Hazard Mitigation Plan Lafayette County, Wisconsin Original Plan Date – September 2016 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 Acronyms ........................................................................................................................ 7 Introduction and Background ........................................................................................ 11 Previous Planning Efforts and Legal Basis ..................................................... 12 Plan Preparation, Adoption and Maintenance ................................................ 15 Physical Characteristics of Lafayette County ................................................................ 20 General Community Introduction .................................................................... 20 Plan Area ........................................................................................................ 21 Geology .......................................................................................................... 22 Topography .................................................................................................... 22 Rivers ............................................................................................................. 24 Climate ........................................................................................................... 24 Hydrology ....................................................................................................... 27 Soil Types ....................................................................................................... 29 Wetlands ........................................................................................................ 32 Land Use ........................................................................................................ 34 Vegetation ...................................................................................................... 35 Demographics ............................................................................................................... 36 Human Settlement Patterns............................................................................ 36 Population ...................................................................................................... 38 Transportation Network .................................................................................. 39 Land Use and Development Trends ............................................................... 39 Public Safety Support ..................................................................................... 40 Archaeological and Historical Resources ....................................................... 42 Hazard Analysis and Previous Mitigation Projects ........................................................ 44 All Hazards .................................................................................................................... 53 Vulnerability .................................................................................................... 53 Hazard Mitigation Strategies........................................................................... 54 Drought and Dust Storms .............................................................................................. 59 Physical Characteristics ................................................................................. 59 Frequency of Occurrence ............................................................................... 61 Vulnerability .................................................................................................... 63 Hazard Mitigation Strategies........................................................................... 64 Earthquakes .................................................................................................................. 66 Physical Characteristics ................................................................................. 66 Frequency of Occurrence ............................................................................... 68 Vulnerability .................................................................................................... 72 Hazard Mitigation Strategies........................................................................... 72 Flooding and Dam Failure ............................................................................................. 73 Physical Characteristics ................................................................................. 73 Watersheds .................................................................................................... 76 Floodplain Regulations ................................................................................... 81 Frequency of Occurrence ............................................................................... 82 Page 3 Contents Vulnerability .................................................................................................... 84 Hazard Mitigation Strategies........................................................................... 85 Wildfires ........................................................................................................................ 90 Physical Characteristics ................................................................................. 90 Frequency of Occurrence ............................................................................... 91 Vulnerability .................................................................................................... 91 Hazard Mitigation Strategies........................................................................... 93 Severe Temperatures .................................................................................................... 95 Characteristics ................................................................................................ 95 Physical Characteristics: Heat ........................................................................ 95 Physical Characteristics: Cold ........................................................................ 96 Frequency of Occurrence: Heat ...................................................................... 98 Frequency of Occurrence: Cold ...................................................................... 98 Vulnerability .................................................................................................... 99 Hazard Mitigation Strategies........................................................................... 99 Storms: Hail ................................................................................................................. 101 Physical Characteristics ............................................................................... 102 Frequency of Occurrence ............................................................................. 102 Vulnerability .................................................................................................. 103 Hazard Mitigation Strategies......................................................................... 104 Storms: Lightning ........................................................................................................ 105 Physical Characteristics ............................................................................... 105 Frequency of Occurrence ............................................................................. 106 Vulnerability .................................................................................................. 106 Hazard Mitigation Strategies......................................................................... 107 Storms: Thunderstorms ............................................................................................... 108 Physical Characteristics ............................................................................... 108 Frequency of Occurrence ............................................................................. 109 Vulnerability .................................................................................................. 110 Hazard Mitigation Strategies......................................................................... 110 Storms: Tornadoes and High Winds............................................................................ 111 Physical Characteristics ............................................................................... 112 Frequency of Occurrence ............................................................................. 114 Vulnerability .................................................................................................. 115 Hazard Mitigation Strategies......................................................................... 116 Storms: Winter ............................................................................................................ 119 Physical Characteristics ............................................................................... 119 Frequency of Occurrence ............................................................................. 120 Vulnerability .................................................................................................. 122 Hazard Mitigation Strategies........................................................................