MAY 4, 2021

COUSHATTA TRIBE OF LOUISIANA

TRIBAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN UPDATE
PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT MAY 2021

Prepared by BEVERLY O'DEA
BRIDGEVIEW CONSULTING, LLC
915 N. Laurel Lane Tacoma, WA 98406
(253) 380-5736

Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana 2021 Hazard Mitigation Plan Update

Prepared for

Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana
Coushatta Tribal Fire Department
P.O. Box 818 Elton, LA 70532

Prepared by

Bridgeview Consulting, LLC

B everly O’Dea

915 N. Laurel Lane Tacoma, WA 98406
(253) 380-5736

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary......................................................................................................... xiii

Plan Update.................................................................................................................................................xiv
Initial Response to the DMA for the Coushatta Tribe ...........................................................................xv The 2021 Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana Update—What has changed?.................................................xv

Plan Development Methodology...............................................................................................................xvii

Chapter 1. Introduction to Hazzard Mitigation Planning...............................................1-1

1.1 Authority ..............................................................................................................................................1-1 1.2 Acknowledgements..............................................................................................................................1-2 1.3 COVID-19..............................................................................................................................................1-3 1.4 Purpose of Planning .............................................................................................................................1-3 1.5 Who Will Benefit from this Plan?.........................................................................................................1-4 1.6 Billion Dollar Disasters .........................................................................................................................1-4 1.7 Plan Adoption.......................................................................................................................................1-7

Chapter 2. Plan Update Approach..................................................................................2-1

2.1 Planning Resource Organization..........................................................................................................2-1 2.2 Secure Grant Funding ..........................................................................................................................2-1 2.3 Formation of the Planning Team .........................................................................................................2-1 2.4 Coordination With Agencies and Other Stakeholders.........................................................................2-4 2.5 Review of Plans and Studies ................................................................................................................2-6 2.6 Public Involvement...............................................................................................................................2-7

• 2.6.1
• Public Defined .....................................................................................................................2-7

2.7 Plan Development Milestones.............................................................................................................2-7
2.7.1 2.7.2 2.7.3 2.7.4 2.7.5
Public Outreach Strategy ....................................................................................................2-7 Hazard Questionnaire .........................................................................................................2-8 Internet .............................................................................................................................2-11 News Releases and Announcements ................................................................................2-12 Public Meetings.................................................................................................................2-12

2.8 Plan Development Milestones...........................................................................................................2-14

Chapter 3. Tribal Profile ..................................................................................................3-1

3.1 Tribal History........................................................................................................................................3-1 3.2 Tribal Governance................................................................................................................................3-2 3.3 Tribal Departments and Programs.......................................................................................................3-2 3.4 Membership.........................................................................................................................................3-5 3.5 Population............................................................................................................................................3-5

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3.5.1 3.5.2 3.5.3 3.5.4 3.5.5 3.5.6 3.5.7
Population Trends...............................................................................................................3-6 Social Vulnerability..............................................................................................................3-6 Age Distribution ..................................................................................................................3-7 Race, Ethnicity, and Language.............................................................................................3-8 Disabled Populations...........................................................................................................3-8 Income.................................................................................................................................3-9 Housing Stock....................................................................................................................3-10

3.6 Planning Area Geography ..................................................................................................................3-10
3.6.1 3.6.2
Climate ..............................................................................................................................3-11 Impact from Climate Change ............................................................................................3-14

3.7 Natural Resources..............................................................................................................................3-14 3.8 Major Past Hazard Events ..................................................................................................................3-15 3.9 Critical Facilities and Infrastructure...................................................................................................3-18

3.9.1 3.9.2
Critical Facilities Defined for the 2021 Update .................................................................3-18 Structure Data Limitation..................................................................................................3-21

3.10 Infrastructure...................................................................................................................................3-22 3.11 Cultural and Sacred Sites .................................................................................................................3-23 3.12 Cultural Heritage..............................................................................................................................3-23 3.13 Economic Base .................................................................................................................................3-24 3.14 Tribal Economic Outlook..................................................................................................................3-24 3.15 Land Use...........................................................................................................................................3-25

3.15.1 3.15.2
Agriculture.........................................................................................................................3-25 Critical Areas .....................................................................................................................3-26

3.16 Changes in Development .................................................................................................................3-29
3.16.1 3.16.2 3.16.3
Residential Development..................................................................................................3-31 Non-Residential Development..........................................................................................3-31 Structure Type and Age.....................................................................................................3-33

3.17 Laws and Ordinances .......................................................................................................................3-34
3.17.1 3.17.2 3.17.3
Tribal and State-Level Planning Initiatives........................................................................3-34 Louisiana State Hazard Mitigation Plan ............................................................................3-34 Other Planning Initiatives..................................................................................................3-35

Chapter 4. Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Methodology .......................4-1

4.1 Overview ..............................................................................................................................................4-1 4.2 Risk Assessment Approach ..................................................................................................................4-1

• 4.2.1
• Common Terminology.........................................................................................................4-3

4.3 Building Inventory................................................................................................................................4-3 4.4 Probability of Occurrence and Return Intervals ..................................................................................4-3

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4.5 Hazard Identification and Profiles........................................................................................................4-4 4.6 Hazus and GIS Applications..................................................................................................................4-5 4.7 Limitations............................................................................................................................................4-7 4.8 Calculated Priority Risk Index Scoring Criteria.....................................................................................4-8

Chapter 5. Drought ..........................................................................................................5-1

5.1 General Background.............................................................................................................................5-1 5.2 Hazard Profile.......................................................................................................................................5-1

5.2.1 5.2.2 5.2.3 5.2.4
Extent and Location ............................................................................................................5-1 Previous Occurrences..........................................................................................................5-3 Severity................................................................................................................................5-4 Frequency............................................................................................................................5-8

5.3 Vulnerability Assessment.....................................................................................................................5-8
5.3.1 5.3.2 5.3.3 5.3.4 5.3.5 5.3.6 5.3.7
Overview .............................................................................................................................5-8 Warning Time......................................................................................................................5-9 Impact on Life, Health and Safety.......................................................................................5-9 Impact on Property ...........................................................................................................5-10 Impact on Critical Facilities and Infrastructure.................................................................5-10 Impact on Economy ..........................................................................................................5-10 Impact on Environment ....................................................................................................5-11

5.4 Future Development Trends..............................................................................................................5-11 5.5 Climate Change Impacts ....................................................................................................................5-12 5.6 Issues..................................................................................................................................................5-13 5.7 Impact and Results.............................................................................................................................5-13

Chapter 6. Flood ..............................................................................................................6-1

6.1 General Background.............................................................................................................................6-1
6.1.1 6.1.2 6.1.3 6.1.4 6.1.5
Flooding Types ....................................................................................................................6-1 Measuring Floods and Floodplains .....................................................................................6-4 Flood Insurance Rate Maps.................................................................................................6-5 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)...........................................................................6-8 Repetitive Flood Claim and Severe Repetitive Loss Impact..............................................6-11