Coastal Bend Mitigation Action Plan
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COASTAL BEND MITIGATION ACTION PLAN Aransas County Bee County Jim Wells County Kleberg County Live Oak County Nueces County San Patricio County i Executive Summary The intent of mitigation planning is to maintain a process that leads to hazard mitigation actions. Mitigation plans identify the natural hazards that impact communities, identify actions to reduce losses from those hazards, and establish a coordinated process to implement the plan. (44 CFR§201.1(b)) Representatives from communities in a seven-county area located in South Texas have coordinated efforts to develop the Coastal Bend Mitigation Action Plan. Efforts include research on how to reduce losses from future disasters, primarily hurricanes and their effects, including extreme winds, coastal surge, spawned tornadoes, heavy rain, and flooding in the South Texas area. The mitigation strategy in this plan is a continuation of ongoing efforts in communities, both large and small. As progress is made towards implementing the strategy, and achieving goals and objectives, it is also the intent to educate and encourage residents regarding mitigation activities to reduce losses before a serious event occurs. This document begins with an introduction to the concept of mitigation, a description of the planning process, and a brief description of the characteristics of the study area that pertain to the analysis. The second part includes a summary of previous significant disaster events, and a risk assessment which characterizes natural hazards by intensity, extent, probability, and hazard zone. Vulnerability, the other side of the risk equation, is characterized by exposure, (the people and property at risk), and for selected hazard scenarios, by loss estimate, prepared with a loss estimation tool, HAZUS-MH, developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The third part develops a mitigation strategy, through the articulation of long-term goals and objectives, under four broad categories of 1) reducing loss of life and injury, 2) reducing disruptions to essential public services and infrastructure, 3) reducing economic impacts to residents, and 4) reducing losses to civic, cultural, and environmental resources. The third part also summarizes a range of mitigation activities – some in process, some planned for the near future, and some planned for the longer term, as funding sources become available. Appreciation is expressed to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in particular FEMA Region 6 and the Governors Division of Emergency Management for providing a planning grant to make this project possible. Participating Jurisdictions The jurisdictions represented in this plan and their respective Hazard Mitigation Coordinators are: City of Alice, Texas: Dean Van Nest, Fire Chief, Emergency Management Coordinator City of Aransas Pass, Texas: Bill Haines, Emergency Management Coordinator Bee County, Texas, City of Beeville, Texas: David Morgan, Emergency Management, Safety, and Homeland Security Coordinator City of Bishop, Texas: Joseph Carr, Emergency Management Coordinator City of Corpus Christi, Texas: Billy Delgado, Interim Emergency Management Coordinator ii Aransas County, Texas, Town of Fulton, Texas, City of Rockport, Texas: Rick McLester, Emergency Management Coordinator Live Oak County, Texas, City of George West, Texas, City of Three Rivers, Texas: Gene Chapline, Emergency Management Coordinator City of Ingleside, Texas: Shanna Herzer, Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator, assisted by R. J. Thomas, Volunteer Fire Chief City of Kingsville, Texas: John Garcia, Risk Management/Emergency Management Coordinator Jim Wells County, Texas, City of Orange Grove, Texas, City of Premont, Texas: Israel Lopez, Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator City of Port Aransas, Texas: John Speights, Building Official, Floodplain Manager assisted by Pam Hatzenbuehler, Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator City of Portland, Texas: Timothy Vanlandingham, Fire Chief, Emergency Management Coordinator City of Robstown, Texas: Ricardo Gonzales, Fire Chief, Emergency Management Coordinator Kleberg County, Texas: Tomas Sanchez, Emergency Management Coordinator, Risk Manager, Safety Coordinator, Floodplain Administrator Nueces County, Texas, City of Agua Dulce, City of Driscoll: Danielle Hale, Emergency Management Coordinator San Patricio County, Texas, City of Sinton, Texas, City of Odem, Texas, City of Ingleside on the Bay, Texas, City of Mathis, Texas, City of Lakeside, Texas, City of Lake City, Texas, City of San Patricio, Texas, City of Taft, Texas, City of Gregory, Texas,: William Zagorski, Emergency Manager, Floodplain Administrator, Safety Director, 911 Director, Parks and Recreation Director iii TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 1 Section 1. The Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program ........................................................... 1 A. History………………………………………………………………………………….…. 1 B. Purpose and Scope ............................................................................................... 2 Section 2. Regional Planning Process ........................................................................... 3 A. Project Participation .............................................................................................. 3 B. Project Process ..................................................................................................... 7 Section 3. Profile of the Coastal Bend Region ............................................................ 11 A. Location and Characteristics ............................................................................... 11 B. Climate 12 C. Surface Water ..................................................................................................... 12 D. Population ........................................................................................................... 13 E. Land Use ............................................................................................................. 14 F. Economy ............................................................................................................. 15 G. Future Trends ..................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 2: RISK ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................ 21 Section 1. Introduction .................................................................................................. 21 A. Summary of Disaster Events ............................................................................... 21 B. Disaster Assistance 1991-2011 ........................................................................... 38 C. NFIP Claims History ............................................................................................ 40 Section 2. Risk Assessment ......................................................................................... 41 A. Introduction ......................................................................................................... 41 B. Hazards of Concern ............................................................................................ 43 C. Methodologies ..................................................................................................... 45 D. Risk Profiles ........................................................................................................ 49 Chapter 3: Mitigation Strategy .............................................................................................. 89 Section 1. Goals and Objectives .................................................................................. 89 A. Introduction ......................................................................................................... 89 B. Goals….. ............................................................................................................. 89 Section 2. Mitigation Actions Identification and Evaluation ....................................... 91 A. Identification Process .......................................................................................... 91 B. Evaluation/Prioritization ....................................................................................... 91 C. Mitigation Projects ............................................................................................... 92 D. Ongoing Activities ............................................................................................... 92 Section 3. Plan Implementation and Maintenance .................................................... 121 A. Implementation and Integration ......................................................................... 121 B. Plan Monitoring and Review .............................................................................. 121 C. Plan Maintenance ............................................................................................. 121 iv APPENDICES Appendix A. Inter-local Agreement Appendix B. Meetings Appendix C. Evaluation/Prioritization Worksheet Appendix D. Mitigation Project Descriptions Appendix E. Coastal Bend Council of Governments Resolution Appendix F. Mitigation Strategy Evaluation Form Appendix G. Press Releases and Public Notices Appendix H. Adoption Documentation LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE FIGURES Figure 1: Fundamental Principles of the National Mitigation Strategy .........................................