TC Resolution 25-02 Authorizing the Adoption of the 2025 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation PlanA
Avon
C O L O R A D O
RESOLUTION NO.25-02
AUTHORIZING THE ADOPTION OF THE
2025 EAGLE COUNTY HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN
WHEREAS, all jurisdictions within Eagle County, Colorado have exposure to natural hazards that
increase the risk to life, property, environment, and the County and local economy; and
WHEREAS, pro -active mitigation of known hazards before a disaster event can reduce or eliminate
long-term risk to life and property; and
WHEREAS, the Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 was signed into law on October 30, 2000,
placing new emphasis on state and local mitigation planning for natural hazards and requiring
jurisdictions to adopt a hazard mitigation action plan to be eligible for pre -disaster and post -disaster
federal funding for mitigation purposes; and
WHEREAS, a Multi -Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan was prepared by Eagle County, CO, with
assistance from JEO Consulting Group, Inc.
WHEREAS, the purpose of the mitigation plan was to lessen the effects of disasters by increasing
the disaster resistance of the county and participating jurisdictions located within the planning area
by identifying the hazards that affect the Town of Avon and prioritize mitigation actions and
strategies to reduce potential loss of life and property damage from those hazards, and
WHEREAS, FEMA regulations require documentation that the plan has been formally adopted by
the governing body of the Town of Avon in the form of a Resolution and further requesting approval
of the plan at the Federal Level; and
NOW, THEREFORE, the governing body of the Town of Avon does herewith adopt the most recent
and FEMA approved version of the Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 2025 in its entirety and
resolves to execute the actions identified in the Plan that pertain to this jurisdiction.
ADOPTED January 28, 2025, by the AVON TOWN COUNCIL
By: 12 L
Tamra N. Underwood, Mayor
Attest:
Miguel Jauregui
•�
�.� E Via.
Town Clerk �-
. , ate+' '� '� � •
Prepared by:
■
I •
1 � JEO CONSULTING GROUP
Eagle County Planning Team
Name
Title
Jurisdiction
Birch Barron
Director of Emergency Management Eagle County
Fernando Almanza
Deputy Emergency Manager
Eagle County
*Phil Luebbert
Project Coordinator
JEO Consulting Group Inc.
*Karl Dietrich
Planner
JEO Consulting Group Inc.
*Mark Thompson
State Hazard Mitigation Officer
Colorado Division of
Homeland Security and
Emergency Management
*Matthew West
Mitigation Planning Supervisor
Colorado Division of
Homeland Security and
Emergency Management
*Served in an advisory or consultant role.
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
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Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Table of Contents
EagleCounty Planning Team......................................................................................................1
Tableof Contents........................................................................................................................3
Listof Figures.............................................................................................................................5
Listof Tables..............................................................................................................................5
SectionOne: Introduction............................................................................................................7
Hazard Mitigation Planning......................................................................................................7
Hazard Mitigation Assistance..................................................................................................7
Summaryof Changes..............................................................................................................9
Goalsand Objectives..............................................................................................................9
Participating Jurisdictions......................................................................................................10
Section Two: How to Use This Hazard Mitigation Plan..............................................................11
Introduction...........................................................................................................................11
Howto Use This Document...................................................................................................11
Section Three: Planning Area Overview....................................................................................13
Introduction...........................................................................................................................13
Locationand Geography.......................................................................................................13
Demographics.......................................................................................................................13
Housing.................................................................................................................................16
Employmentand Economics.................................................................................................18
Section Four: Planning Process Summary................................................................................19
Introduction...........................................................................................................................19
PlanUpdate Process.............................................................................................................19
Stakeholder and Public Involvement......................................................................................21
Section Five: Risk Assessment Summary.................................................................................23
Introduction...........................................................................................................................23
HazardIdentification..............................................................................................................23
Hazard Assessment Summary Tables...................................................................................25
FEMANational Risk Index.....................................................................................................29
Historical Disaster Declarations.............................................................................................29
HazardProfiles......................................................................................................................31
Section Six: Mitigation Strategy.................................................................................................35
Introduction...........................................................................................................................35
Summaryof Changes............................................................................................................35
Selected Mitigation and Strategic Actions..............................................................................35
Participant Mitigation Actions.................................................................................................36
Section Seven: Plan Implementation and Maintenance............................................................37
Monitoring, Evaluating, and Updating the Plan......................................................................37
Continued Public Involvement...............................................................................................38
Unforeseen Opportunities......................................................................................................38
Incorporation into Existing Planning Mechanisms..................................................................38
Section Eight: Participant Profiles.............................................................................................41
Purpose of Participant Profiles..............................................................................................41
Participant Profile Appendices
Eaale Countv and Communitv Aooendix
Eagle County
Town of Avon
Town of Basalt*
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 3
Table of Contents
Town of Eagle
Town of Gypsum
Town of Minturn
Town of Red Cliff
Town of Vail
Special Distristricts Appendix
Basalt Library District
Basalt Sanitation District
Berry Creek Metro District
Cordillera Metro District
Eagle County Paramedic Services
Eagle County School District
Eagle River Fire Protection District
Eagle River Water & Sanitation District
Eagle Vail Metropolitan District
Eagle Valley Library District
Eagle Valley Transportation Authority
Greater Eagle Fire Protection District
Gypsum Fire Protection District
Mountain Recreation Metropolitan District
Roaring Fork Fire Rescue Authority
Vail Recreation District
Appendix A:
Full Risk Assessment
Appendix B:
Planning Process Documentation
Appendix C:
Planning Area Profile
Appendix D:
Mitigation Strategy
Appendix E:
Hazard Mitigation Project Funding Guidebook
Appendix F:
Guide to Review and Update the Hazard Mitigation Plan
ADgendix G:
Eagle Countv Communitv Wildfire Protection Plan
'Participated in the Pitkin County Hazard Mitigation Plan'
1 Pitkin County. April 2023. "Pitkin County Hazard Mitigation Plan". https://Pitkincounty.com/DocumentCenterNiew/31286/Pitkin-
County-Hazard-Mitigation-Plan-2023.
4 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
List of Figures
Figure 1:
County Population, 1890-2020....................................................................................................13
Figure 2:
Eagle County Planning Area........................................................................................................
14
Figure 3:
Population by Age Cohort and Sex (2020)..................................................................................
15
Figure 4:
Housing Age in Eagle County......................................................................................................
17
Figure5:
Project Timeline...........................................................................................................................
19
Figure 6:
First Responders at an Emergency Incident...............................................................................
39
List of Tables
Table 1:
2019 Plan Comments and Revisions............................................................................
9
Table 2:
Participating Jurisdictions............................................................................................10
Table3:
School Inventory .........................................................................................................15
Table 4:
County Inventory of Care Facilities..............................................................................16
Table 5:
County & State ESL and Poverty At -Risk Populations.................................................16
Table 6:
County Racial Composition Trends.............................................................................16
Table 7:
County Housing Characteristics..................................................................................16
Table 8:
Vulnerable County & State Housing Characteristics....................................................17
Table 9:
Vulnerable Employment & Economic Characteristics..................................................18
Table 10:
Hazards Addressed in the Plan.................................................................................23
Table 11:
Loss Estimation for Eagle County..............................................................................26
Table 12:
County Risk Assessment...........................................................................................27
Table 13:
National Risk Index...................................................................................................29
Table 14:
Presidential Disaster Declarations.............................................................................29
Table 15:
USDA Secretarial Disasters (2012-2023)..................................................................30
Table 16:
State Emergency Declarations..................................................................................30
Table 17:
Prioritized Hazards of Concern by Jurisdiction..........................................................31
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 5
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Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Section One: Introduction
Hazard mitigation planning is a process in which hazards are identified and profiled; people and
facilities at -risk are identified and assessed for threats and potential vulnerabilities; and strategies
and mitigation measures are identified. Hazard mitigation planning increases the ability of
communities and other governmental entities to effectively function in the face of natural disasters.
The goal of the process is to reduce risk and vulnerability, in order to lessen impacts on life, the
economy, and infrastructure.
Severe weather and hazardous events are occurring more frequently in our daily lives. Pursuing
mitigation strategies reduces risk and is socially and economically responsible to prevent long-
term risks from natural and human -caused hazard events.
Hazards, such as severe winter weather, avalanche, severe wind, intentional attacks, landslides,
floods, lightning, and wildfires are part of the world around us. These hazard events can occur as
a part of normal operation or because of human error. All jurisdictions participating in this planning
process are vulnerable to a wide range of hazards that threaten the safety of residents and have
the potential to damage or destroy both public and private property, cause environmental
degradation, or disrupt the local economy and overall quality of life.
This plan is an update to the Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan approved in 2019. The plan
update was developed in compliance with the requirements of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000
(DMA 2000). By preparing this plan, Eagle County has demonstrated a commitment to reducing
risks from hazards and to helping decision makers establish mitigation activities and resources.
Hazard Mitigation
On June 1, 2009, FEMA initiated the Hazard Mitigation Assistance program integration, which
aligned certain policies and timelines of the various mitigation programs. These Hazard Mitigation
Assistance programs present a critical opportunity to minimize the risk to individuals and property
from hazards while simultaneously reducing the reliance on federal disaster funds.
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 7
Section One I Introduction
Each Hazard Mitigation Assistance program was authorized by separate legislative actions, and
as such, each program differs slightly in scope and intent.
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program: To qualify for post -disaster mitigation funds, local
jurisdictions must adopt a mitigation plan that is approved by FEMA. Hazard Mitigation
Grant Program provides funds to states, territories, Indian tribal governments, local
governments, and eligible private non -profits following a presidential disaster declaration.
The DMA 2000 authorizes up to seven percent of Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds
available to a state after a disaster to be used for the development or update of state,
tribal, and local mitigation plans.
• Flood Mitigation Assistance: This program provides grant funds to implement projects
such as acquisition or elevation of flood -prone homes. Jurisdictions must be participating
communities in the National Flood Insurance Program to qualify for this grant. The goal of
Flood Mitigation Assistance is to reduce or eliminate claims under the National Flood
Insurance Program.
• Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities: This program replaced the Pre -
Disaster Mitigation Program beginning in 2020 and provides funds on an annual allocation
basis to local jurisdictions for implementing programs and projects to improve resiliency
and local capacity before disaster events.
• Pre -Disaster Mitigation: The Pre -Disaster Mitigation grant program makes federal funds
available to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to implement measures
designed to reduce the risk to individuals and property from future natural hazards. The
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 authorizes funding for 100 projects with total
funds of $233,043,782 in 2023.
• Fire Mitigation Assistance Grants: Section 404 of the Stafford Act allows FEMA to
provide Hazard Mitigation Grant Program grants to any area that received a Fire
Management Assistance Grant declaration even if no major Presidential declaration was
made. Fire Mitigation Assistance Grants aids communities in implementing long-term
mitigation measures after a wildfire event.
For more information about these grant programs and other funding opportunities to help
implement identified mitigation actions see Appendix E: Hazard Mitigation Project Fundinq
Guidebook.
8 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Section One I Introduction
The hazard mitigation planning process goes through changes during each plan update to best
accommodate the planning area and specific conditions. Changes from the 2019 Hazard
Mitigation Plan and planning process in this update included: an updated plan layout, greater
efforts to reach and include stakeholder groups, greater effort to include all taxing authorities as
participants; a more in-depth funding guidebook; and changes to meet updated FEMA hazard
mitigation plan policies. The plan was also updated to reflect changing priorities for each
participating jurisdiction. Prioritized hazards of concern were identified by each local planning
team along with a review of mitigation actions. Each local planning team reviewed the mitigation
actions from 2019 and updated the timeline, priority (high, medium, low), and status. Local
planning teams were also able to add new mitigation actions to better fit any changing priorities
and concerns. The 2019 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan Review Tool was reviewed for
possible changes to incorporate into this plan update and were addressed where applicable.
These changes are described in the table below.
Table 1: 2019 Plan Comments and Revisions
Consider utilizing GIS data of hazards, people, Participant
and structures during the annual review Profile, GIS data and maps were added and
process to simplify the exposure and Appendix A: included throughout the plan when
vulnerability update in the next plan. Full Risk data was available.
The potential for disaster losses and the probability of occurrence of natural and human -caused
hazards present a significant concern for the jurisdictions participating in this plan. The driving
motivation behind this hazard mitigation plan is to reduce vulnerability and the likelihood of
impacts to the health, safety, and welfare of all citizens in the planning area. To this end, the Eagle
County Planning Team reviewed and approved goals which helped guide the process of
identifying both broad -based and jurisdictional -specific mitigation strategies and projects that will,
if implemented, reduce their vulnerability, and help build stronger, more resilient communities.
Goals from the 2019 hazard mitigation plan were reviewed, and the Eagle County Planning Team
agreed that they are still relevant and applicable for this plan update. The updated goals and
objectives for this plan update are as follows.
Goal 1: Protect Life, Property, and the Environment by Reducing the Impact of Natural and
Human -Caused Hazards in Eagle County
Objectives
A. Enhance assessment of multi -hazard risk to life, property, and the environment to identify
areas within Eagle County that are at particular risk from catastrophic loss due to wildfires,
floods, avalanches, and other hazards.
B. Develop and implement action plans to reduce potential loss of life, property, critical
infrastructure, and valued resources while protecting the safety of the public and
emergency responders.
C. Provide framework for implementation and management of mitigation actions identified by
this plan.
D. Increase public education and awareness of hazards and risk reduction measures.
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 9
Section One I Introduction
Goal 2: Minimize Economic Losses and Speed Recovery and Redevelopment Following
Future Disaster Events
Obiectives
A. Strengthen disaster resiliency of governments, businesses, and community members.
B. Promote and conduct continuity of operations and continuity of governance planning.
C. Reduce financial exposure of the county, municipal governments, and fire protection
districts.
Goal 3: Implement the Mitigation Actions Identified in this Plan
Objectives
A. Engage collaborative partners, community organizations, businesses, and others.
B. Commit to hazard mitigation principles and integrate mitigation activities into existing and
new community plans and policies.
C. Comply with federal and state legislation and guidance for local hazard mitigation
planning.
D. Proactively prepare to minimize secondary hazards associated with expected events.
E. Monitor, evaluate, and update the mitigation plan on an annual basis and modify plans,
as necessary.
Jurisdictions that participated in the Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan are listed in the table
below. These jurisdictions met all the requirements for participation by attending required
meetings, assisting in data collection, identifying mitigation actions, reviewing plan drafts, and
either adopting the plan by resolution or planning to adopt the plan by resolution.
Table 2: ParticiL3atinq Jurisdictions
Participating
Eagle County Eagle Count Paramedic Services
Town of Avon
Eagle County School District
Town of Basalt*
Eagle River Fire Protection District
Town of Eagle
Eagle River Water & Sanitation District
Town of Gypsum
Eagle Vail Metropolitan District
Town of Minturn
Eagle Valley Library District
Town of Red Cliff
Eagle Valley Transportation Authority
Town of Vail
Greater Eagle Fire Protection District
Basalt Library District
Gypsum Fire Protection District
Basalt Sanitation District
Mountain Recreation Metropolitan District
Berry Creek Metro District
Roaring Fork Fire Rescue Authority
Cordillera Metro District
Vail Recreation District
'Participates in the Pitkin County Hazard Mitigation Plan'
2 Pitkin County. April 2023. "Pitkin County Hazard Mitigation Plan". htti)s://pitkincounty.com/DocumentCenterNiew/31286/Pitkin-
County-Hazard-Mitigation-Plan-2023.
10 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Section Two: How to Use This
Hazard Mitigation Plan
Introduction
This hazard mitigation plan was developed for anyone that lives, works, owns a business, owns
land, or visits Eagle County. Different sections of the plan will be helpful to different people. This
section is designed to help guide readers to the most relevant information.
Jurisdiction that Participated in the Plan
I am a governing official from a participating jurisdiction and want to learn more about the hazards
that could impact my jurisdiction, identify strategies to reduce vulnerability to those hazards, how
to secure funding for those strategies, and how to keep the plan up to date. I would review:
• Section Three Planning Area Overview and Appendix C Planning Area Profile: To
learn about demographics, at -risk populations, housing, employment, economics, social
vulnerability, rural capacity index, state and federal areas, and historical sites.
• Section Five Risk Assessment Summary and Appendix A Full Risk Assessment: To
learn about the hazards that could impact Eagle County, where those hazards are likely
to occur, how often they are likely to occur, the possible extent of the hazards, how climate
change will impact the hazards, and countywide vulnerabilities.
• Section Six Plan Implementation and Maintenance and Appendix F Guide to Review
and Update the Hazard Mitigation Plan: To learn about plan maintenance and how to
update your participant section.
• Section Eight Plan Participant Profiles: To learn jurisdictional specific information about
Eagle County, local communities, and other local jurisdictions. Each participant section
contains information about prioritized hazards, infrastructure critical to community lifelines,
and mitigation strategies.
• Appendix E Hazard Mitigation Funding Guidebook: To learn about various federal,
state, and other funding sources to help pay for identified mitigation strategies.
Resident, Landowner, Visitor, or Business
I am a resident, landowner, visitor, or business and want to learn about Eagle County/my
community, protecting my family, home, and property from natural and human -caused hazards.
would review:
• Section Three Planning Area Overview and Appendix C Planning Area Profile: To
learn about demographics, at -risk populations, housing, employment, economics, social
vulnerability, rural capacity index, state and federal areas, and historical sites.
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 11
Section Two I How to Use This Hazard Mitigation Plan
• Section Five Risk Assessment Summary and Appendix A Full Risk Assessment: To
learn about the hazards that could impact Eagle County, where those hazards are likely
to occur, how often they are likely to occur, the possible extent of the hazards, how climate
change will impact the hazards, and countywide vulnerabilities.
• Section Seven Plan Implementation and Maintenance: To learn jurisdictional specific
information about Eagle County, local communities, and other local jurisdictions. Each
participant section contains information about prioritized hazards, infrastructure critical to
community lifelines, and mitigation strategies.
State or Federal Agency
I am with a state or federal agency and want to learn more about the planning process, hazard
risks, and mitigation strategies across all jurisdictions in Eagle County. I would review:
• Section One Introduction: To learn about the goals and objectives of the Eagle County
Hazard Mitigation Plan.
• Section Three Planning Area Overview and Appendix C Planning Area Profile: To
learn about demographics, at -risk populations, housing, employment, economics, social
vulnerability, rural capacity index, state and federal areas, and historical sites.
• Section Four Planning Process Summary and Appendix B Planning Process
Documentation: To learn about the planning process, who attended meetings, and who
was invited to participate.
• Section Five Risk Assessment Summary and Appendix A Full Risk Assessment: To
learn about the hazards that could impact Eagle County, where those hazards are likely
to occur, how often they are likely to occur, the possible extent of the hazards, how climate
change will impact the hazards, and countywide vulnerabilities.
• Appendix D Mitigation Strategy: To learn about the mitigation strategies identified by
each participating jurisdiction.
12 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Section Three: Planning Area
Overview
'introduction
To identify jurisdictional vulnerabilities, it is vitally important to understand the people and built
environment of the planning area. The following section provides a summary of Eagle County's
characteristics. A more detailed profile broken down by community is covered in Appendix C:
Planning Area Profile, including demographics, at -risk populations, employment, economics, and
housing.
Eagle County is located in the Rocky Mountains of northwestern Colorado. The county covers
1,692 square miles and elevation ranges from 6,128 feet to 14,011 feet above sea level. The
White River National Forest covers a large portion of the eastern and southern portions of the
county. There are seven incorporated communities in Eagle County: Town of Avon, Town of
Basalt, Town of Eagle, Town of Gypsum, Town of Minturn, Town of Red Cliff, and the Town of
Vail. Major transportation routes include Interstate 70, U.S. Highway 6, U.S. Highway 24, State
Highway 82, and State Highway 131. Major waterways in the district include the Colorado River,
Eagle River, Piney River, Gypsum Creek, Brush Creek, Derby Creek, Rock Creek, Alkali Creek,
and Gore Creek. Figure 2 shows Eagle County, incorporated communities, major transportation
routes, major waterways, and location within the state.
Demographics
The U.S. Census Bureau collects specific demographic information for Eagle County. The
estimated population of the planning area is 55,731.1
Figure 1: County Population, 1890-2020
60,000 55,731
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000 3
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau'
3 United States Census Bureau. "2020 Census Bureau Decennial Census: P1: Race." https://data.census.00v/.
4 United States Census Bureau. "2020 Census Bureau Decennial Census: P1: Race." httpsiHdata.census.gov/.
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 13
Section Three I Planning Area Overview
Figure 2: Eagle County Planning Area
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14 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Section Three I Planning Area Overview
Over 85
80 to 84
75 to 79
70 to 74
65 to 69
60 to 64
55 to 59
50 to 54
45 to 49
} 40 to 44
35 to 39
30 to 34
25 to 29
20 to 24
15 to 19
10 to 14
5to9
Under 5
Figure 3: Population by Age Cohort and Sex (2020)
w Female % ■ Male %
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Percentage of the Population
Source. U.S. Census Bureaus
Community and regional vulnerability are impacted by growing or declining populations. Areas
growing quickly may lack resources to provide services for all residents in a reasonable timeframe
including snow removal, emergency storm shelters, repairs to damaged infrastructure, or even
tracking the location of vulnerable populations. Eagle County has displayed large population
growth since 1970. However, growth has slowed in 2010 and 2020. Additional population
information broken down by community can be found in Appendix C: Planning Area Profile.
In general, certain populations may have increased vulnerability due to difficulty with medical
issues, extremes in age, and communication issues due to language barriers. Several at -risk
populations have been identified in Eagle County. These include:
• Schools
• Care Facilities
• Populations That Speak English as a Second Language
• Racial Minorities
The tables on the next page list the at -risk populations in Eagle County. For additional information
about at -risk populations see Appendix C: Planning Area Profile.
Table 3: School Invento
5 United States Census Bureau. "2020 Census Bureau Decennial Census: P1: Race." https://data.census.00v/.
6 Colorado Department of Education. September 2023. "PK-12 Membership Trend by District."
htti)s://www.cde.state.co.us/cdereval/pupilcurrent.
7 Colorado Department of Education. September 2023. "Count of Teachers by District, Ethnicity and Gender."
https://www.cde.state.co. us/cderevaI/pupilcurrent.
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 15
Section Three I Planning Area Overview
fable 4: County InventoN of Care Facilities
Hospitals.
1 1 1
nurr . Colorado Denarfment of Puhlir. Health and Environments
Table 5: County & State ESL and Povertv At -Risk Populations
Eagle County 1 25.8%
State of Colorado I 16.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureaus
Table 6: Coun Racial Composition
Trends
2010
2010
Race
Number
% of Total
Number
%of Total
Change
White, Not Hispanic
43,428
83.2%
45,334
81.4%
-1.8%
Black
365
0.7%
501
0.9%
0.2%
American Indian and Alaskan
365
0.7%
56
0.1 %
-0.6%
Native
Asian
522
1.0%
779
1.4%
0.4%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific
0
0.0%
56
0.1 %
0.1 %
Islander
Other Races
6,421
12.3%
2,061
3.7%
-8.6%
Two or More Races
1,096
2.1%
6,906
12.4%
10.3%
Total Population
52,197
-
55,694
- I
-
Source. U.S. Census Bureau
The U.S. Census Bureau provides information related to housing units and potential areas of
vulnerability. Potentially vulnerable housing characteristics include vacant housing, rental
properties, mobile homes, older housing, those with no internet, and homes with no vehicles
available. The tables below show vulnerable housing characteristics in Eagle County. Additional
housing information broken down by community can be found in Appendix C: Planninq Area
Profile.
Table 7:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
8 Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. 2023. 'Regulated Health Facilities". https://cdl)he.colorado.gov/find-and-
compare-facilities.
9 United States Census Bureau. "2021 Census Bureau American Community Survey: S1601: Language Spoken at Home."
https://data.census.gov/.
10 United States Census Bureau. "2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171): P1: Race." https://data.census.gov.
11 United States Census Bureau. "2021 Census Bureau American Community Survey: DP05: ACS Demographic and Housing
Estimates." https://data.census.gov/.
12 United States Census Bureau. "2021 Census Bureau American Community Survey: DP04: Selected Housing Characteristics."
https://data.census.gov/.
16 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Section Three I Planning Area Overview
Table 8: Vulnerable County & State Housing Characteristics
Housing Characteristics
Occupied Housing Units
Eagle County
19,5111
59.8 /0
State of
Colorado
2,227,932
90.8
Lacking Complete Plumbing Facilities
0.1 %
0.3%
Lacking Complete Kitchen Facilities
0.5%
0.7%
No Telephone Service Available
1.0%
1.0%
Broadband Internet Subscription
95.1 %
90.9%
No Vehicles Available
3.4%
5.0%
Mobile Homes
5.9%
3.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau13 11
35
tit
v,
'c
rn
25
c
Cn
0 20
0
0
a� 15
rn
m
c
10
m
a.
Figure 4: Housing Age in Eagle County
2.1
_ 0.6 0.8 win
F 47
Pre 1940 1940-19491950-19591960-19691970-19791980-19891990-19992000-20092010-2020
Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau15
Housing Crisis
Eagle County is a highly desirable area to visit and live in, with premier ski resorts and abundant
public land for recreation. However, the cost of housing in Eagle County has increased
dramatically over the last decade because of low interest rates on secondary properties and
increases in short-term rental properties. The lack of available and affordable workforce housing
has caused many employers to have unfilled positions. Those working in Eagle County often have
to pay high rents, work multiple jobs, or commute into the county from other areas.16
13 United States Census Bureau. "2021 Census Bureau American Community Survey: DP04: Selected Housing Characteristics."
https://data.census.aov/.
14 United States Census Bureau. "2021 Census Bureau American Community Survey: DP02: Selected Social Characteristics in the
United States." https://data.census.00v/.
15 United States Census Bureau. "2021 Census Bureau American Community Survey: DP04: Selected Housing Characteristics".
https://data.census.gov/.
16 Eagle County. December 2023. "Eagle County Community Wildfire Protection Plan". https://csfs.colostate.edu/wp-
content/uploads/2023/12/Community Wildfire Protection Plan-ECFinal.pdf.
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 17
Section Three I Planning Area Overview
The U.S. Census Bureau provides information related to employment and economic indicators.
Low-income populations and the unemployed may be more vulnerable to certain hazards like
flooding and severe winter weather. Additional employment and economic information broken
down by community can be found in Appendix C: Planning Area Profile.
Table 9: Vulnerable Employment & Economic Characteristics
Employment
Characteristics ..
Percent of People Living Below the 9.2% 9.6%
Povertv Line
Median Household Income $91,338 $80,184
Unemployment Rate 3.9% 4.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau"
17 United States Census Bureau. "2021 Census Bureau American Community Survey: DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics."
httos://data. census.gov/.
18 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
n ti r m N
U7:
Introduction
FEMA Planning Process Requirements
Requirement §201.6(b): Planning process. An open public involvement process is essential to the
development of an effective plan. In order to develop a more comprehensive approach to reducing the
effects of natural disasters, the planning process shall include:
(1) An opportunity for the public to comment on the plan during the drafting stage and prior to
plan approval;
(2) An opportunity for neighboring communities, local and regional agencies involved in hazard
mitigation activities, and agencies that have the authority to regulate development, as well as
businesses, academia, and other private and non-profit interests to be involved in the planning
process; and
(3) Review and incorporation, if appropriate, of existing plans, studies, reports, and technical
information.
Requirement §201.6(c)(1): The plan shall document the planning process used to develop the plan,
including how it was prepared, who was involved in the process, and how the public was involved.
Plan Llodate Process
Hazard Mitigation Plan Development
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb April May
Public
Project Round 1 Round 2 Review Plan - PlanrAp'pimvall
Kick-off Meetings Meetings Period & Submission to Expiration
Local OHSEM/FEMA'
Adoption
Section Four I Planning Process Summary
To be a participant in the development of this plan update, jurisdictions were required to have, at
a minimum, one representative present at the Round 1 or Round 2 meetings, view meeting
recordings, or attend a follow-up meeting with either JEO Consulting Group, Inc., or Eagle County.
Round 1 Meetings: Hazard Identification & Plan Integration
The intent of the Round 1 Meeting was to familiarize jurisdictional representatives (i.e., the local
planning teams), stakeholders, and the public with the plan update process, expected actions for
the coming months, the responsibilities of being a participant, and to collect preliminary
information to update the plan. After the meeting, the attendees conducted risk and vulnerability
assessments based on local capabilities, previous occurrences of hazards, and potential
exposure. In addition, local planning team members evaluated potential integration of the hazard
mitigation plan alongside other local planning mechanisms.
The Round 1 Meeting was held as a hybrid meeting where participants, stakeholders, and the
public could either join in -person or online via Google Meets. The meeting was held on Monday
October 2, 2023, at the Eagle County Building Emergency Operations Center from 10:OOam to
11:30am. Virtual and in -person sign -in sheets can be found in Appendix B: Planning Process
Documentation.
Round 2 Meetings: Mitigation Strategies, National Flood Insurance Program, & Plan
Maintenance
Round 2 information was designed to identify and prioritize new mitigation measures, update
previous mitigation actions from the 2019 hazard mitigation plan, update National Flood Insurance
Program information, and identify when the plan would be reviewed and by whom. Attendees
were also asked to review the information collected from the Round 1 meeting related to their
jurisdiction through this planning process for accuracy.
The Round 2 Meeting was held as a hybrid meeting where participants, stakeholders, and the
public could either join in -person or online via Google Meets. The meeting was held on
Wednesday January 17, 2024, at the Eagle County Building Emergency Operations Center from
10:30am to 11:30am. Virtual and in -person sign -in sheets can be found in Appendix 8: Planning
Process Documentation.
Public Review
Once the hazard mitigation plan draft was completed, a public review period was opened to allow
local planning teams and community members at large to review the plan, provide comments,
and request changes. The public review period was open from February 28, 2024, through March
13, 2024. Participating jurisdictions were emailed a notification of this public review period. A link
to the draft plan was also made available on the county's website
(httr)s://www.eaglecounty.us/departments services/emergency management/emergency pla
ns.php and a Facebook post was made to the Eagle County Public Information Office page.
Jurisdictions and the public could provide comments via phone call or email. A review of the
comments and who they were from can be found in Appendix B: Planning Process
Documentation. All changes and comments were reviewed and incorporated into the plan as
applicable.
Plan Adoption
Based on FEMA requirements, this multi -jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan must be formally
adopted by each participant through approval of a resolution. This approval will create individual
ownership of the plan by each participant. Formal adoption provides evidence of a participant's
20 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Section Four I Planning Process Summary
full commitment to implement the plan's goals, objectives, and action items. A copy of the
resolution draft provided to participating jurisdictions is located in Appendix B. Planninq Process
Documentation along with any copies of adoption resolutions that have already been received.
To notify and engage the public in the planning process, a wide range of stakeholder groups,
State of Colorado agencies, neighboring jurisdictions, and the general public were contacted and
encouraged to participate in the plan update. Lists of the notified stakeholders, agencies, and
neighboring jurisdictions can be found in Appendix B: Planning Process Documentation.
The Eagle County Planning Team was asked to identify any underserved communities or
vulnerable populations in the planning area not already identified, so they could have the
opportunity to be involved in the planning process. The planning team identified individuals and
families where Spanish is the primary language spoken. To include this group, the public survey
was made available in Spanish, and the project website was also made available in Spanish.
Stakeholder Groups
There were 37 stakeholder groups that were identified and emailed invitations to participate in the
planning process by attending meetings. Climax Molybdenum, Vail Mountain School, Stone Creek
Charter School, Arrowhead Metro District, Lake Creek Metro District, Reudi Shores Metro District,
Timber Springs Metro, Holland Creek Metro District, Red Sky Ranch Metro District, Two Rivers
Metro District, Bachelor Gulch Metro District, and Buckhorn Valley Metro District attended
meetings. Vail Mountain School returned information about their prioritized hazards of concern.
Those hazards and reasons they were selected as a prioritized hazard are given below.
• Avalanche: Vail Mountain School is concerned with avalanches because they threaten
backcountry school programming and experiential education, risk of injury to students and
staff, blocked transportation routes, and damage to the school building.
• Drought: Direct impacts on the school are unlikely, however, drought can have a large
impact on the local ski and recreation economy. This can have a trickle -down effect on the
school budget and student population. Drought also increases the likelihood of wildfires.
• Landslides: Vail Mountain School is concerned with landslides because of the risk of injury
to students and staff, blocked transportation routes, disruption of services, and damage to
the school building.
• Severe Winter Weather: Vail Mountain School is concerned with severe winter weather's
ability to cause injuries, blocked transportation routes, and disruption of services. The
school is often interrupted when severe weather closes Interstate 70.
• Wildfire: Vail Mountain School is concerned with a wildfire impacting families causing them
to leave the area. Wildfire could also damage the school and cause a long-term disruption
in operations and school programming.
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 21
Section Four I Planning Process Summary
Vulnerable Populations
Through discussions with Eagle County Emergency Management, those who primarily speak
Spanish, were identified as a potential vulnerable population in the county. Targeted outreach to
this population included a project announcement on the county website in Spanish and the public
survey available in Spanish. The Spanish Public Survey was posted on the Eagle County Public
Safety Information and Eagle County Emergency Management website, the Family Resource
Center Facebook page, the Mi Salud and Mi Charco Facebook pages, and a WhatsApp group of
166 Spanish speakers in Eagle County. Copies of the postings can be found in Appendix 8:
Planning Process Documentation. Survey results from the Spanish survey were added to the
overall public survey responses and given to Eagle County Emergency Management.
State of Colorado Agencies
To comply with the additional State of Colorado plan requirements various state agencies were
contacted and emailed invitations to participate in the planning process by attending meetings or
reviewing the draft plan. Representatives from Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado
Department of Natural Resources, and Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency
Management attended the public meetings.
Neighboring Jurisdictions
Neighboring jurisdictions were notified and invited to participate in the planning process by
attending meetings. A representative from Summit County and the City of Leadville attended the
Round 1 Meeting. No comments or revisions were received from any neighboring jurisdictions.
Public Survey
The general public was encouraged to participate in the planning process through a public survey
that was available online and by hard copy in both English and Spanish. The survey was shared
with the public using the county's website, social media posts, and direct contacts. Copies of the
survey along with outreach documentation can be found in Appendix 8: Planning Process
Documentation. The purpose of the survey was to collect specific concerns related to hazards
and projects the public have a vested interest in. It was available beginning after the Round 1
meeting and closed a week prior to the Round 2 meeting. In total there were 92 responses to the
survey from members of the public with a majority (40/92) coming from the Town of Gypsum.
Results of the public survey were shared with participating jurisdictions during the Round 2
meeting. These results helped influence hazard prioritization and mitigation actions selected by
local planning teams. The public survey could also be used by participating jurisdictions to
determine needed capabilities and future outreach preferences.
The most commonly experienced hazard events for residents included wildfire, severe winter
weather, and lightning. This was similar to the ranked level of concern for hazard events, with one
major difference, drought. The top hazards of concern included: wildfire, drought, and severe
winter weather. Wildfire fuels reduction and early warning systems were the most popular
mitigation projects of importance for the public. The full results of the public survey can be found
in Appendix 8: Planning Process Documentation.
22 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Section Five: Risk
Assessment Summary
The ultimate purpose of this hazard mitigation plan is to minimize the loss of life and property
across Eagle County due to natural and human -caused hazards. The basis for the planning
process is the county and local risk assessment. This section contains a summary of potential
hazards, county vulnerabilities and exposures, probability of future occurrences, and potential
impacts and losses. By conducting a county and local risk assessment, participating jurisdictions
can develop specific strategies to address areas of concern identified through this process. This
section is meant to provide a summary of the risk assessment for Eagle County. The full risk
assessment can be found in Appendix A: Full Risk Assessment.
The identification of relevant hazards for Eagle County began with a review of the Colorado
Enhanced State Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023-2028. The Eagle County Planning Team reviewed,
discussed, and determined the list of hazards to be profiled in this hazard mitigation plan update.
It was decided that the hazards addressed in the 2019 Hazard Mitigation Plan were still applicable
and would be used for this plan update. Two hazards were added to the plan: intentional attack
and transportation incidents. The hazards for which a risk assessment was completed are listed
below.
Table 10: Hazards Addressed in the Plan
Hazards identified in the Colorado Enhanced State Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023 - 2028 that were
not identified in the Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan update include the following list.'$
• Animal Disease Outbreak
• Earthquake
• Erosion / Deposition
• Expansive Soils
• Extreme Heat
• Ground Subsidence
• Hail
• Pandemic
• Pest Infestation
• Tornado
18 Colorado Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management. 2023. "Colorado Enhanced State Hazard Mitigation Plan
2023-2028". https://drive.google.com/file/d/lMPLOOiv-yZYDIMziTvYkRl2s35FzG-G8/view.
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 23
Section Five I Risk Assessment Summary
These hazards were reviewed by Eagle County and the participating jurisdictions and were
chosen to not be included in this plan due to a variety of reasons. Specific reasons for omission
are discussed by hazard below.
Animal Disease Outbreak
Animal agriculture is not a large portion of Eagle County's local economy. In the 2022 Census of
Agriculture, the county ranks 47 out of 63 Colorado counties in livestock products sold. Eagle
County and the local planning teams felt that this hazard was of very low concern and did not
need to be profiled in the hazard mitigation plan.
Earthquake
Earthquakes were not profiled in this plan due to minimal historical incidents and low magnitudes.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there have been eight earthquakes in Eagle County
since 1900.19 These earthquakes had an average magnitude of 2.3 on the Richter Scale with the
largest being 3.4. Earthquakes at this magnitude have no potential damage.20
Erosion / Deposition
Erosion and deposition can come from several sources including water, wind, waves, or moving
ice. The most common way this occurs in Colorado is water and wind. As outlined in the Colorado
Enhanced State Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023-2028, wind deposits for Eagle County are low at
between 6.3%-17.9%.21 Erosion and deposition from water is addressed in the Floods risk
assessment of this plan. Erosion / Deposition is not specifically profiled in this hazard mitigation
plan because of these reasons.
Expansive Soils
Expansive soils are not profiled in this plan due to several reasons. In the Colorado Enhanced
State Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023-2028, the amount of Eagle County land covered by expansive
soils is low at between 1%-8.28%.22 In discussion with the planning team, there have been no
notable past events or damages from expansive soils.
Extreme Heat
Due to the high elevation of Eagle County, extreme heat is not a concern for the planning team.
Historical temperature data shows average highs in the summer between 70°F and 80*F.21
Average monthly high temperature has only been over 80OF three times since 1895. Because of
this, extreme heat has not been profiled in this plan.
Ground Subsidence
Ground subsidence risk for Eagle County is low according to the planning team. According to the
Colorado Enhanced State Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023-2028, the percentage of ground
subsidence areas in the county is between 9.87% and 28.6%.24 While there has been a history of
19 U.S. Geological Survey. 2024. "Earthquake Catalog". hftps:Hearthguake.usgs.ciov/earthquakes/search/.
20 U.S. Geological Survey. 2024. "Earthquake Magnitude, Energy Release, and Shaking Intensity".
https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/earthquake-magnitude-energy-release-and-shaking-intensitv.
21 Colorado Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management. 2023. "Colorado Enhanced State Hazard Mitigation Plan
2023-2028". htti)s:Hdrive.google.com/file/d/lMPLOOiv-YZYDIMziTvYkRl2s35FzG-G8/view.
22 Colorado Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management. 2023. "Colorado Enhanced State Hazard Mitigation Plan
2023-2028". httr)s://drive.google.com/file/d/lMPLOOiv-YZYDIMziTvYkRl2s35FzG-G8/view.
23 National Centers for Environmental Information. April 2024. "Climate at a Glance County Time Series".
httys://www. ncei. noaa. gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-g lance/county/time-series/CO-037/tmax/ 1 /0/1895-
2024?base prd=true&begbasevear=1901&endbasevear=2024.
24 Colorado Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management. 2023. "Colorado Enhanced State Hazard Mitigation Plan
2023-2028". htti)s:Hdrive.google.com/file/d/lMPLOOiv-vZYDIMziTvYkR12s35FzG-G8/view.
24 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Section Five I Risk Assessment Summary
ground subsidence events in Eagle County, this has been mostly taken care of by local building
codes and development regulations. The Planning Team could not identify any further mitigation
actions so this hazard will not be specifically profiled in the plan.
Hail
Hail has rarely occurred in Eagle County in the past. Since 1996, National Centers for
Environmental Information (NCEI) data has reported two hail events in Eagle County. Both hail
events were sized at 0.75 inches and did not cause any reported damage.25 Due to the lack of
historical events, the likelihood of future occurrences is low and therefore this hazard has not
been profiled in this plan.
MIN MEMO
As shown by the most recent Covid-19 Pandemic, a disease outbreak pandemic can occur in any
location and have a large impact on people and the local economy. However, in discussions with
the planning team, it was decided that the Pandemic hazard would not be profiled in this hazard
mitigation plan. The planning team felt this hazard would be better addressed in plans created by
the state and local health department.
Pest Infestation
Eagle County's primary concern regarding pest infestation is tree kill leading to increased wildfire
risk. Both the Western Balsam Bark Beetle and the Western Spruce Budworm are active in the
county and can kill fir and spruce trees.26 Pests impacting wildfire risk is discussed in the wildfire
risk assessment. Because of this, pest infestation will not be individually profiled in this plan.
Tornado
Tornadoes have very rarely occurred in Eagle County in the past. Since 1996, NCEI data reported
one tornado event in Eagle County. This tornado was an FO and did not result in any damage.
Due to the lack of historical events, this hazard has not been profiled in this plan.
The following table provides an overview of the data contained in the hazard profiles. This table
is intended to be a quick reference for people using the plan. There are five main pieces of data
used within these tables.
Property and Crop Damage in Dollars: This is the total dollar amount of all property
damage and crop damage as recorded in federal, state, and local data sources. The
limitation to these data sources is that dollar figures usually are estimates and often do
not include all damages from every event, but only officially recorded damages from
reported events.
• Total Years of Record: This is the span of years there is data available for recorded
events.
• Number of Hazard Events: This shows how often an event occurs. The frequency of a
hazard event will affect how a community responds. Severe winter weather may not cause
25 National Centers for Environmental Information. May 2023. "Storm Events Database".
https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/choosedates. isp?statefips=8%2CCOLORADO.
26 Colorado State Forest Service. 2023. "Current Insect & Disease Activity in Colorado." https://csfs.colostate.edu/forest-
management/common-forest-insects-diseases/.
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 25
Section Five I Risk Assessment Summary
much damage each time, but multiple storms can have an incremental effect on housing
and utilities. In contrast, severe wind can have a widespread effect on a community.
• Annual probability: This can be calculated based on the total years of record and the
total number of years in which an event occurred. An example of the annual probability
estimate is found below:
Annual Probability (%) _
Total Years with an Event Occuring (#)
Total Years of Record (#)
x 100
The following table provides loss estimates for hazards with sufficient data. Detailed descriptions
of major events are included in Appendix A: Full Risk Assessment and Section Eight: Participant
Profiles. It should be noted that NCEI data are not all inclusive and the database provides very
limited information on crop losses. To provide a better picture of the crop losses associated with
the hazards within Eagle County, crop loss information provided by the Spatial Hazard Events
and Losses Database for the United States (SHELDUS) was utilized for this update of the plan.
Data for all the hazards are not always available, so only those with an available dataset are
included in the loss estimation.
Table 11: Loss Estimation for Eagle County
Type
Avalanche"
Number of
Events
14
PropertyHazard D.
N/A
.. Damage 2
N/A
Droughts
551 out of
1,545 Months
$0
$943,396
Floods
Flash Flood'
22
$727,500
$172,414
Flood'
10
$3,240,000
Dam Failure
4
N/A
N/A
Intentional Attack
1
$24,000,000
N/A
Landslides'
19
$3,206,000
$0
Lightning2
8
$513,379
$0
Severe Wind'
Strong Wind
7
$35,500
$9,747
Thunderstorm
Wind
32
$14,000
Severe Winter
Weather'
Blizzard
3
N/A
N/A
Extreme
Cold/Wind Chill
1
N/A
Heavy Snow
178
N/A
Ice Storm
1
N/A
Winter Storm
441
N/A
Winter Weather
939
N/A
Transportation
Incidents
Auto'
14,700
N/A
N/A
Aviation$
49
N/A
Rail9
30
$16,421,960
Hazardous
Materials
Release'0,12
87
$1,044,567
26 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Section Five I Risk Assessment Summary
Hazard Type Number of property Damage' Crop Damage'
Events
• • �•• •
$63,232,
•0.
1 — NCEI, 1996 — May 2023"
2 — SHELDUS, 1960 — 202128
3 — Stanford University, 1890 — September 202329
4 — University of Maryland, 1970-2020.30 Eagle County Planning Team
5 — NCEI, 1895 — September 202331
6 — U. S. Forest Service, 1992 — 202032
7 — Colorado Department of Transportation, 2010 — 202233
8 — National Transportation Safety Board, 1962 — September 202331
9 — Federal Railroad Administration, 1975 — July 202338
10 — Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, 1971 — 202231
11 — Colorado Avalanche Information Center, 2010 — 202331
12 — Colorado State Patrol, 2013 — 202338
Table 12: County Risk
Assessment
OccurrencePrevious
Events/Years of Probability
Likely Extent
Avalanche"
RecordHazard
10/1471%
D1-D5
Droughts
551/1,545 months
36%
D1-D4
Some inundation of
Floods: 19/27
Floods: 70%
structures (5% of structures)
Floods' 3
Dam Failure: 4/133
Dam Failure: 3%
and roads near streams.
Some evacuations of people
may be necessary
Intentional Attack
1/51
2%
Varies by event
Landslides'
11/27
41%
Varies by event
Lightning'
61/61
100%
Varies by event
Severe Wind'
13/27
48%
Avg: 65 mph
Range: 52-92 mph
27 National Centers for Environmental Information. May 2023. "Storm Events Database'.
https://www.ncdc. noaa.gov/stormgvents/choosedates. isp?statefips=8%2CCOLORADO.
28 Arizona State University. 2021. "Spatial Hazard Events and Losses Database for the United States".
httos://sheldus.asu.edu/SHELDUS/.
29 Stanford University. September 2023. "National Performance of Dams Program: Dam Incident Database."
http://npdp.stanford.edu/dam_ incidents.
30 University of Maryland and National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Response to Terrorism. 1970-2020. "Global
Terrorism Database". httos://www.start.umd.edu/gtd/.
31 National Centers for Environmental Information. 1895-Sept 2023. "County Time Series".
https://www.ncei. noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/time-series/CO-037/pdsi/all/9/1895-
2023?base ord=true&begbasevear=1901&endbasevear=2000.
32 U.S. Forest Service. 2022. "Spatial Wildfire Occurrence Data for the United States, 1992-2020".
htti)s://www.fs.usda.gov/rds/archive/catalog/RDS-2013-0009.6.
33 Colorado Department of Transportation. 2010-2022. "Colorado Crash Data Dashboard".
httos://tableau.state.co.us/t/CDOT/views/CDOTCrashSummaryAVtestver2 0/StatewideSummarv?%3Aorigin=card share
link&%3Aembed =v&%3AisGuestRedirectFromVizportal=v.
34 National Transportation Safety Board. 1962-September 2023. "Aviation Accident Database'.
https://www.ntsb.gov/Pages/AviationQuervV2.aspx.
35 Federal Railroad Administration. 1975-July 2023. "Summary of Train Accidents with Reportable Damage, Casualties, and Major
Causes". httos://safetvdata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/publicsite/queryfTrainAccidentDamage.aspx.
36 Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. 1971-2022. "Incident Statistics: Colorado".
https://www.i)hmsa.dot.gov/hazmat-program-management-data-and-statistics/data-operations/incident-statistics.
37 Colorado Avalanche Information Center. 2023. "Colorado Avalanche Accidents".
https://avalanche.state.co.us/accidents/colorado.
38 Colorado State Patrol. 2013-2023. Direct Communication.
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 27
Section Five I Risk Assessment Summary
Occurrence
Approximate Annual
Hazard
RecordPrevious
Events/Years of
Probability
Likely Extent
15°-30° below zero (wind
Severe Winter
27/27
100%
chill)
Weather'
2-24 snow
Auto: 13/13
Auto: 100%
Transportation
Aviation:33/61
Aviation:54%
Inc iden ts7,s,9,10,'Z
Rail: 20/48
Rail: 42%
Varies by event
Hazardous Material
Hazardous Material
Release:11/11
Release: 100%
Avg 28.4 acres
Wildfires
1,447/29
100%
Homes and structures in the
WUI at risk
1— NCEI, 1996 — May 2023"
2 — SHELDUS, 1960 — 202140
3 — Stanford University, 1890 — September 202341
4 —University of Maryland, 1970-2020.42 Eagle County Planning Team
5 — NCEI, 1895 — September 202343
6 — U.S. Forest Service, 1992 — 202044
7 — Colorado Department of Transportation, 2010 — 202245
8 — National Transportation Safety Board, 1962 — September 202346
9 — Federal Railroad Administration, 1975 — July 202347
10 — Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, 1971 — 202248
11— Colorado Avalanche Information Center, 2010 — 202341
12 — Colorado State Patrol, 2013 — 202350
39 National Centers for Environmental Information. May 2023. "Storm Events Database".
https://www. ncdc. noaa.gov/stormevents/choosedates. iso?statefir)s=8°/`2CCOLORADO.
40 Arizona State University. 2021. "Spatial Hazard Events and Losses Database for the United States".
https://sheldus.asu.edu/SHELDUS/.
41 Stanford University. September 2023. "National Performance of Dams Program: Dam Incident Database."
http://npdp.stanford.edu/dam-incidents.
42 University of Maryland and National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Response to Terrorism. 1970-2020. "Global
Terrorism Database". hffps://www.start.umd.edu/gtd/.
43 National Centers for Environmental Information. 1895-Sept 2023. "County Time Series".
https://www. ncei. noaa. gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-g lance/cou nty/time-series/CO-037/pdsi/all/9/1895-
2023?base prd=true&begbasevear=1901&endbaseyear=2000.
44 U.S. Forest Service. 2022. "Spatial Wildfire Occurrence Data for the United States, 1992-2020".
https://www.fs.usda.gov/rds/archive/catalog/RDS-2013-0009.6.
45 Colorado Department of Transportation. 2010-2022. "Colorado Crash Data Dashboard".
htti)s://tableau.state.co.us/t/CDOT/views/CDOTCrashSummarvAVtestver2 0/StatewideSummarv?%3Aorigin=card share
link&%3Aembed =v&%3AisGuestRedirectFromVizportal=v.
46 National Transportation Safety Board. 1962-September 2023. "Aviation Accident Database".
his://www.ntsb.gov/Pages/AviationQuervV2.asi)x.
47 Federal Railroad Administration. 1975-July 2023. "Summary of Train Accidents with Reportable Damage, Casualties, and Major
Causes". hftps://safetvdata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/publicsite/guerv/TrainAccidentDamage.aspx.
48 Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. 1971-2022. 'Incident Statistics: Colorado'.
https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat-program-management-data-and-statistics/data-operations/incident-statistics.
49 Colorado Avalanche Information Center. 2023. "Colorado Avalanche Accidents".
https://avalanche.state.co.us/accidents/colorado.
50 Colorado State Patrol. 2013-2023. Direct Communication.
28 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Section Five I Risk Assessment Summary
FEMA's National Risk Index is an online tool that analyzes natural hazard and community risk
factors to develop a risk measurement for each county in the United States. Eighteen natural
hazards are given a score from very high to very low. The table below gives the National Risk
Index ratings for Eagle County. Risk Index scores are calculated using an equation that combines
scores for expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. All values fall
between 0 (lowest possible value) and 100 (highest possible value).
Table 13: National Risk Index
Hazard
Avalanche
Eagle County
Very High 94.7
Coastal Flooding
Not Applicable
Cold Wave
Very Low 27.9
Drought
Very Low 22.2
Earthquake
Very Low 60.0
Hail
Relatively Low 69.0
Heat Wave
No Rating 0.0
Hurricane
Not Applicable
Ice Storm
Relatively Low 49.3
Landslide
Relatively Moderate 94.7
Lightning
Relatively Moderate 83.5
Riverine Flooding
Relatively Low 50.6
Strong Wind
Very Low 3.6
Tornado
Very Low 16.0
Tsunami
Not Applicable
Volcanic Activity
Not Applicable
Wildfire
Relatively Low 65.0
Winter Weather
Very Low 4.0
Overall Score
Very Low 32.01
Source: FEMA5'
Presidential Disaster Declarations
Presidential disaster declarations by county are available via FEMA from 1953 to October 2023.
The following table describes the presidential disaster declarations within the county for the period
of record. Eagle County has received nine presidential disaster declarations.
Table 14: Presidential Disaster Declarations
51 FEMA. 'The National Risk Index". Accessed September 2023. https://hazards.fema.gov/nri/map.
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 29
Section Five I Risk Assessment Summary
Disaster
Declaration
Number
3224
Declaration Date
9/5/2005
Title
Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
Incident Type
Coastal Storm
5249
7/4/2018
Lake Christine Fire
Fire
3436
3/13/2020
Covid-19
Biological
4498
3/28/2020
Covid-19 Pandemic
Biological
5334
1 8/19/2020 1
Grizzly Creek Fire
Fire
Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency, 1953-October 202352
USDA Secretarial Disasters
Several U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretarial Disasters for Eagle County have occurred
since 2012. Table 15 lists these disaster events. All of the disasters were caused by drought.
Table 15:
2012
USDA Secretarial Disasters 2012-2023
DeclarationYear Type
Drought S3260
2013
Drought
S3456
2013
Drought
S3548
2013
Drought
S3575
2018
Drought
S4336
2018
Drought
S4352
2018
Drought
S4386
2019
Drought
S4468
2019
Drought
S4481
2020
Drought
S4648
2020
Drought
S4755
2020
Drought
S4770
2020
Drought
S4775
2021
Drought
S4917
2022
Drought
S5147
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2003-202153
State Emergency Declarations
From 1980 to 2023, there have been 21 emergency declarations from Colorado governors for
events that impacted Eagle County. The table below shows all the declarations, the year they
occurred, the hazard, and locations affected.
Table 16: State Emerqencv Declarations
Delta, Dolores, Hinsdale, Saguache, Mesa,
1984 Flooding Montrose, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Pitkin, San Miguel,
Oura , Eagle, Gunnison Counties
1994 Wildfires Statewide
2002 Wildfires Statewide
2002 Drought Statewide
2003 Sinkhole Interstate 70, Eagle County
52 Federal Emergency Management Agency. October 2023. "Disaster Declarations". htti)s://www.fema.gov/oi)enfema-data-
page/disaster-declarations-summaries-v2.
53 U.S Department of Agriculture. 2023. "Disaster Designation Information" https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-
services/disaster-assistance-prop ram/disaster-designation-information/index.
30 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Section Five I Risk Assessment Summary
Year
2003
Type
Snow Emergency
Location Affected
Statewide
2009
Severe Blizzard
Statewide
2009
Severe Spring Snowstorm
Statewide
2013
Winter Storm
Statewide
2017
Wildfire
Statewide
2018
Wildfire
Statewide
2018
Wildfire
Statewide
2018
Drought
40 Counties(Including Eagle Count
2020
COVID-19
Statewide
2020
Wildfire
Garfield, Eagle Counties
2020
Wildfire
Statewide
2021
Severe Winter Weather
Statewide
2021
Burn Scar Flooding, Mudslides,
Rockslides
Garfield, Larimer, Eagle, Grand, Routt, Rio Blanco,
Pitkin Counties
2022
Avian Influenza
Statewide
2022
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
Statewide
2023
Extreme Cold
Statewide
Source: State of Colorado, 1980-202354
Hazard Profiles
Information from participating jurisdictions was collected and reviewed alongside hazard
occurrence, magnitude, and event narratives as provided by local, state, and federal databases.
Profiles for each identified hazard in the plan were created to examine their risk and potential
impact in Eagle County. These full profiles can be found in Appendix A: Full Risk Assessment.
Hazards of local concern or events which have deviated from the norm are discussed in greater
detail in each respective participant profile (see Section Eight: Participant Profiles of this plan).
Local planning teams prioritized hazards of concern from the county hazard list based on historical
hazard occurrences, potential impacts, and local capabilities. The table below lists the participants
along with their prioritized hazards of concern. It is important to note that while a jurisdiction may
not have selected a specific hazard as prioritized, hazard events can impact any jurisdiction at
any time and their selection is not a full indication of risk.
54 Colorado Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management. 2023. "Colorado Enhanced State Hazard Mitigation Plan
2023-2028". https:Hdrive.google.com/file/d/lMPLOOiy-yZYD[MzjTvYkRl2s35FzG-G8/view.
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 31
Section Five I Risk Assessment Summary
•
Town of
X
X
X
X
Gypsum
Town of
X
X
X
X
X
Minturn
Town of Red
X
X
X
X
Cliff
Town of Vail
X
X
X
X
X
X
Basalt Library
X
X
District
Basalt
Sanitation
X
X
X
X
District
Berry Creek
X
Metro District
Cordillera Metro
X
X
X
X
District
Eagle County
Paramedic
X
X
X
Services
Eagle County
X
X
X
School District
Eagle River Fire
Protection
X
X
X
District
Eagle River
Water &
X
X
X
X
X
Sanitation
District
Eagle Vail
Metropolitan
X
X
X
District
Eagle Valley
X
X
X
Library District
Eagle Valley
Transportation
X
X
X
X
Authority
Greater Eagle
Fire Protection
X
X
X
X
X
X
District
Gypsum Fire
Protection
X
X
X
X
District
Mountain
Recreation
X
X
X
X
X
Metropolitan
District
32 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Section Five I Risk Assessment Summary
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 3.1
Section Five I Risk Assessment Summary
This Page Is Intentionally Blank
34 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Section Six: Mitigation
Strategy
The primary focus of the mitigation strategy is to identify action items to reduce the effects of
hazards on existing infrastructure and property based on the established goals and objectives of
the hazard mitigation plan. These actions should consider the most cost effective and technically
feasible options to address risk.
The development of the mitigation strategy for this plan update includes the addition of new
mitigation actions, updated status or removal of past mitigation actions, and revisions to
descriptions for consistency across Eagle County.
After establishing the goals, the local planning teams evaluated mitigation and strategic actions.
These actions included: the mitigation and strategic actions identified by each participating
jurisdiction in the previous plan and additional actions discussed during the update planning
process. The Eagle County Planning Team provided each participant a link to the FEMA
Mitigation Ideas document to be used as a starting point to review a wide range of potential
mitigation actions. Participants were also encouraged to think of actions that may need FEMA
grant assistance and to review their hazard prioritization section for potential mitigation and
strategic actions. Members of the Eagle County Planning Team were also available to help local
jurisdictions identify additional action alternatives. These suggestions helped participants
determine which actions would best assist their respective jurisdiction in alleviating damage in the
event of a disaster.
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 3)
Section Six I Mitigation Strategy
During the update of previous identified actions and the identification of new actions, local
planning teams prioritized each identified mitigation and strategic action as high, medium, or low.
The listed priority rating does not indicate which actions will be implemented first. Generally, high
priority actions either address a major concern for the jurisdiction, have few to no challenges in
implementation, and/or garner large support from the public and administration. Low priority
actions either address a minor concern for the jurisdiction, have many challenges in
implementation, and/or may not have support from the public or administration at this time.
Medium priority actions may only have one or two of the items listed above. A mitigation and
strategic action's priority may change very quickly as circumstances change.
The mitigation and strategic actions are the core of a hazard mitigation plan. The local planning
teams were instructed that each hazard identified in the plan must have an action that addresses
it. Mitigation and strategic actions were evaluated based on referencing the community's risk
assessment and capability assessment. Jurisdictions were encouraged to choose actions that
were realistic and relevant to the concerns identified.
It is important to note that not all the mitigation and strategic actions identified by a jurisdiction
may ultimately be implemented due to limited capabilities, prohibitive costs, low benefit -cost ratio,
or other concerns. These factors may not be identified during this planning process. Additionally,
some jurisdictions may identify and pursue additional mitigation actions not identified in this
hazard mitigation plan.
Mitigation and strategic actions identified by participants of the HMP are found in the Mitigation
and Strategic Actions Matrix in Appendix D: Mitigation Strategy. Additional information about
selected actions can be found in the participant profiles in Section Eight: Participant Profiles. Each
action includes the following information in the respective community profile.
• Action: General title of the action item.
• Description: Brief summary of what the action item(s) will accomplish.
• Hazard(s) Addressed: Which hazard the mitigation action aims to address.
• Estimated Cost: General cost estimate for implementing the mitigation action for the
appropriate jurisdiction.
• Local Funding: A list of any potential local funding mechanisms to fund the action.
• Timeline: General timeline as established by planning participants.
• Priority: General description of the importance and workability in which an action may be
implemented (high/medium/low).
• Lead agency: Listing of agencies or departments which may lead or oversee the
implementation of the action item.
• Status: A description of what has been done, if anything, to implement the action item.
Implementation of the actions will vary between individual plan participants based upon the
availability of existing information; funding opportunities and limitations; and administrative
capabilities of communities. Establishing a cost -benefit analysis is beyond the scope of this plan
and could potentially be completed prior to submission of a project grant application or as part of
a five-year update. Completed, removed, kept, and new mitigation actions for each participating
jurisdiction can be found in Section Eight: Participant Profiles.
36 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Section Seven: Plan
Implementation and
Maintenance
Each participating jurisdiction in the Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan will be responsible for
monitoring, evaluating, and updating the plan during its five-year lifespan. Hazard mitigation
projects will be prioritized by each participant's governing body with support and suggestions from
the public and business owners. Each local planning team will be responsible for plan
maintenance, the frequency of review, and how the public will be involved. This information can
be found in each participant's profile under the Local Planning Team section. During the review,
the local planning team can report on the effectiveness of the hazard mitigation plan, the status
of projects and include which implementation processes worked well, any difficulties encountered,
how coordination efforts are proceeding, and which strategies could be revised.
In addition, each local planning team will be responsible for ensuring that the plan's goals are
incorporated into applicable revisions of their jurisdiction's relevant planning documents. The
hazard mitigation plan will also consider any changes in planning documents and incorporate the
information accordingly in its next update. Appendix F: Guide to Review and Update the Hazard
Mitigation Plan may also be used to assist with plan updates.
The FEMA required update of this plan will occur at least every five years, to reduce the risk of
the plan expiring. Updates may be incorporated more frequently, especially in the event of a major
hazard. Eagle County will start meetings to discuss mitigation plan updates at least nine months
prior to the deadline for completing the plan update. The Eagle County Emergency Management
Department will review the goals and objectives of the previous plan and evaluate them to
determine whether they are still pertinent and current. Among other criteria, they may want to
consider the following.
Do the goals and objectives address current and expected conditions?
If any of the recommended projects have been completed, did they have the desired
impact on the goal for which they were identified? If not, what was the reason it was not
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 3
Section Seven I Plan Implementation and Maintenance
successful (lack of funds/resources, lack of political/popular support, underestimation of
the amount of time needed, etc.)?
• Have either the nature, magnitude, and/or type of risks changed?
• Are there implementation problems?
• Are current resources appropriate to implement the plan?
• Were the outcomes as expected?
• Did the plan partners participate as originally planned?
• Are there other agencies which should be included in the revision process?
If deemed necessary, a private consulting firm or individual will be hired to help facilitate the plan
update process.
To ensure continued plan support and input from the public and stakeholders, public involvement
should remain a top priority for each participating jurisdiction. Every participant identified ways
the public will be involved in the update process. These ways can be found in the individual
participant profiles in Section Eight: Participant Profiles. The following list below shows common
ways participants will involve the public in the updated process.
• Social Media
• Websites
• Board/Council Meetings
• Meeting Minutes
• Email
• Press Releases
If new, innovative mitigation options arise that could impact Eagle County or elements of this plan,
which are determined to be of importance, a plan amendment may be proposed and considered
separate from the annual review and other proposed plan amendments. Eagle County, as the
plan sponsor, provides an opportunity for jurisdictions to compile proposed amendments and send
them to the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and
subsequently to FEMA, for a plan amendment. Such amendments should include all applicable
information for each proposal including description of changes, identified funding, responsible
agencies, etc.
The Eagle County Planning Team utilized a variety of plan integration tools to help communities
determine how their existing planning mechanisms were related to the Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Utilizing FEMA's Integrating the Local Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan into a Community's
Comprehensive Plan55 guidance, as well as FEMA's 2015 Plan Integration51 guide, each
jurisdiction engaged in a plan integration discussion. This discussion was facilitated by a Plan
Integration Worksheet or set of questions, created by the Eagle County Planning Team. This
55 Federal Emergency Management Agency. November 2013. "FEMA Region X Integrating the Local Natural Hazard Mitigation
Plan into a Community's Comprehensive Plan". hfti)s://www.fema.00v/sites/default/files/2020-07/inteoratino-hazard-
mitigation-local-plan.0f.
56 Federal Emergency Management Agency. July 2015. "Plan Integration: Linking Local Planning Efforts."
https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/fema-plan-integration 7-1-2015.pdf.
38 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Section Seven I Plan Implementation and Maintenance
offered an easy way for participants to notify the Eagle County Planning Team of existing planning
mechanisms, and if they interface with the hazard mitigation plan.
Each jurisdiction referenced all relevant existing planning mechanisms and provided information
on how these did or did not address hazards and vulnerability. Summaries of plan integration are
found in each individual Participant Profile. For jurisdictions that lack existing planning
mechanisms, especially smaller communities, the plan may be used as a guide for future activity
and development in the jurisdiction.
Figure 6: First Responders at an Emergency Incident
Source: Eagle County
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 39
Section Seven I Plan Implementation and Maintenance
This Page Is Intentionally Blank
40 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025
Section Eight: Participant
Profiles
Participant profiles contain information specific to jurisdictions participating in the Eagle County
Hazard Mitigation Plan planning effort. Participant profiles were developed with the intention of
highlighting each jurisdiction's unique characteristics that affect its vulnerability to hazards. These
profiles may serve as a short reference of identified vulnerabilities and mitigation actions for a
jurisdiction as they implement the mitigation plan. Information from individual jurisdictions was
collected at public and one-on-one meetings and used to establish their section of the plan.
Participant profiles may include the following elements:
• Location Map
• Local Planning Team
• Capability Assessment
• Plans and Studies
• Future Development Trends
• Community Lifelines
• Hazard Prioritization and Mitigation Strategy
Individual participant profiles can be found in the Eagle County and Community Appendix or
Special Districts Appendix. The location of the profiles is given below.
Eagle County and Community Appendix
Eagle County
Town of Avon
Town of Eagle
Town of Gypsum
Town of Minturn
Town of Red Cliff
Town of Vail
Special Distristricts Appendix
Basalt Library District
Basalt Sanitation District
Berry Creek Metro District
Cordillera Metro District
Eagle County Paramedic Services
Eagle County School District
Eagle River Fire Protection District
Eagle River Water & Sanitation District
Eagle Vail Metropolitan District
Eagle Valley Library District
Eagle Valley Transportation Authority
Greater Eagle Fire Protection District
Gypsum Fire Protection District
Mountain Recreation Metropolitan District
Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025 41
Section Eight I Participant Profiles
Roaring Fork Fire Rescue Authority
Vail Recreation District
42 Eagle County Hazard Mitigation Plan 12025