Island County HIVA
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Island County HIVA Island County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Hazard Identification and Vulnerability Assessment Foreword The 2007 version of the Island County Hazard Identification and Vulnerability Assessment (HIVA) assesses natural and technological hazards in Island County and its surroundings. Assessment is the initial step in the emergency management process that leads to mitigation of risk or impact, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from hazards. Hazards have the potential of becoming disasters or emergencies that can adversely affect the people, environment, economy, and property of the county. Hazard assessment helps emergency managers, jurisdictional leaders, businesses, and first responders determine vulnerability, rate the risk, and predict the adverse impact of disasters and emergencies. Emergency managers and others with good hazard assessments can effectively organize resources and develop comprehensive emergency management plans, resource requirements, and mitigation programs to reduce the impact of disasters and emergencies. Acknowledgement The Island County HIVA is built directly on the material and research of the Washington State HIVA of 2001. The format of the Island County HIVA also follows that of the state HIVA for ease of research and comparison. The HIVA contains information from federal, state, county, and local jurisdictions as well as from other published public sources. The Island County Department of Emergency Services is responsible for this document. i August 2007 Island County HIVA ISLAND COUNTY HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS Purpose...........................................................................................................................................1 Background.....................................................................................................................................1 Scope..............................................................................................................................................1 Political Subdivisions.......................................................................................................................2 Geography & Transportation...........................................................................................................2 Climatology .....................................................................................................................................3 Economy .........................................................................................................................................4 Demographics.................................................................................................................................4 Natural Hazards Avalanche............................................................................................................................7 Drought................................................................................................................................8 Earthquake..........................................................................................................................11 Flood ...................................................................................................................................17 Landslide.............................................................................................................................22 Severe Storm......................................................................................................................27 Tsunami...............................................................................................................................31 Volcano ...............................................................................................................................33 Wildland Fire…....................................................................................................................36 Technological Hazards Abandoned Underground Mine ...........................................................................................38 Chemical .............................................................................................................................39 Civil Disturbance.................................................................................................................41 Dam Failure.........................................................................................................................43 Hazardous Material.............................................................................................................45 Air Operations, Whidbey Island NAS ..................................................................................48 Pipeline................................................................................................................................50 Radiological.........................................................................................................................52 Terrorism.............................................................................................................................54 Transportation .....................................................................................................................57 Urban Fire ..............................................................................................................................59 Hazard Analysis ..............................................................................................................................61 ii August 2007 Island County HIVA Tables Table One, Island County Airfields...................................................................................... 3 Table Two, Climate, Whidbey Island Climate...................................................................... 4 Table Three, Population ..................................................................................................... 4 Table Four, Drought Occurrences ...................................................................................... 10 Table Five, Significant Earthquakes.................................................................................... 15 Table Six, Floods................................................................................................................. 20 Table Seven, Severe Storms .............................................................................................. 29 Table Eight, Volcano Eruptions........................................................................................... 35 Table Nine, Registered Island count Dams......................................................................... 43 Table Ten, Spills Report Summary ..................................................................................... 47 Table Eleven, Flight Operations Ten Year History at NAS Whidbey Island ........................ 49 Maps Population Density...............................................................................................................6 Major Earthquake Faults Crossing Island County................................................................16 Island County Flood Rate Insurance Map (FIRM)................................................................21 Island County Steep Slopes................................................................................................ 24 iii August 2007 Island County HIVA ISLAND COUNTY HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT Purpose This HIVA describes natural hazards, which can potentially impact the citizens, economy, environment, and property of Island County. It serves as a basis for county- level emergency management programs and assists political subdivisions in the development of similar documents focused on local hazards. It is the foundation of effective emergency management and identifies the hazards that organizations must mitigate against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from in order to minimize the effects of disasters and emergencies. The HIVA is not a detailed study, but rather a general overview of hazards that can cause emergencies and disasters. Background Island County has experienced or could experience impacts from natural hazards including floods, storms, wildland fires, earthquakes, and volcanoes. Beyond natural hazards, the county faces technological hazards including urban fires, terrorism, and hazardous material spills. All of these require assessment and further analysis by county and city officials in order to organize resources so impact and loss can be prevented or minimized. From 1956 to 2006, Washington State qualified for 37 Presidential Major Disaster Declarations. County was identified in at least eight of these. These include the May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, November 1990 flood, December 1990 Flood, November-December 1995 floods, February 2001 earthquake, June through October 2003 drought and floods, February 4, 2006 severe storm and tidal flooding, and the severe storm of 14-15 December 2006. In addition to the Presidential Major Disaster Declarations, other events occur that result in severe localized impacts to the county, its towns, businesses, and environment. Scope A HIVA is applicable to all cities, towns, and unincorporated areas in the county. State law requires all political subdivisions to be part of an emergency management organization and have an emergency management plan. Chapter 118-30 Washington