Hazard Mitigation Plan Richland County, Wisconsin Draft v. 29 April 2009 Original Plan Date - 2009 EPTEC, INC Lenora Borchardt 7027 Fawn Lane Sun Prairie, WI 53590-9455 608-834-0802 [email protected] Contents Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................ 3 Introduction and Background .......................................................................................... 7 Previous Planning Efforts and Legal Basis ..........................................................................8 Plan Preparation, Adoption and Maintenance .....................................................................9 Physical Characteristics of Richland County ................................................................. 12 General Community Introduction ......................................................................................12 Plan Area ............................................................................................................................15 Geology ..............................................................................................................................17 Topography ........................................................................................................................18 Climate ...............................................................................................................................19 Hydrology ..........................................................................................................................23 Soil Types ..........................................................................................................................25 Wetlands ............................................................................................................................25 Vegetation ..........................................................................................................................31 Demographics ............................................................................................................... 32 Human Settlement Patterns ................................................................................................32 Population ..........................................................................................................................32 Transportation Network .....................................................................................................35 Public Safety Support ........................................................................................................35 Archaeological and Historical Resources ..........................................................................38 Hazard Analysis ............................................................................................................ 40 All Hazards .................................................................................................................... 42 Vulnerability ......................................................................................................................42 Hazard Mitigation Strategies .............................................................................................43 Drought and Dust Storms .............................................................................................. 50 Physical Characteristics .....................................................................................................50 Frequency of Occurrence ...................................................................................................52 Vulnerability ......................................................................................................................53 Hazard Mitigation Strategies .............................................................................................53 Earthquakes .................................................................................................................. 55 Physical Characteristics .....................................................................................................55 Frequency of Occurrence ...................................................................................................57 Vulnerability ......................................................................................................................59 Hazard Mitigation Strategies .............................................................................................60 Flooding and Dam Failure ............................................................................................. 61 Physical Characteristics .....................................................................................................61 Watersheds .........................................................................................................................68 Floodplain Regulations ......................................................................................................70 Frequency of Occurrence ...................................................................................................71 Vulnerability ......................................................................................................................73 Hazard Mitigation Strategies .............................................................................................75 Fog ................................................................................................................................ 84 Physical Characteristics .....................................................................................................84 Page 3 Contents Frequency of Occurrence ...................................................................................................86 Vulnerability ......................................................................................................................87 Hazard Mitigation Strategies .............................................................................................88 Forest and Wildfires ...................................................................................................... 90 Physical Characteristics .....................................................................................................90 Frequency of Occurrence ...................................................................................................91 Vulnerability ......................................................................................................................91 Hazard Mitigation Strategies .............................................................................................91 Landslide ....................................................................................................................... 93 Physical Characteristics .....................................................................................................94 Frequency of Occurrence ...................................................................................................96 Vulnerability ......................................................................................................................97 Hazard Mitigation Strategies .............................................................................................98 Severe Temperatures .................................................................................................... 99 Characteristics ....................................................................................................................99 Physical Characteristics: Heat............................................................................................99 Physical Characteristics: Cold .........................................................................................100 Frequency of Occurrence .................................................................................................101 Vulnerability ....................................................................................................................103 Hazard Mitigation Strategies ...........................................................................................104 Storms: Hail ................................................................................................................. 105 Physical Characteristics ...................................................................................................105 Frequency of Occurrence .................................................................................................106 Vulnerability ....................................................................................................................108 Hazard Mitigation Strategies ...........................................................................................109 Storms: Lightning ........................................................................................................ 110 Physical Characteristics ...................................................................................................110 Frequency of Occurrence .................................................................................................111 Vulnerability ....................................................................................................................111 Hazard Mitigation Strategies ...........................................................................................112