Town of Canaan, New Hampshire Hazard Mitigation Plan Town of Canaan Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Hazard Mitigation Regional Planning Committee Commission Prospect Hill Road – August 2008 May 2011 Update Town of Canaan, New Hampshire Hazard Mitigation Plan May 2011 Update TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................................................. 1 A. BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................................................................ 1 B. PURPOSE....................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 C. HISTORY ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 D. SCOPE OF THE PLAN.................................................................................................................................................................. 2 E. METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................................................................................................... 2 F. HAZARD MITIGATION GOALS................................................................................................................................................. 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.................................................................................................................................................................... 6 II. COMMUNITY PROFILE.................................................................................................................................................................. 7 A. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Geographical Location and Information............................................................................................................................................. 7 Development Trends........................................................................................................................................................................... 7 III. HAZARD IDENTIFICATION..................................................................................................................................................... 10 A. WHAT ARE THE HAZARDS IN CANAAN?............................................................................................................................ 10 B. DESCRIPTIONS OF HAZARDS................................................................................................................................................ 11 Dam Failure ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Flooding ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 14 Hurricane........................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Tornado & Downburst ...................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Thunderstorms .................................................................................................................................................................................. 21 Landslide........................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Erosion .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 22 Severe Winter Weather..................................................................................................................................................................... 23 Earthquake ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 27 Extreme Heat .................................................................................................................................................................................... 28 Drought ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 29 Wildfire............................................................................................................................................................................................. 30 Natural Water & Air Contaminants .................................................................................................................................................. 32 Hazardous Materials Spills ............................................................................................................................................................... 34 Terrorism........................................................................................................................................................................................... 34 Town of Canaan, New Hampshire Hazard Mitigation Plan May 2011 Update C. HAZARD RISK RATINGS......................................................................................................................................................... 35 Assessing Probability........................................................................................................................................................................ 35 Assessing Probability........................................................................................................................................................................ 36 Assessing Vulnerability .................................................................................................................................................................... 36 Assessing Risk .................................................................................................................................................................................. 37 IV. CRITICAL FACILITIES & LOCATIONS.................................................................................................................................. 39 V. DETERMINING HOW MUCH WILL BE AFFECTED................................................................................................................. 41 A. IDENTIFYING VULNERABLE FACILITIES........................................................................................................................... 41 B. IDENTIFYING VULNERABLE SPECIAL POPULATIONS.................................................................................................... 42 C. POTENTIAL LOSS ESTIMATES............................................................................................................................................... 42 Dam Failure – Low/Medium Risk - $2.8 Million Estimated Cost ................................................................................................... 42 Flooding – Medium/High Risk - $0.54 Million Estimated Cost ...................................................................................................... 42 Hurricane – Low/Medium Risk – No Recorded or Estimated Cost ................................................................................................. 42 Tornado & Downburst – High Risk – No Recorded or Estimated Cost........................................................................................... 43 Thunderstorm/Lightning/Hail – Medium/High Risk – No Recorded or Estimated Cost ................................................................. 43 Landslide - Low Risk – No Recorded or Estimated Costs ............................................................................................................... 43 Erosion – Low/Medium Risk - No Recorded or Estimated Costs.................................................................................................... 43 Severe Winter Weather – Medium/High Risk – No Recorded or Estimated Cost ........................................................................... 43 Earthquake – Medium Risk – $2.25 Million Estimated Cost ........................................................................................................... 44 Extreme Heat – Low/Medium Risk – No Recorded or Estimated Cost ........................................................................................... 44 Drought – Medium Risk – No Recorded or Estimated Cost ...........................................................................................................