such a situation is an impediment to Analysis traffic flow in the county. In some instances the resolution to this problem lies in raising the road above the level of the 100 or 500 year flood plain. Timeline As grant funding can be secured Estimated Cost $100,000 per mile of road Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Responsible Party Benton County unincorporated Related to Goals 1, 2, 3 Priority 2

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Action Step 45 Compliance with National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) regulations Applicable Hazards Flash Flood, River Flood Applicable All communities, Benton County Unincorporated Communities All municipal jurisdictions are required to address NFIP requirements. Membership in the National Flood Insurance Program is necessary to Analysis enable property owners to purchase flood insurance. Membership carries the responsibility for cities and the county to have and enforce a local floodplain ordinance. Timeline By December 31, 2015 Estimated Cost No cost Mitigation Measure Prevention Category City councils of Benton County’s 14 cities, Benton County Board of Responsible Party Supervisors Related to Goals 1, 2, 7 Priority 1

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Action Step 46 Elevate structures above flood plain level Applicable Hazards Flash Flood, River Flood Applicable Vinton, Benton County unincorporated Communities According to information provided by the Benton County Assessor and GIS department there are an estimated 1,477 structures in Benton County Analysis: that lie within floodplains or flood prone areas of the county. One strategy for alleviating or minimizing the impact of flooding on any of these structures is to raise the structure above the flood plain level. As funding becomes available through grants or property owner Timeline: investment Unknown. Costs are subject to approval for funding and values of the Estimated Cost: individual structures. Mitigation Measure Property Protection Category Responsible Party City of Vinton, Benton County, FEMA Related Goal #: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 Priority 2

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Action Step 47 Implement Operation Lifesaver program Applicable Hazards Rail Transportation Incident, Highway Transportation Incident Applicable Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Luzerne, Mt. Auburn, Norway, Shellsburg, Communities Vinton, Benton County unincorporated Analysis Operation Lifesaver is a non-profit, international continuing public education program first established in 1972 to end collisions, deaths and injuries at places where roadways cross train tracks, and on railroad rights-of-way. Operation Lifesaver programs are sponsored cooperatively by federal, state, and local government agencies; highway safety organizations, and the nation’s railroads. Operation Lifesaver’s trained and certified volunteer speakers provide free safety presentations for various professions and for all age groups in order to increase public safety around railroad tracks. Educational brochures and videos, coloring books for children and training information can be found on this website. Operation Lifesaver programs have not been implemented anywhere in Benton County that is traversed by railroads. Implementation of Operation Lifesaver programs in the county is essential to reducing the probability of railway incidents in the county. Timeline Implementation by December 31, 2015 Estimated Cost No cost Responsible Party Benton County EMA, City Councils of Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Luzerne, Mt. Auburn, Norway, Shellsburg and Vinton. Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Related Goal 2,3,4,5,6 Priority 1

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Identify special needs of first responders and make effort to see that they Action Step 48 are equipped as necessary in order to properly respond to a variety of potential terrorist events Bio-terrorism, Chemical Terrorism, Conventional Terrorism, Agri- Applicable Hazards terrorism Applicable All communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Benton County law enforcement, EMS and fire service providers are the primary initial response agencies to terrorism incidents. Maintaining Analysis adequately trained personnel and equipped services to operate at safely at terrorism incidents is considered a critical mitigation effort Timeline Ongoing mitigation effort The annual operating budgets of the individual law enforcement, EMS and Estimated Cost fire services of Benton County. Costs of special training, projects and equipment as determined by periodic needs assessments. Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Governing bodies of the law enforcement EMS and Fire services of Responsible Party Benton County. Benton County Emergency Management. Related Goal#: 1,2,4 Priority 1

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Action Step 49 Improve safety at railroad crossings Applicable Rail Transportation Incident Hazards Applicable Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Luzerne, Mt Auburn, Norway, Shellsburg, Communities Walford, Vinton, Benton County unincorporated Analysis Benton County has three railroads. Nearly 100 trains per day travel 24 miles of track through the cities of Belle Plaine, Blairstown and Norway on a busy double rail line operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. The Iowa Northern Railroad passes two trains daily over 25 miles of track through Mt. Auburn, Vinton and Shellsburg. Two miles of track operated by the Cedar Rapids—Iowa City Railroad pass through Walford in the southeast corner of the county. Every intersection of these rail lines with county and city roads requires annual maintenance. Individual communities and Benton County Secondary Roads have identified crossings that require additional improvements and safety enhancements which can include the installation of signals and cross arms. Timeline Ongoing Estimated Cost $1,000 annually per crossing for maintenance. Up to $150,000 per crossing for upgrading including installation of signals and cross arms. Mitigation Prevention Measure Category Responsible Party Cities of Belle Plaine, Blairstown, Luzerne, Mt. Auburn, Norway, Shellsburg, Vinton, Walford, Benton County unincorporated, Iowa Northern Railroad, Iowa City Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad Related Goal 1, 2, 3 Priority 1

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Action Step 50 Establish good neighborhood programs for winter storms Applicable Hazards Severe Winter Storm Applicable All communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Analysis People helping other people forms the backbone of survival efforts in all disaster and emergency situations. Having a good neighborhood program in effect that provides shelter to those in need as well as food and any other assistance that people may need will increase the likelihood of survival and providing the human sustenance necessary in winter storm. Timeline No timeline, this is an ongoing program Estimated Cost The only costs associated with this program are those that might be associated with publicity making people aware of the need to assist others in their neighborhood during a winter storm or snow emergency. Mitigation Measure Public Education and Awareness Category Responsible Party Benton County residents and civic organizations Related Goal 2 Priority 1

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Action Step 51 Enforce snow removal policies by establishing an ordinance recognizing entire town as an emergency snow route Applicable Hazards Severe Winter Storm Applicable Shellsburg, Van Horne Communities Analysis Rapid removal of snow is important to restoring safe travel following winter storms. Having the entire community of Shellsburg and Van Horne established as an emergency snow route mandates more rapid removal of snow from city streets. An ordinance is required in order to accomplish this. Timeline December 31, 2015 Estimated Cost $1,000 Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Responsible Party City of Shellsburg, City of Van Horne Related Goal 1, 2, 5 Priority 1

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Action Step 52 Develop plans to address utility outages and emergencies Applicable Hazards Energy Failure Applicable All communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Analysis Documentation of procedures to follow in the event of a power outage that will insure continuation of necessary services is a critical component in addressing the situation in a timely and effective manner. Nearly all communities in Benton County have no plan for addressing a power outage situation. The only plans in existence are those at the county level as maintained by the Benton County Office of Emergency Management. A locally developed plan will be more pertinent to local details that need to be addressed in a power outage situation. Timeline December 31, 2015 contingent on funding. Estimated Cost $3,000 per community for a contractual planner Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Responsible Party The City councils of appropriate jurisdictions; Benton County EMA, Benton County Related Goal 1, 2 Priority 2

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Action Step 53 Develop/maintain security at city/county facilities Applicable Hazards Bio-terrorism, Chemical terrorism, Conventional Terrorism Applicable All communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Every municipal and county facility in Benton County as well as school facilities of Benton County are at risk of an act of terrorism. Reduction of the potential for destructive acts of terrorism include but are not Analysis limited to such actions as the installation and maintenance of surveillance systems, increased lighting, improved security such as better locking systems, even the presence of law enforcement officers.

Timeline Installation of applicable systems by December 31, 2015 Estimated Cost Up to $50,000 per facility Mitigation Measure Prevention Category City councils of Benton County’s 14 cities, Benton County, School Responsible Party Board’s of Benton County’s school districts Related to Goals 1, 2 Priority 2

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Action Step 54 Develop alternative energy sources Applicable Hazards Energy Failure Applicable Atkins, Blairstown, Garrison, Keystone, Mt Auburn, Walford Communities Some alternative energy sources such as solar energy continue to provide electrical power and heat energy when power from other generating sources is disrupted. Having the capability to generate heat and electricity Analysis from alternative sources will help to provide heat and electrical sustenance needs for entire cities in the event of a disaster affecting the electrical energy supply. Timeline As provided by technology and financial opportunity This is dependent upon the magnitude of the particular project, the Estimated Cost alternative energy source selected and technology involved. Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Responsible Party The City Councils of appropriate jurisdictions; local energy providers Related to Goals 1, 2 6 Priority 2

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Action Step 55 Purchase snow removal equipment Applicable Hazards Severe Winter Storm Applicable Belle Plaine, Luzerne, Mt Auburn, Van Horne, Benton County Communities unincorporated Analysis Maintaining clear streets during winter driving conditions is vital to maintaining clear routes of travel for emergency equipment and safe travel for city residents. Cities of Benton County and the Benton County Secondary Roads Department have snow removal equipment, but there are inadequacies in some cities and at the county level that jeopardize removal of snow, a winter time safety measure. Timeline Contingent on funding Estimated Cost $50,000 to $100,000 per vehicle or equipment Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Responsible Party Cities of Belle Plaine, Luzerne, Mt Auburn, Van Horne and Benton County Related Goal 1, 2 Priority 2

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Action Step 56 Adopt county-wide building codes and building inspection capabilities Applicable Hazards Structural Fire, Structural Failure Applicable Norway, Shellsburg, Benton County unincorporated Communities Analysis The purpose of having and maintaining building codes is to directly mitigate the occurrence of incidents such as building collapse due to inferior or decaying construction and structural fires due to faulty installation of electrical, heating and cooling equipment. Some communities in Benton County have limited building inspection services, but there is no applicable county-wide building code. Having an inspector and a county-wide building code would reduce the probability of loss of property and life to fire and building collapse. Timeline Ongoing mitigation effort Estimated Cost $60,000 per year to cover salary for a building inspector Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Responsible Party The City Councils of appropriate jurisdictions, Benton County Related Goal 1, 2, 4 Priority 2

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Action Step 57 Improve awareness of animal disease hazard risks Applicable Hazards Animal/Plant/Crop Disease, Agri-terrorism Applicable All communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Animal disease poses a substantial risk to any population, the severity of which can vary tremendously. Recent fears about pandemic flu outbreaks such as the Avian Flu have heightened awareness and concern about animal disease outbreaks. The Benton County Department of Public Health will monitor and respond to the outbreak of any disease. Education about any potential animal disease outbreak will be contingent upon circumstances. Once an animal or plant disease is detected and determined to be a Analysis threat to the community a proper response must occur in order to reduce risk of sickness and/or death. In order for this response to be effective it is important for several first responder organizations to work cooperatively. This type of response requires coordination not only during a response, but also planning for the response in advance of an event. Reporting and monitoring standard operating procedures are in place throughout the community, state, and nation. These efforts and the cooperation it takes to make them effective are deemed as crucial toward mitigating the risk of disease. Timeline The education of the public is an ongoing process. N/A—will vary with the eminence and potential threats of an animal Estimated Cost disease outbreak. Mitigation Measure Public Education and Awareness Category Responsible Party Benton County Public Health, Benton County EMA. Related to Goals 1,2,4 Priority 1

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Action Step 58 Maintain first response organizations capable of responding to and managing an air transportation incident Applicable Hazards Air Transportation Incident Applicable All communities Communities Benton County unincorporated Analysis First responding emergency service providers in Benton County have been trained and are equipped to respond to a small aircraft accident or emergency. The organizations have the necessary mutual aid agreements in place to bring a larger response from neighboring fire and emergency departments in the event of an aircraft accident that exceeds local capabilities. It is necessary that this capability is maintained. Maintaining this capability is necessary in order to keep those communities that are most vulnerable to an air transportation incident prepared for managing such an incident. Timeline Ongoing mitigation effort Estimated Cost The necessary training and equipment is maintained within the annual budgets of the fire departments and emergency medical service providers of Atkins, Belle Plaine, Newhall, Norway, Urbana and Vinton as well as the Belle Plaine, Urbana and Vinton Police Departments and the Benton County Sheriff’s Department. Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Responsible Party Fire departments and emergency medical service providers of Atkins, Belle Plaine, Newhall, Norway, Urbana and Vinton as well as the Belle Plaine, Urbana and Vinton Police Departments and the Benton County Sheriff’s Department, Benton County Emergency Management Agency Related Goal 1, 2, 3, 4 Priority 1

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Action Step 59 Maintain and publicize a list of sites that could be used as public cooling shelters during extreme heat events. Applicable Hazards Extreme Heat Applicable All communities Communities Benton County unincorporated Analysis The American Red Cross would if requested open cooling shelters to be used by the general public in the event of a severe heat wave or extreme heat event. These locations would act as retreats for individuals throughout the community who do not have personal access to any other cool location. Identification of all facilities that could function as shelters during heat wave and extreme heat events is necessary in order to fulfill this action step. Timeline Completion by December 31, 2015 Estimated Cost Costs will be minimal, involving only the time and effort of city and county employees to establish the capabilities of businesses and institutions to sustain people during a heat wave/extreme heat situation. Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Responsible Party American Red Cross, Benton County municipal jurisdictions, Benton County EMA Related Goal 1, 2 Priority 1

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Work with the Benton County EMA to ensure that Tier II Reports are Action Step 60 being filed Applicable Hazards Fixed Facility Hazardous Materials Incident Applicable All communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Facilities covered by The Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA) must submit an emergency and hazardous chemical inventory form to the Local Emergency Planning Commission (LEPC), Iowa Emergency Response Commission (IERC) and the local fire department annually. Facilities are required to provide a Tier II form, which includes basic facility identification information, employee contact Analysis information for both emergencies and non-emergencies and information about chemicals stored or used at the facility. One reason these files are maintained is in order to ensure that first responder agencies are aware of dangerous chemicals and can therefore respond accordingly should a response be required. In order to maintain up-to-date records of Tier II facilities the Benton County EMA needs the assistance of municipal jurisdictions. This is an ongoing mitigation effort required by Title III of the U.S. Timeline Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) of 1986, Section 312. Public Law 99-499, codified at 42 use Section 1022. Estimated Cost Administrative costs of individual municipal jurisdictions Benton County municipal jurisdictions, Benton County, Benton County Responsible Party EMA Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Related Goal #: 1, 2, 4 Priority 1

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Action Step 61 Purchase new or used fire apparatus Applicable Hazards Structural Fires Applicable Garrison, Newhall, Mt Auburn, Urbana, Van Horne, Vinton Communities Some of the fire apparatus in the fleets of fire department’s in Benton County are aging and in need of replacement and becoming increasingly unreliable. The departments and their respective fire districts rely on Analysis these trucks for firefighting capabilities. With the county-wide mutual aid district that exists between departments in the county there is the potential for influencing firefighting capabilities of the entire county. Delivery of new fire trucks as per replacement schedules maintained by Timeline the individual fire districts of the county Estimated Cost Up to $250,000 per fire apparatus Responsible Party Governing bodies of the individual fire districts Mitigation Emergency Services Measures Category Related to Goals 1,2,4 Priority 2

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Action Step 62 Identify critical facilities that contain hazardous materials and obtain hazardous materials inventories Applicable Hazards Fixed hazardous materials incident Applicable Atkins, Luzerne, Newhall, Van Horne Benton County unincorporated Communities Analysis Benton County emergency response departments do not have comprehensive data on the types and amounts of hazardous materials on site at fixed facilities in the county other than that which is required for EPA Tier II reporting. In order to insure the utmost safety and effective operations at incidents involving hazardous materials at any facility in the county it is necessary that emergency responders know what is present. In order to develop such a database it will be necessary to conduct a survey of all businesses, industries and facilities in the county and document what is present. Also, it will be necessary to periodically update these inventories in order to maintain a current list. Timeline December 31, 2015 contingent on funding. Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Estimated Cost Variable. If volunteers could be used the costs will be negligible. Contracting with an individual to develop a comprehensive county-wide database of hazardous materials could cost as much as $60,000. Responsible Party Municipalities of Benton County, Benton County, Benton County Emergency Response Agencies, Benton County EMA Related Goal 1, 2 Priority 2

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Recognize that language barriers may exist and develop policies and train Action Step 63 personnel in ways to overcome these challenges. Applicable Hazards Communications Failure Applicable Atkins, Norway, Van Horne, Benton County unincorporated Communities Benton County is an increasingly diverse county that has within its borders people from a variety of backgrounds. With this variety comes the challenge of communication with people who speak, read, and write in differing languages. In order to help ensure that important communication Analysis can be maintained prior to, during, and in the wake of a disaster event it was recognized that an effort to publish informational materials in a variety of languages. Furthermore, a list of personnel with multilingual skills should be maintained to help during and after a response takes place. Timeline This is an ongoing mitigation effort. The cost of implementation is estimated to be as much as $30,000. This includes the cost of preparing and printing informational material, hiring Estimated Cost translators when necessary, and ensuring that all information is regularly reviewed and updated as necessary. Mitigation Measure Public Education and Awareness Category Benton County municipal jurisdictions, Benton County, Benton County Responsible Party EMA Related Goal #: 1, 2, 5 Priority 2

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Action Step 64 Encourage citizen use/purchase of smoke detectors Applicable Hazards Structural Fires Applicable All communities, Benton County Unincorporated Communities Analysis An economical and efficient way of detecting a fire while it is still in its incipient phase and providing a notice to building residents so that they can exit and save their lives is use of working smoke detectors. Since their invention, residential smoke detectors have saved millions of dollars in property damage by fire and saved thousands of lives. There is no ordinance in any city in Benton County that requires smoke detectors in residencies except the state ordinance requiring smoke detector use in multi-family apartments. Estimates are that as high as one half the residencies in any given community either lack smoke detectors or have smoke detectors that do not function. There are many measures that can be taken to encourage installation and maintenance of smoke detectors by citizens. One method is a door-to- door campaign by the Fire Department. Another is distribution of printed materials such as those produced by the US Fire Administration that describe smoke detector operation, maintenance and placement to Benton County residents. Timeline Establish program by December 31, 2013 Estimated Cost The cost of this project can vary substantially based on what type of educational effort is made. Fire department door-to-door educational campaigns will be strictly voluntary. If a direct mail campaign is used the cost will be $1.00 per household (copies, postage and handling). $11,000 would be necessary for a county-wide direct mail promotional campaign. Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Categories Responsible Party Benton County Fire Departments Related Goal 1, 2 Priority 1

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Investigate and develop alternative water sources for fire suppression, Action Step 65 including placement of dry hydrants Applicable Hazards Structural fire Applicable Blairstown, Mt. Auburn, Norway, Benton County unincorporated Communities Cities and rural areas of Benton County do not have sufficient water supply to suppress large fires that could occur in the cities largest structures or large structures in the surrounding rural areas. Successfully combating these fires requires identifying alternate water sources that can Analysis be accessed for large fires or in the event that the cities normal water supply system is inoperable. Different tactics for delivering water, all of which can be investigated. One method is installation of dry hydrants in rural areas. Timeline December 31, 2015 Estimated Cost Dry hydrants can be installed at a cost of $3,000 each. Mitigation Measure Emergency Services Category Benton County Fire Departments, Benton County Fireman’s Association, Responsible Party Benton County EMA Related Goal #: 2, 4 Priority 2

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Action Step 66 Establish ordinance to require fire extinguishers in multi-family units Applicable Hazards Structural Fire Applicable Shellsburg Communities Analysis Having a functional fire extinguisher readily available is an important fire safety measure that allows a citizen to extinguish a fire while it is in its incipient phase before it grows. Currently the City of Shellsburg has no legal recourse requiring citizens to have a functional fire extinguisher in their residencies. By requiring extinguishers in residencies the threat of devastating fires will be significantly reduced. Timeline December 31, 2012 Estimated Cost $5,000 for administrative and legal fees costs for establishing the ordinance Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Responsible Party City of Shellsburg, Shellsburg Fire Department Related Goal 1, 2 Priority 1

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Mandate restricted entry into livestock facilities by unauthorized Action Step 67 personnel Applicable Hazards Animal/Plant/Crop Disease, Agro-terrorism Applicable Benton County unincorporated Communities Livestock facilities characteristically have little or no security and for the most part are wide open to intrusion. This lack of security lends itself to the spread of livestock diseases, some of which could become Analysis epidemic. Limiting access to livestock and livestock facilities by unauthorized intruders is critical to controlling the spread of livestock disease. Timeline Implementation by December 31,. 2015 Estimated Cost Undetermined Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Responsible Party City of Garrison, Benton County Supervisors Related to Goals 1,2 Priority 1

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Action Step 68 Maintain awareness of pipeline locations and proper locating procedures to use before digging Applicable Hazards Pipeline Incident Applicable All communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Analysis Many of the pipeline incidents that occur are the result of digging activities that strike an underground pipeline. Preventing such incidents requires an awareness of where pipelines are located and having locations where digging is to occur scanned for any underground pipelines or other hazards that may be present. Timeline Education on this topic is an ongoing process Estimated Cost Minimal, if any Mitigation Measure Public Awareness and Education Category Responsible Party Companies owning and operating underground pipelines in Benton County. Related Goal 2 Priority 1

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Continue to cooperate with local medical facilities and Health Action Step 69 Department officials to increase the likelihood of detection and proper response to animal/plant/crop disease incidents Applicable Hazards Animal/Plant/Crop Disease Applicable All communities, Benton County unincorporated Communities Once an animal or plant disease is detected and determined to be a threat to the community a proper response must occur in order to reduce risk of sickness and/or death. In order for this response to be effective it is important for several first responder organizations to work cooperatively. This type of Analysis response requires coordination not only during a response, but also planning for the response in advance of an event. Reporting and monitoring standard operating procedures are in place throughout the community, state, and nation. These efforts and the cooperation it takes to make them effective are deemed as crucial toward mitigating the risk of disease. This is an ongoing process, led by the Benton County Public Health Timeline Department. Estimated Cost N/A—ongoing process Mitigation Measure Prevention Category Benton County Public Health Department, Virginia Gay Hospital in Responsible Party Vinton Related to Goals 1,2 Priority 1

314 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

6.3 ANALYSIS OF MITIGATION ACTIVITIES—STAPLEE CRITERIA

The Benton County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee used the STAPLEE evaluation criteria (Social, Technical, Administrative, Political, Legal, Economic and Environmental) in narrowing the list of potential mitigation measures to the future hazard mitigation activities accepted by the committee. The Committee identified a time line for each activity, identified the responsible party or parties for each activity and finally related each activity to at least one of the five Hazard Mitigation Plan Goals. Each activity was also categorized with a ranking of 1, 2 or 3 according to the criteria described on page 316.

Below is a summary of the STAPLEE evaluation criteria applied to each mitigation activity: Each of the evaluation criteria was given a ranking of +3, +2, +1, 0, -1, -2, -3 with +3 being the most positive impact, 0 being no impact and -3 being the most negative impact.

Social

Evaluates public support of the overall implementation strategy and specific mitigation actions. Factors the Committee considered were:  Will the action adversely affect one segment of the population?  Will the action disrupt established neighborhoods or cause the relocation of lower income people?  Is the action compatible with present and future community values?

Technical

Evaluates the technical feasibility of the proposed action. Factors the Committee considered were:  How effective is the action in avoiding or reducing future losses?  Will it create more problems than it solves?  Does it solve the problem?

Administrative

Evaluates the community's staffing, funding, and maintenance capabilities. Factors the Committee considered were:  Does the community have the staff, technical experts, and/or funding to implement the action?  Can the community provide the necessary maintenance?  Can it be accomplished in a timely manner?

Political.

Evaluates the political acceptability of the action. Factors the Committee considered were:  Is there political support to implement and maintain the action?  Have political leaders participated in the planning process?  Have all stakeholders been provided with an opportunity to participate in the planning process?

315 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Legal

Evaluates the community's legal authority to implement the action. Factors the Committee considered were:

 Does the city have authority to implement the action?  Are the proper laws, ordinances and resolution in place to implement the action?

NOTE: The City has the legal authority to implement all alternatives selected for consideration.

Economic

Evaluates economic feasibility and cost-effectiveness of the action. Factors the Committee considered were:  Are there current sources of funds to implement the action?  What benefits will the action provide?  Does the cost seem reasonable for the size of the problem and likely benefits?  What burden will be placed on the tax base or local economy to implement the action?  Does the action contribute to other community economic goals?  What proposed actions should be considered but be "tabled" for implementation until outside sources of funding are available?

Environmental

Evaluates the impact on the environment. Factors the Committee considered were:

 How will the action affect the environment (land, water, endangered species)?  Will the action comply with local, state, and federal environmental laws or regulations?

CATEGORIZING MITIGATION MEAURES

Following is the criteria applied to categorizing the mitigation activities.

1: Those mitigation activities that are ongoing in the community and need to be sustained. Those activities that would have the largest and most immediate mitigation impact on threats to the lives of Benton County residents and property in Benton County. Mitigation activities Benton County can undertake with the resources the city has available. Mitigation activities that are required in order to satisfy regulation or compliancy issues.

2: Those mitigation activities that are beyond the resources of Benton County and are only achievable with an infusion of resources such as a grant.

3: Those mitigation activities that are of the lowest impact. Mitigation activities that address hazards that are of the remotest nature in their possibility of occurrence.

316 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

BENTON COUNTY

MITIGATION MEASURES

STAPLEE CRITERIA

APPLICATION

tical

Social Technical Administrative Poli Legal Economical Environmental TOTALVALUE Improve public awareness of hazard risks and educate +2 +1 +1 +1 +1 0 0 +6 the public about measures they can take to protect themselves and their property from these hazards Emergency/disaster response training for emergency +2 +1 +1 +1 +1 0 0 +6 responders and key county and community leaders Develop and enhance local emergency operations plan +2 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +8 Encourage residents to have Disaster Supply Kits on +1 0 0 0 +1 -1 +1 +1 hand to be used in the event of a disaster event Improve outdoor warning siren system +2 +1 0 +1 +2 -2 0 +4 Encourage construction of tornado safe rooms +2 0 -1 0 0 -1 +1 +1 Promote NOAA weather radio use and encourage +2 0 0 +1 0 0 0 +3 purchase of NOAA weather radios by vulnerable populations Tree-trimming to reduce the likelihood of falling +1 0 0 0 +2 -1 +1 +3 branches on power lines Maintain and enhance storm spotter training +2 0 0 +1 +1 +1 0 +5 Install back-up power sources that will keep critical +3 +1 0 +2 +2 -2 0 +6 infrastructure and critical facilities operational during prolonged power outages Work with Utility Companies to bury power lines 0 0 0 0 +2 -2 0 0 Develop community emergency shelters +3 0 -1 +1 +1 0 0 +5 Construct public tornado safe rooms at vulnerable +3 +1 0 +1 +1 -3 0 +3 points Develop debris disposal sites +1 -1 -1 +1 +2 -1 +2 +3 Continuity of Government/Continuity of Operations +1 +1 -1 +2 +3 0 0 +6 Planning Develop plans to address utility outages and +2 -1 -1 +2 +2 -1 0 +3 emergencies Develop alternative energy sources +1 0 -1 +1 0 -1 +3 +3 Special needs registration program +2 0 -1 +1 +1 0 0 +3 Establish ordinance to require fire extinguishers in multi- 0 -1 -1 -1 +2 +1 +1 +1 family units Investigate alternative sources for fire suppression +1 -1 -1 +1 +1 -1 0 +1 Adopt county-wide building codes and building inspection -3 0 -1 -1 +3 -1 +2 -1 capabilities Purchase new or used fire apparatus +2 +1 0 +1 0 -2 0 +2 Encourage citizen purchase/use of smoke detectors +1 0 0 0 +1 -1 0 +1 Maintain well equipped and well trained fire departments +2 +2 +2 +1 +2 -2 +1 +6 capable of appropriate and effective response to all potential fire and emergency incidents Identify location for and construct new fire station +3 -1 -1 +1 0 -2 0 +1 317 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

BENTON COUNTY

MITIGATION MEASURES

STAPLEE CRITERIA

APPLICATION

Social Technical Administrative Political Legal Economical Environmental TOTALVALUE Continue Hazmat agreements and support Regional +1 +2 0 +1 +2 -1 +3 +8 Hazmat Team Ensure that first responders are properly trained to +2 0 0 +1 +2 -2 +3 +5 recognize and respond to any potential HAZMAT event Work with Benton County EMA to ensure that local 0 -1 -1 +2 +2 0 +2 +4 Tier II Reports are being filed Identify critical facilities that contain hazardous 0 -2 -2 +2 +2 -1 +3 +2 materials and develop hazardous materials inventories Recognize that language barriers may exist and +2 0 0 +1 +1 -2 0 +2 develop policies and train personnel in ways to overcome these challenges Maintain a list of sites that could be used as cooling +2 0 -1 +2 +2 0 0 +5 shelters for public retreats during extreme heat events Improve safety at rail crossings +3 -1 -1 +2 +3 -1 0 +5 Prepare/implement mass casualty incident plans +1 -1 -1 0 +3 -1 0 0 Rescue/extrication equipment and training for fire +1 0 0 +2 +2 -1 0 +4 departments EMS training +3 +1 0 +3 +3 -1 0 +9 Develop/publicize city evacuation plan 0 -1 -1 -1 +2 +1 +1 +1 Maintain well-trained and viable law enforcement +2 +2 +2 +1 +2 -2 +1 +6 agencies in order to identify and respond to potential threats and events Purchase standby (trash) pumps +2 0 0 +1 +2 -2 +2 +5 Improve storm sewer drainage +2 -1 -2 +2 +2 -3 +2 +2 Purchase snow removal equipment +2 0 -1 +1 +2 -2 0 +2 Establish Good Neighbor programs for winter storms +1 +1 0 +1 +1 0 0 +4 Enforce snow removal policies by establishing an +2 0 -2 0 +1 0 0 +4 ordinance recognizing entire town as an emergency snow route Develop/maintain security at city/county facilities +2 -1 -1 +2 +2 -1 0 +3 Identify special needs of first responders and make +3 0 -1 +2 +2 -3 0 +3 effort to see that they are equipped as necessary in order to properly respond to a variety of potential terrorist events Compliance with the National Flood Insurance +1 0 -2 +1 0 0 0 0 Program regulations (NFIP) Develop a written flood plan +3 -2 0 +2 +2 -1 +2 +6

318 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

BENTON COUNTY

MITIGATION MEASURES

STAPLEE CRITERIA

APPLICATION

Social Technical Administrative Political Legal Economical Environmental TOTALVALUE Continue to identify, purchase, and remove structures 0 0 -1 -1 -2 +3 +1 +1 and populations in danger of being flooded Conduct study on use of sump pumps 0 -1 -1 -1 +1 -1 +3 0 Continue to evaluate critical public utilities (i.e. lift +1 0 -1 +1 +1 +2 +1 +4 stations, wells, etc.) for ways they can be further flood proofed Floodplain manager training +1 -1 -1 +2 +3 -1 +1 +4 Have sandbagging equipment and local supplies of +1 0 0 +2 +2 -1 +2 +6 sandbags on hand for future flood events Require the installation of back flow valves in +1 0 -1 -1 +2 +2 +1 +4 structures in order reduce the risk of sewer backup damage Update sanitary sewer system and reduce water +1 0 0 0 0 +1 +2 +4 infiltration into the system Maintain awareness of pipeline locations and proper +2 +1 +1 +1 +1 0 +2 +8 locating procedures to use before digging Improve awareness of animal disease hazard risks +2 +1 +1 +1 +1 0 0 +6 Maintain first response organizations capable of +2 +2 +2 +1 +2 -2 +1 +6 responding to and managing an air transportation incident Implement system to backup city and county files and 0 -1 +2 +1 +1 -1 0 +2 records-store in alternate locations Mandate restricted entry into livestock facilities by -1 -1 0 0 +1 0 +1 +1 unauthorized personnel Mandate installing visible house numbers or property +2 0 -1 +1 +2 -1 0 +3 markers on every residence or property location and enforcement of the regulation Laptop computers with satellite downlinks for first +1 +1 0 +1 0 0 0 +3 responder vehicles Establish community emergency response teams +3 0 0 +1 +1 -1 +2 +6 (CERT) Implement Operation Lifesaver program +3 0 0 +1 +1 -1 +2 +6 Raise road grades to eliminate backup flooding +2 -1 -1 +1 +1 -1 0 +1 damage Continue to cooperate with local medical facilities +1 0 -1 +1 +1 0 0 +2 and Health Department officials to increase the likelihood of detection and proper response to animal/plant/crop disease incidents Maintain electronic resource directory of local +3 -1 -2 +1 +2 0 +1 +2 resources Purchase new ambulances and first responder units +3 0 -1 +2 +2 -2 0 +4 319 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

BENTON COUNTY

MITIGATION MEASURES

STAPLEE CRITERIA

APPLICATION

Social Technical Administrative Political Legal Economical Environmental TOTALVALUE PPE for first responders +2 +1 0 +1 +1 -2 0 +3 Compliance with FCC 2013 Radio Frequency Narrow +3 -1 -1 0 +2 -1 0 +2 Banding regulations Elevate structures above flood plain level 0 -1 -1 +1 +2 -2 +1 0

320 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

6.4 MITIGATION MEASURES BY COMMUNITY

ALFORD

ATKINS BLAIRSTOWN GARRISON KEYSTONE LUZERNE AUBURN MT. NEWHALL NORWAY SHELLSBURG URBANA HORNE VAN VINTON W BCUNICORPORATEDS BELLE PLAINE BELLE EMS training X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Develop and X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X enhance local emergency operations plan Establish X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X community emergency response teams (CERT) Improve public X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X awareness of hazard risks and educate the public about measures they can take to protect themselves and their property from these hazards Emergency/disaste X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X r response training and exercises for emergency responders and key county and community leaders Maintain well- X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X trained and viable law enforcement agencies in order to identify and respond to potential threats and events

321 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

ATKINS BLAIRSTOWN GARRISON KEYSTON LUZERNE AUBURN MT. NEWHALL NORWAY SHELLSBURG URBANA HORNE VAN VINTON WALFORD BCUNICORPORATEDS BELLE PLAINE BELLE Mandate X X X installing visible house numbers or property markers on every residence or property location and enforcement of the regulation Compliance X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X with FCC 2013 Radio Frequency Narrow Banding regulations Maintain X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X electronic resource directory of local resources Encourage X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X residents to have Disaster Supply Kits on hand to be used in the event of a disaster event PPE for first X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X responders

322 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

PORATEDS

ATKINS BLAIRSTOWN GARRISON KEYSTONE LUZERNE AUBURN MT. NEWHALL NORWAY SHELLSBURG URBANA HORNE VAN VINTON WALFORD BCUNICOR BELLE PLAINE BELLE Promote NOAA X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X weather radio use and encourage purchase of NOAA weather radios by vulnerable populations Purchase new X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X ambulances and first responder units Install back-up X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X power sources that will keep critical infrastructure and critical facilities operational during prolonged power outages Develop X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X community emergency shelters Prepare/implement X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X mass casualty incident plans Maintain and X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X enhance storm spotter training

323 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

ATKINS BLAIRSTOWN GARRISON KEYSTONE LUZERNE AUBURN MT. NEWHALL NORWAY SHELLSBURG URBANA HORNE VAN VINTON WALFORD BCUNICORPORATEDS BELLE PLAINE BELLE Tree-trimming X X X X X X X to reduce the likelihood of falling branches on power lines Develop/publicize X X X X X X city evacuation plan Continue X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Hazmat agreements and support Regional Hazmat Team Insure that first X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X responders are properly trained to recognize and respond to any potential HAZMAT event Construct public X X X X X X X X X X tornado shelters at vulnerable points Improve outdoor X X X X X X X X X X X warning siren system Implement X X X X X X system to backup city and county files and records- store in alternate locations Develop debris X X X X disposal sites

324 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

WAY

ATKINS BLAIRSTOWN GARRISON KEYSTONE LUZERNE AUBURN MT. NEWHALL NOR SHELLSBURG URBANA HORNE VAN VINTON WALFORD BCUNICORPORATEDS BELLE PLAINE BELLE Purchase X X X X standby (trash) pumps Update sanitary X X X X X sewer system and reduce water infiltration into the system Rescue/extrication X X X X X X X X equipment and training for fire department Require the X X X X X installation of back flow valves in structures in order reduce the risk of sewer backup damage Special needs X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X registration program Laptop X X X computers with satellite downlinks for first responder vehicles Encourage X X X X X X X X X construction of tornado safe rooms Work with X X X X X Utility Companies to bury power lines

325 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

ATKINS BLAIRSTOWN GARRISON KEYSTONE LUZERNE AUBURN MT. NEWHALL NORWAY SHELLSBURG URBANA HORNE VAN VINTON WALFORD BCUNICORPORATEDS BELLE PLAINE BELLE Conduct study on use X X X of sump pumps Continuity of X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Government/Continui ty of Operations Planning Improve storm sewer X X X X X X X drainage Have sandbagging X X X X X X X equipment and local supplies of sandbags on hand for future flood events Develop a written flood X X X X X plan Floodplain manager X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X training Continue to evaluate X X critical public utilities (i.e. lift stations, wells, etc.) for ways they can be further flood proofed Continue to identify, X X purchase, and remove structures and populations in danger of being flooded Raise road grades to X eliminate backup flooding damage Compliance with the X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X National Flood Insurance Program regulations (NFIP)

326 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

ATKINS BLAIRSTOWN GARRISON KEYSTONE LUZERNE AUBU MT. NEWHALL NORWAY SHELLSBURG URBANA HORNE VAN VINTON WALFORD BCUNICORPORATEDS BELLE PLAINE BELLE Elevate X X structures above flood plain level Implement X X X X X X X X Operation Lifesaver program Identify special X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X needs of first responders and make effort to see that they are equipped as necessary in order to properly respond to a variety of potential terrorist events Improve safety X X X X X X X X at rail crossings Establish Good Neighbor programs for winter storms Enforce snow X X removal policies by establishing an ordinance recognizing entire town as an emergency snow route

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HORNE

ATKINS BLAIRSTOWN GARRISON KEYSTONE LUZERNE AUBURN MT. NEWHALL NORWAY SHELLSBURG URBANA VAN VINTON WALFORD BCUNICORPORATEDS BELLE PLAINE BELLE Develop plans to X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X address utility outages and emergencies Develop/maintain X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X security at city/county facilities Develop X X X X X X alternative energy sources Purchase snow X X X X X removal equipment Improve X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X awareness of animal disease hazard risks Maintain first X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X response organizations capable of responding to and managing an air transportation incident Maintain well X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X equipped and well trained fire departments capable of appropriate and effective response to all potential fire and emergency incidents

328 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

ONE

ATKINS BLAIRSTOWN GARRISON KEYST LUZERNE AUBURN MT. NEWHALL NORWAY SHELLSBURG URBANA HORNE VAN VINTON WALFORD BCUNICORPORATEDS BELLE PLAINE BELLE Work with X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Benton County EMA to ensure that local Tier II Reports are being filed Purchase new X X X X X X or used fire apparatus Identify critical X X X X X facilities that contain hazardous materials and obtain hazardous materials inventories Recognize that X X X X language barriers may exist and develop policies and train personnel in ways to overcome these challenges Encourage X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X citizen purchase/use of smoke detectors Investigate X X X X alternative sources for fire suppression Identify X X location for and construct new fire station 329 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

KINS

AT BLAIRSTOWN GARRISON KEYSTONE LUZERNE AUBURN MT. NEWHALL NORWAY SHELLSBURG URBANA HORNE VAN VINTON WALFORD BCUNICORPORATEDS BELLE PLAINE BELLE Mandate X restricted entry into livestock facilities by unauthorized personnel Adopt county- X X X wide building codes and building inspection capabilities Maintain X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X awareness of pipeline locations and proper locating procedures to use before digging Continue to X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X cooperate with local medical facilities and Health Department officials to increase the likelihood of detection and proper response to animal/plant/crop disease incidents

330 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

ANA

ATKINS BLAIRSTOWN GARRISON KEYSTONE LUZERNE AUBURN MT. NEWHALL NORWAY SHELLSBURG URB HORNE VAN VINTON WALFORD BCUNICORPORATEDS BELLE PLAINE BELLE Maintain and publicize a list of sites that could be used as cooling shelters for public retreats during extreme heat events Establish X ordinance to require fire extinguishers in multi-family units

331 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

6.5 PRIORITIZING MITIGATION MEASURES

In an effort to establish a prioritization of mitigation actions the Benton County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee conducted an analysis to determine which of the mitigation actions listed above are “high pay-off” actions. These “high pay-off” actions are generally actions that are technically feasible and cost-effective while also providing for multiple benefits or risk reduction related to multiple hazards. Additionally, actions that are prioritized are associated with mitigation of higher priority hazards from the hazard analysis and risk assessment process.

For this analysis, actions were weighted according to the hazard priority group classification (see page 195) of the hazards the action is designed to address. A priority I hazard receives a score of 3; priority group II a score of 2 and priority group III a score of 1. The scores of the hazards correlated with each mitigation action were then summed for each action. The highest score possible was 53, (9 x 3 + 9 x 2 + 8 x 1 = 53) for a mitigation action that correlated with all hazards. The lowest possible score was 1. Next considered was the STAPLEE score (pages 317- 319).

Ranking Mitigation Action Hazard STAPLEE of Action Priority Score Steps Score 1 EMS training 53 9 2 Develop and enhance local emergency 53 8 operations plan 3 Establish community emergency 53 6 response teams (CERT) 4 Improve public awareness of hazard 53 6 risks and educate the public about measures they can take to protect themselves and their property from these hazards 5 Emergency/disaster response training 53 6 and exercises for emergency responders and key county and community leaders 6 Maintain well-trained and viable law 53 6 enforcement agencies in order to identify and respond to potential threats and events 7 Mandate installing visible house 53 3 numbers or property markers on every residence or property location and enforcement of the regulation 8 Compliance with FCC 2013 Radio 53 2 Frequency Narrow Banding regulations 9 Maintain electronic resource directory 53 2 of local resources

332 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Ranking Mitigation Action Hazard STAPLEE of Action Priority Score Steps Score 10 Encourage residents to have Disaster 53 1 Supply Kits on hand to be used in the event of a disaster event 11 PPE for first responders 32 3 12 Promote NOAA weather radio use and 24 3 encourage purchase of NOAA weather radios by vulnerable populations 13 Purchase new ambulances and first 23 4 responder units 14 Maintain well equipped and well 19 6 trained fire departments capable of appropriate and effective response to all potential fire and emergency incidents 15 Identify location for and construct new 19 1 fire station 16 Install back-up power sources that will 18 6 keep critical infrastructure and critical facilities operational during prolonged power outages 17 Develop community emergency 16 5 shelters 18 Prepare/implement mass casualty incident 15 0 plans 19 Tree-trimming to reduce the likelihood 14 3 of falling branches on power lines 20 Continuity of Government/Continuity 13 6 of Operations Planning 21 Continue Hazmat agreements and 12 8 support Regional Hazmat Team 22 Ensure that first responders are properly 12 5 trained to recognize and respond to any potential HAZMAT event 23 Develop debris disposal sites 12 3 24 Develop/publicize city evacuation plan 12 1 25 Construct public tornado safe rooms at 11 3 vulnerable points 26 Work with Utility Companies to bury 11 0 power lines 27 Improve outdoor warning siren system 10 4 28 Implement system to backup city and 10 2 county files and records-store in alternate locations 29 Maintain and enhance storm spotter 8 5 training 30 Purchase standby (trash) pumps 8 5 333 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Ranking Mitigation Action Hazard STAPLEE of Action Priority Score Steps Score 31 Update sanitary sewer system and 8 5 reduce water infiltration into the system 32 Rescue/extrication equipment and 8 4 training for fire department 33 Require the installation of back flow 8 4 valves in structures in order reduce the risk of sewer backup damage 34 Special needs registration program 8 3 35 Laptop computers with satellite 8 3 downlinks for first responder vehicles 36 Encourage construction of tornado safe 8 1 rooms 37 Conduct study on use of sump pump 8 0 38 Improve storm sewer drainage 7 2 39 Have sandbagging equipment and local 6 6 supplies of sandbags on hand for future flood events 40 Develop a written flood plan 6 6 41 Floodplain manager training 6 4 42 Continue to evaluate critical public 6 4 utilities (i.e. lift stations, wells, etc.) for ways they can be further flood proofed 43 Continue to identify, purchase, and 6 1 remove structures and populations in danger of being flooded 44 Raise road grades to eliminate backup 6 1 flooding damage 45 Compliance with the National Flood 6 0 Insurance Program regulations (NFIP) 46 Elevate structures above flood plain 6 0 level 47 Implement Operation Lifesaver 5 6 program 48 Identify special needs of first 4 3 responders and make effort to see that they are equipped as necessary in order to properly respond to a variety of potential terrorist events 49 Improve safety at rail crossings 3 5 50 Establish Good Neighbor programs for 3 4 winter storms 51 Enforce snow removal policies by 3 4 establishing an ordinance recognizing entire town as an emergency snow route 334 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

Ranking of Mitigation Action Hazard STAPLEE Action Priority Score Steps Score 52 Develop plans to address utility outages 3 3 and emergencies 53 Develop/maintain security at 3 3 city/county facilities 54 Develop alternative energy sources 3 3 55 Purchase snow removal equipment 3 2

56 Adopt county-wide building codes and 3 -1 building inspection capabilities 57 Improve awareness of animal disease 2 6 hazard risks 58 Maintain first response organizations 2 6 capable of responding to and managing an air transportation incident 59 Maintain and publicize a list of sites that 2 5 could be used as cooling shelters for public retreats during extreme heat events 60 Work with Benton County EMA to 2 4 ensure that local Tier II Reports are being filed 61 Purchase new or used fire apparatus 2 2 62 Identify critical facilities that contain 2 2 hazardous materials and obtain hazardous materials inventories 63 Recognize that language barriers may 2 2 exist and develop policies and train personnel in ways to overcome these challenges 64 Encourage citizen purchase/use of smoke 2 1 detectors 65 Investigate alternative sources for fire 2 1 suppression including placement of dry hydrants 66 Establish ordinance to require fire 2 1 extinguishers in multi-family units 67 Mandate restricted entry into livestock 2 1 facilities by unauthorized personnel 68 Maintain awareness of pipeline 1 8 locations and proper locating procedures to use before digging 69 Continue to cooperate with local medical 1 2 facilities and Health Department officials to increase the likelihood of detection and proper response to animal/plant/crop disease incidents 335 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

6.6 BENEFIT COST ANALYSIS OF MITIGATION MEASURES

The following table depicts financial considerations of Benton County Mitigation Measures. The measures are presented in their prioritized order. Estimated costs and potential funding sources are shown where known. In those cases where a potential funding source could not be identified, none are indicated. Estimated costs are based on a variety of sources including other documents, previous or other planning documents; known costs of other projects already undertaken by the city; estimates or bids obtained from subject matter experts. Estimates of ongoing actions are based on the Hazard Mitigation Committee’s knowledge of the activity in question.

Feasibilities for each action are listed as good, fair or poor. Projects that are ongoing or already budgeted for completion are defined as good. Projects that have an identified funding source without funding secured are defined as fair. Projects with no identified funding source are defined as poor. Though committee members did take STAPLEE criteria, Hazard Priority Score and Mitigation Measure Priorities under consideration, it was the observation of the committee that the availability of funding for mitigation measures would be the best determinant of whether a project is completed or not.

MITIGATION MEASURE Estimated Federal State Local Feasibility Cost Funds Funds Funds EMS training $1,000 to 50% 50% Good $5,000 per person Develop and enhance local $5,000 per $3,725 $1,250 Fair emergency operations plan plan for contract planner Establish community $5,000 per 100% Fair emergency response teams community (CERT) Improve public awareness of $11,000 Poor hazard risks and educate the annually public about measures they can take to protect themselves and their property from these hazards Emergency/disaster response Up to 75% 25% Fair training and exercises for $5,000 per emergency responders and key class county and community leaders Maintain well-trained and Operating 100% Good viable law enforcement Budgets of agencies in order to identify and individual respond to potential threats and law entities events Mandate installing visible house Up to $50 100% Fair numbers or property markers on per every residence or property residence location and enforcement of the or sign regulation 336 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

MITIGATION MEASURE Estimated Federal State Local Feasibility Cost Funds Funds Funds Compliance with FCC 2013 Up to 95% 5% Fair Radio Frequency Narrow $10,000 Banding regulations per service Maintain electronic resource Ongoing Good directory of local resources program No Cost Encourage residents to have $100-$500 100% Fair Disaster Supply Kits on hand to per be used in the event of a household disaster event PPE for first responders Up to 95% 5% Fair $2,500 per emergency responder Promote NOAA weather radio $11,000 Poor use and encourage purchase of NOAA weather radios by vulnerable populations Purchase new ambulances and Up to Poor first responder units $120,000 per ambulance Install back-up power sources Up to 75% 25% Fair that will keep critical $50,000 infrastructure and critical per facilities operational during generator prolonged power outages Develop community emergency Up to 75% 25% Fair shelters $50,000 per shelter Prepare/implement mass casualty No cost Good incident plans Maintain and enhance storm No cost Good spotter training Tree-trimming to reduce the $100 per 100% Fair likelihood of falling branches tree on power lines Develop/publicize city evacuation $3,000 per Poor plan community Continue Hazmat agreements $3,500 100% Good and support Regional Hazmat annually Team Ensure that first responders are Up to 75% 25% Fair properly trained to recognize and $5,000 per respond to any potential HAZMAT course event 337 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

MITIGATION MEASURE Estimated Federal State Local Feasibility Cost Funds Funds Funds Construct public tornado safe Minimum 75% 25% Fair rooms at vulnerable points of $250,000 per facility Improve outdoor warning siren Up to 75% 25% Fair system $25,000 per system Implement system to backup Minimal 100% Fair city and county files and records-store in alternate locations Develop debris disposal sites Up to to Poor $50,000 per site Purchase standby (trash) pumps Up to to 75% 25% Fair $5,000 per pump Update sanitary sewer system Up to $7 Poor and reduce water infiltration million per into the system system Rescue/extrication equipment Up to 95% 5% Fair and training for fire department $30,000 Require the installation of back $1,000 per Poor flow valves in structures in residence order reduce the risk of sewer or business backup damage Special needs registration $60,000 Poor program Laptop computers with satellite $5,000 per Poor downlinks for first responder vehicle vehicles Encourage construction of $140 to 75% 25% Fair tornado safe rooms $240 per square foot Work with Utility Companies to $20 per Poor bury power lines foot Conduct study on use of sump $20,000 for Poor pump consultant Continuity of $5,000 per Poor Government/Continuity of community Operations Planning Improve storm sewer drainage Over $1 Poor million per project

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MITIGATION MEASURE Estimated Federal State Local Feasibility Cost Funds Funds Funds Have sand, sandbagging $45,000 75% 25% Fair equipment and local supplies of sandbags on hand for future flood events Develop a written flood plan $5,000 per Poor plan per community Floodplain manager training $3,000 per Poor training session Continue to evaluate critical Up to $9.1 75% 25% Fair public utilities (i.e. lift stations, million wells, etc.) for ways they can be further flood proofed Continue to identify, purchase, Unable to Poor and remove structures and determine populations in danger of being flooded Raise road grades to eliminate $100,000 Poor backup flooding damage per mile of road Compliance with the National No cost Good Flood Insurance Program regulations (NFIP) Elevate structures above flood Unable to Poor plain level determine Implement Operation Lifesaver No Cost Good program Identify special needs of first Annual 100% Good responders and make effort to operating see that they are equipped as budgets of necessary in order to properly services respond to a variety of potential terrorist events Improve safety at rail crossings Up to 90% 10% Fair $150,000 per crossing Establish Good Neighbor Minimal— 100% Good programs for winter storms volunteer program Enforce snow removal policies $1,000 100% Good by establishing an ordinance recognizing entire town as an emergency snow route

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MITIGATION MEASURE Estimated Federal State Local Feasibility Cost Funds Funds Funds Develop plans to address utility $3,000 per Fair outages and emergencies community Develop/maintain security at Up to Poor city/county facilities $50,000 per facility Develop alternative energy Un- Poor sources determined Purchase snow removal Up to 100% Fair equipment $100,000 per vehicle Improve awareness of animal Ongoing 100% Fair disease hazard risks Maintain first response Annual 100% Good organizations capable of operating responding to and managing an budgets of air transportation incident services Maintain well equipped and Annual 100% Good well trained fire departments operating capable of appropriate and budgets of effective response to all services potential fire and emergency incidents Maintain a list of sites that could Minimal— 100% Good be used as cooling shelters for volunteer public retreats during extreme heat program events Work with Benton County Ongoing 100% Good EMA to ensure that local Tier II Reports are being filed Purchase new or used fire Up to 95% 5% Fair apparatus $250,000 per fire apparatus Identify critical facilities that Up to 100% Fair contain hazardous materials and $60,000 obtain hazardous materials inventories Recognize that language Up to 100% Fair barriers may exist and develop $30,000 policies and train personnel in ways to overcome these challenges Encourage citizen purchase/use of $11,000 Poor smoke detectors Investigate alternative sources for $3,000 100% Fair fire suppression each 340 BENTON COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2011

MITIGATION MEASURE Estimated Federal State Local Feasibility Cost Funds Funds Funds Identify location for and Up to $ 2 Poor construct new fire station million per station Establish ordinance to require fire $5,000 Poor extinguishers in multi-family units Mandate restricted entry into Un- Poor livestock facilities by determined unauthorized personnel Adopt county-wide building codes $60,000 Poor and building inspection capabilities annually Maintain awareness of pipeline Minimal 100% Fair locations and proper locating procedures to use before digging Continue to cooperate with Ongoing 100% Good local medical facilities and program Health Department officials to increase the likelihood of detection and proper response to animal/plant/crop disease incidents

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Section 7: Plan Maintenance and Review Process

This chapter provides an overview of the overall strategy for plan maintenance and outlines the method and schedule for monitoring, updating, and evaluating the plan. The chapter also discusses incorporating the plan into existing planning mechanisms and how to address continued public involvement.

7.1 Monitoring, Evaluating, and Updating the Plan

44 CFR Requirement 201.6(c)(4): The plan maintenance process shall include a section describing the method and schedule of monitoring, evaluating, and updating the mitigation plan within a five year cycle.

7.1.1 Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee With adoption of this plan, the Benton County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (HMPC) will be tasked with monitoring, evaluating, and maintaining the plan. The HMPC has agreed to meet as a committee once each year to monitor and evaluate the plan. The Benton County Emergency Manager will coordinate the meeting time and place and notify other members. The participating jurisdictions and agencies, led by the Benton County Emergency Management agree to:

 Meet annually to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the plan;  Act as a forum for hazard mitigation issues;  Disseminate hazard mitigation ideas and activities to all participants;  Pursue the implementation of high priority, low- or no-cost recommended actions;  Maintain vigilant monitoring of multi-objective, cost-share, and other funding opportunities to help the community implement the plan’s recommended actions for which no current funding exists;  Monitor and assist in implementation and update of this plan;  Keep the concept of mitigation in the forefront of community decision making by identifying plan recommendations when other community goals, plans, and activities overlap, influence, or directly affect increased community vulnerability to disasters;  Report on plan progress and recommended changes to the Benton County Board of Supervisors and governing bodies of participating jurisdictions; and  Inform and solicit input from the public.

The primary duty of the HMPC in relation to this plan is to see it successfully carried out and to report to the community governing boards and the public on the status of plan implementation and mitigation opportunities. Other duties include reviewing and promoting mitigation proposals, hearing stakeholder concerns about hazard mitigation, passing concerns on to appropriate entities, and posting relevant information on the County website.

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7.1.2 Plan Maintenance Schedule

The HMPC agrees to meet annually to monitor progress and update the mitigation strategy. The Benton County Emergency Manager is responsible for initiating these plan reviews. In conjunction with the other participating jurisdictions and additional jurisdictions that may choose to participate in the future, a five-year written update of the plan will be submitted to the Iowa Homeland Security Emergency Management Division and FEMA Region VII per Requirement §201.6(c)(4)(i) of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 and adopted by participating jurisdictions within a five-year period from the final approval of this plan unless disaster or other circumstances (e.g., changing regulations) require a change to this schedule.

7.1.3 Plan Maintenance Process

Evaluation of progress can be achieved by monitoring changes in vulnerabilities identified in the plan. Changes in vulnerability can be identified by noting:   Decreased vulnerability as a result of implementing recommended actions,  Increased vulnerability as a result of failed or ineffective mitigation actions, and/or  Increased vulnerability as a result of new development (and/or annexation).

Updates to this plan will:   Consider changes in vulnerability due to action implementation,  Document success stories where mitigation efforts have proven effective,  Document areas where mitigation actions were not effective,  Document any new hazards that may arise or were previously overlooked,  Incorporate new data or studies on hazards and risks such as the now preliminary Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps that will become effective in June 2009,  Incorporate new capabilities or changes in capabilities,  Incorporate growth and development-related changes to inventories, and  Incorporate new action recommendations or changes in action prioritization.

In order to best evaluate any changes in vulnerability as a result of plan implementation, the participating jurisdictions will undergo the following process:

 A representative from the responsible office identified in each mitigation action will be responsible for tracking and reporting to the jurisdictional lead annually on action status. The representative will also provide input on whether the action as implemented meets the defined objectives and is likely to be successful in reducing vulnerabilities.  If the action does not meet identified objectives, the jurisdictional lead will determine what additional measures may be implemented, and an assigned individual will be responsible for defining action scope, implementing the action, monitoring success of the action, and making any required modifications to the plan.

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Changes will be made to the plan to accommodate actions that have failed or are not considered feasible after a review of their adherence to established criteria, time frame, community priorities, and/or funding resources. Actions that were not ranked high but were identified as potential mitigation activities will be reviewed during the monitoring and update of this plan to determine feasibility of future implementation. Updating of the plan will be enacted through written changes and submissions, as Benton County Emergency Management deems appropriate and necessary, and as approved by the Benton County Board of Commissioners and the governing boards of the other participating jurisdictions. Evaluation and revisions to this plan will be made in accordance with Worksheets 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the FEMA Local Hazard Mitigation Review Crosswalk as found in Appendix 9, page 632.

7.2 Incorporation into Existing Planning Mechanisms

44 CFR Requirement §201.6(c)(4)(ii):[The plan shall include a] process by which local governments incorporate the requirements of the mitigation plan into other planning mechanisms such as comprehensive or capital improvement plans, when appropriate.

Where possible, plan participants will use existing plans and/or programs to implement hazard mitigation actions. Based on the capability assessments of the participating jurisdictions, communities in Benton County will continue to plan and implement programs to reduce loss of life and property from hazards. This plan builds upon the momentum developed through previous related planning efforts and mitigation programs, and recommends implementing actions, where possible, through the following means:   Benton County Basic Operations Plan  General or master plans of participating jurisdictions  Ordinances of participating jurisdictions  Capital improvement plans and budgets  Benton County Emergency Management Plans

Other community plans within the County either in existence or developed in the future such as water conservation plans, stormwater management plans, and parks and recreation plans The governing bodies of the jurisdictions adopting this plan will encourage all other relevant planning mechanisms under their authority to consult this plan to ensure minimization of risk to natural hazards as well as coordination of activities.

The risk assessment in this plan will provide information for the hazard analysis in the next update of the Benton County Basic Operations Plan. In the future, Benton County Emergency Management will attempt to coordinate the annual review and update of both the multi-hazard mitigation plan and the emergency operations plan to promote the integration of the two plans.

HMPC members involved in updating these existing planning mechanisms will be responsible for integrating the findings and actions of the mitigation plan, as appropriate. The HMPC is also responsible for monitoring this integration and incorporating the appropriate information into the five-year update of the multi-hazard mitigation plan.

7.3 Continued Public Involvement

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44 CFR Requirement §201.6(c)(4)(iii): [The plan maintenance process shall include a] discussion on how the community will continue public participation in the plan maintenance process.

The update process provides an opportunity to publicize success stories from the plan’s implementation and seek additional public comment. Information will be posted in the Cedar Valley Times, Vinton Eagle and South Benton Star Press newspapers and on the County website following the annual review of the mitigation plan. A public hearing(s) to receive public comment on plan maintenance and updating will be held during the update period. When the HMPC reconvenes for the update, it will coordinate with all stakeholders participating in the planning process, including those who joined the HMPC after the initial effort, to update and revise the plan. Public notice will be posted and public participation will be invited, at a minimum, through available website postings and press releases to local media outlets.

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