County Hazard Mitigation Plan

Bobbie Bicnell Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah. October 1, 2014.  Zach Coventing, regional planner, BRAG, and Mitch Poulsen, director of the Bear Lake Regional Commission, discussed the county hazard mitigation plan,

The 2000 the Hazard Mitigation Act required county plans.  The first plan was done in 2004, updated in 2009 and now it is being updated again.  This plan looks at natural hazards so that the county would be eligible for disaster grants after a disaster or grants to mitigate a hazard.

Emergency managers, elected officials, special services and the general public worked with Coventing to identify hazards.  There will be another meeting in November to work on the plan and strategies.  Adoption of the plan will be in February.  This will provide hazard maps for each community so that the communities can work on any emerging problems.  These maps will include changes in demographics and land use.  FEMA has software for earthquake simulation which the state will run for Rich County.  Coventing said that Rich county struggles with getting GIS data.  

There is a state wide mapping committee which could do mapping for Rich County if the county applies.  They are now working with Salt Lake County and other populous areas, but Coventing said that the changes in population during peak tourism seasons in Rich County might make them more interested.

Rich County has no flood plain mapping excepting for Woodruff.  Earthquake and liquefaction maps are outdated and the data is poor, geotechnical experts are needed.  Fire hazards have been identified and have good data.  The Utah geological survey is gathering high resolution elevation data at 2 meters which will help with flood and geological fault data, but need partners because it is expensive said Coventing.   Because of infrequent landslide danger in the county, landslide data needs to be updated. Some landslide issues are being raised in Garden City as houses are being built near canals. Critical infrastructure has been mapped

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Hazard specialists will come to a public meeting in October or November.   Tom Weston said that “it doesn’t take much to take out power here.  If it is winter at 20 degrees below zero it might pose a real hazard.  There needs to be an emergency response plan made for that.”  Coventing said that some counties are doing emergency fairs to educate citizens about natural disasters.  Each town has to adopt the plan to be eligible for emergency funds.