Merrimack Valley Region Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan 2013-2018 Updating the Current 5-Yr Plan What is Hazard Mitigation? “mit-i-gate” 1. to make less severe or painful 2. to cause to become less harsh or hostile Hazard Mitigation Any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from hazards and their effects. Why Prepare an Updated Plan? Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000: Congress enacted the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) on October 10, 2000. The law established a national program for pre-disaster mitigation, and streamlined the federal administration of disaster relief. DMA 2000 requires all communities to have a FEMA-approved “Multiple Hazards Mitigation Plan” to qualify for FEMA funding under the Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM), Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA), and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). What is a Natural Hazard? • An event or physical condition that has the potential to cause fatalities, injuries, property damage, agricultural loss, damage to the environment, interruption of business, or other types of harm or loss. • In the Merrimack Valley region, this includes: flooding, winter storms, severe thunderstorms, hurricanes (including coastal storm surges), tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfire, drought, etc. • The updated Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan will also consider the impacts of climate change Merrimack Valley Natural Hazards Floods Coastal Storms Wildfire Natural hazards are a part of the world around us. Their occurrence is natural and inevitable, and our capacity to control their frequency, intensity, and duration is limited. Winter Storms Hurricanes Natural hazards threaten the safety of our residents and visitors, and have the potential to damage or destroy public and private property, disrupt the local and regional economy, and diminish the overall quality of life of those who live and work in the region. Tornadoes Earthquakes Heat Waves Drought While we cannot eliminate natural hazards, there is much we can do to lessen their impacts on our communities and citizens. By reducing a hazard’s impacts, we can decrease the likelihood that such an event will result in a disaster. The concept and practice of reducing risks to people and property from known hazards is generally referred to as hazard mitigation. Purpose of Plan The purpose of the Merrimack Valley Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan is to: • Identify and characterize natural hazards that are common to the communities of the Merrimack Valley region; • Determine specific locations, populations, and facilities that are vulnerable to these hazards; and • Formulate mitigation strategies, both local and regional, to reduce the long- term risks and impacts associated with these hazards. What are the Benefits of Hazard Mitigation? • Breaks the repetitive, costly cycle of damage and reconstruction • Reduces the loss of life, property, essential services and economic hardship • Increases communication and cooperation within a community – and among communities – through the planning process • Increases potential for state and federal grant funding for recovery and reconstruction projects What are the Tools of Hazard Mitigation? • Land use planning and regulation of development in hazard-prone areas (e.g., prohibiting construction in a floodplain) • Strict enforcement of building codes and environmental regulations (e.g., local wetland regulations) • Public safety measures, such as regular maintenance of roadways, culverts and dams • Acquisition of properties at risk (e.g., removing buildings located in a flood zone) • Retrofitting of structures and careful design of new construction (e.g., elevating a home above flood elev.) Geographic Scope of Plan The Merrimack Valley Planning region covers 267 square miles and includes 15 cities and towns with a combined resident population of 333,748 (U.S. Census 2010) 15 Key Planning Elements / (Primary Responsibility) 1. Host “Project Kick-off Workshop” at NECC (MVPC & Municipalities) 2. Conduct “Public Outreach & Involvement” (ongoing) – both Local (Municipalities) & Regional (MVPC) 3. Update “Critical Facilities Inventories” (Municipalities) & “Digital Maps” (MVPC) 4. Update “Natural Hazards Identification, Characterization & Digital Maps” (MVPC); update “Risk Assessment / Vulnerability” (MVPC) 5. Update “Regional Profile” (MVPC); update “Community Profiles” (Municipalities & MVPC) 6. Update “Capability Assessment” – i.e., identify and evaluate existing local protection / mitigation measures (Municipalities) 7. Update “Mitigation Goals” (MVPC) 8. Update “Mitigation Strategies & Action Plans” – both Local (Municipalities) & Regional (MVPC) Key Planning Elements / (Primary Responsibility) 9. Update “Plan Maintenance Procedures” (plan monitoring, evaluating & updating) (MVPC) 10. Update “Plan Appendices” (list of references, documentation of public planning process, completed “Crosswalk”, etc.) (MVPC) 11. Prepare and submit Draft Plan to municipalities, MEMA & DCR, and FEMA for review & comment (MVPC) 12. Prepare and submit Final Plan to municipalities, MEMA & DCR, and FEMA (MVPC) 13. FEMA designates Final Plan as “Approvable Pending Adoptions” 14. Local adoption (Municipalities) & Regional adoption (MVPC) of Final Plan 15. FEMA officially approves Final Plan; notifies municipalities & MVPC Hazards Identification & Mapping FLOOD-Related Hazards WIND-Related Hazards WINTER-Related Hazards FIRE-Related Hazards GEOLOGIC Hazards FLOODS… LAWRENCE DAM at FLOOD HEIGHT - MARCH 1936 POST OFFICE SQUARE, HAVERHILL - MARCH 1936 Spicket River Flooding, Methuen – May 2006 Little River Flooding, Haverhill – May 2006 Shawsheen River Flooding, Lawrence – May 2006 Merrimack River at Bates Bridge, Groveland – May 2006 Destroyed Boat Slips – MacKenzie’s Landing Marina, Amesbury Shawheen River Flooding at Rt. 114 Surging Powow River at Millyard, Amesbury Little River Flooding at Newman Road, Newbury Coastal Storm Surge & Erosion – Salisbury Beach Coastal Storm Surge & Erosion on Plum Island Spicket River Flooding, Lawrence – May 2006 Shawsheen River at Glenwood Ave., North Andover WIND … WINTER NOR’EASTERS … Snow Wind Ice Damage Merrimack Valley Snowfall (Newburyport Water Treatment Plant) Year Snowfall Year Snowfall Year Snowfall (inches) (inches) (inches) 2005 110.0 1988 46.8 1971 70.2 2004 33.0 1987 63.0 1970 79.0 2003 83.5 1986 29.3 1969 102.2 2002 45.0 1985 32.5 1968 48.5 2001 70.8 1984 59.0 1967 96.2 2000 28.8 1983 57.0 1966 73.2 1999 35.0 1982 44.5 1965 32.3 1998 17.5 1981 39.0 1964 69.5 1997 50.0 1980 26.3 1963 52.0 1996 82.5 1979 32.0 1962 46.2 1995 43.5 1978 84.8 1961 81.0 1994 60.5 1977 71.5 1960 60.0 1993 89.7 1976 52.0 1959 57.2 1992 24.3 1975 50.7 1958 51.8 1991 27.0 1974 38.3 1957 31.3 1990 42.0 1973 20.0 1956 120.5 1989 26.5 1972 84.2 50-Year Annual Average – 55.4 Inches WILDFIRE … Uncontrolled fire that spreads due to the presence of vegetative fuel. In 2002, over 3,000 wildfires burned more than 1,600 acres in Massachusetts (MEMA). WILDFIRE … HURRICANES … Hurricane Bob Damage, Wareham MA Intense tropical storms with a well defined circulation and minimum sustained winds of 74 mph Hurricanes … Intense Historical Hurricanes in New England HURRICANES … COASTAL STORM SURGES … TORNADOES … The WORCESTER TORNADO struck at 5:08 PM on July 9, 1953. Within one minute, more than 90 people were dead and over 1,300 injured. Damage estimates exceeded $52 million. Tornado of July 5, 1643 Governor John Winthrop recorded Essex County’s (and New England’s) first tornado when he wrote, “There arose a sudden gust so violent for one-half hour as it blew down multitudes of trees. It lifted up their meeting house at Newbury, the people being in it. It darkened the air with dust, yet through God’s great mercy it did no hurt, but only killed one Indian with the fall of a tree.” TORNADOES On average, 6 tornadoes per year touch down somewhere in New England. Those most at risk include people in automobiles, anyone not in a secure structure, and residents of mobile homes. The National Disaster Center evaluated tornado statistics from 1950-1995 by state. When compared with other states, Massachusetts ranked: • 35th in the frequency of tornadoes • 16th in the number of tornado-related deaths • 21st in the number of injuries • 12th in the cost of tornado-related damages. (Note: Above rankings skewed upward due to the enormous damage caused by the Worcester Tornado event relative to the state’s small size.) In Essex County, 14 tornadoes were recorded during the period of 1950-1995. Of these, the great majority (11) fell within the lower F0 to F2 windspeed and damage categories. Only one tornado, occurring on September 29, 1974, reached the F3 (“severe damage”) level. EARTHQUAKES … Report of North Shore Earthquake of 1727: “At Newbury, many stone walls and chimney bricks were shaken down … firm land became quagmire, and marshes were dried up … the rise and fall of the ground made it difficult to walk, and houses shook and rocked as if they would fall apart … Felt from ships at sea …” Updating the “Regional Profile” Socioeconomic data… Merrimack Valley Population, Housing, and Employment (2010) Area Pop. Density Community (sq. mi.) Population (persons/sq. mi.) Households Employment Amesbury 12.4 16,283 1,328 6,642 9,025 Andover 31.0 33,201 1,076 11,851 15,584 Boxford 24.0 7,965 338 2,688 3,916 Georgetown 12.9 8,183 636 2,937 4,113 Groveland 8.9 6,459 727 2,346 3,003 Haverhill 33.3 60,879 1,846 24,150 30,782 Lawrence 7.0 76,377 11,028 25,181 31,057 Merrimac 8.5 6,338 749 2,417 3,437 Methuen