MADISON COUNTY, ALABAMA
NATURAL HAZARDS MITIGATION PLAN
September 25, 2009
June 29, 2011 Rev. 1
October 9, 2012 Rev. 2
September 30, 2014 Rev. 3
Prepared under the direction of the
Madison County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee
by:
The Huntsville-Madison County Emergency Management Agency
Madison County, Alabama
Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan
This document was funded in part through a planning grant awarded by the Alabama
Emergency Management Agency to the Huntsville-Madison County Emergency Management
Agency to fulfill the natural hazards mitigation planning requirements of the Disaster Mitigation
Act of 2000. The plan was prepared under the direction of the Madison County Hazard Mitigation
Planning Committee by Lehe Planning, LLC with the support of The Hill Engineering Group, LLC.
In 2009, this document was updated in accordance with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000,
44 CFR 201.6(d)(3) which requires local jurisdictions to review and revise this plan, and resubmit
it for approval within 5 years in order to continue to be eligible for mitigation project grant funding.
Again in 2014, this document was updated in accordance with the Disaster Mitigation Act
of 2000, 44 CFR 201.6(d)(3) which requires local jurisdictions to review and revise this plan, and
resubmit it for approval within 5 years in order to continue to be eligible for mitigation project
grant funding.
For additional information, please contact the EMA, as follows:
John “Rusty” Russell, Director
Huntsville-Madison County EMA
P.O. Box 308
Huntsville, AL 35804
Phone: 256-427-5130
E-mail: John.Russell@huntsvilleal.gov
Web site: http://www.madisoncountyema.com/
Rev. 3
Rev. 3
Acknowledgments
Madison County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee, 2014
Jared Cassidy, Chair
Paige Colburn, Vice Chair
Dale Strong
Don Webster
Houston Matthews
Fritz Mucke
John Buxton
Cheryl Clay
Mayor Tommy Battle
Gary Gleason
Marty Calvert
Ben Ferrill
Amy Kenum
Mayor Troy Trulock
Mike Gentle
Greg Bates
Mayor Tony Craig
Scott Worsham
Mayor Robert Sentell
Mayor Butch Taylor
Kim Passalaqua
Mayor Mary Caudle
Theresa Nelson
Joseph A. Lee, AICP
Brian Kotrous
Kevin Bennett
Chris Darden
David Nadler
Greg Garner
Harry Hobbs
Huntsville-Madison County EMA
Huntsville-Madison County EMA
Madison County Commission*
Madison County Emergency Planning Committee
Madison County Engineering
Madison County Water Department
Madison County Water Department
Madison County Health Department
City of Huntsville
City of Huntsville Engineering
City of Huntsville Engineering
City of Huntsville Planning
City of Huntsville GIS
City of Madison
City of Madison
City of Madison Engineering
Town of Owens Crossroads
Town of Owens Crossroads
Town of Gurley
City of New Hope
City of New Hope
Town of Triana
Town of Triana
Alabama A&M University
NASA Marshall Space and Flight Center
University of Alabama in Huntsville
National Weather Service Huntsville
National Weather Service Huntsville
Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority
Huntsville Utilities
*Note: Madison County has jurisdiction within all incorporated and unincorporated areas of the County and, through normal business practices,
performs services, such as planning, engineering, public works, emergency management, and any other services authorized by intergovernmental
agreement, to support municipal operations. The Madison County Committee members represent all municipalities within Madison County as well as
unincorporated communities within the County. Although municipalities of Madison and Huntsville reside in two counties, the Madison County
Mitigation Plan addresses the hazards for these two municipalities.
Consultants, 2003-2004
Lehe Planning, LLC
The Hill Engineering Group, LLC
James E. Lehe, AICP, Manager
Kevin McCauley, Project Manager
Celeste Boydston, Planner
Kristine Goddard, Associate Planner
Lewis Lehe, Planning Technician
Derrick C. Hill, P.E., Manager
Jeremy Sharit, Engineering Technician
Rev. 3
Rev. 3
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Background and Purposes of the Plan
1.1
About the Plan
1.2
Scope
1.3
Authority
1.4
Funding
1.5
Purposes
County Profile
2.1
Geographic Setting and History
2.2
Government
2.3
Demographics
2.4
Economy
2.5
Climate
2.6
Physical Features
2.7
Transportation
2.8
Utilities
The Planning Process
3.1
A Multi-Jurisdictional Planning Process
3.2
Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee
3.3
Public Involvement
3.4
Interagency and Intergovernmental Coordination
3.5
Participating Jurisdictions
3.6
Integration with Existing Plans
3.7
Professional Planning Guidance
Risk Assessment
4.1
The Risk Assessment Process
4.2
Identification of Hazards
4.3
Significant Hazard Events
4.4
Tornadoes
4.5
Severe Thunderstorms
4.6
Floods
4.7
Winter Storms/Freezes
4.8
Landslides
4.9
Droughts/Heat Waves
4.10 Wildfires
4.11 Land Subsidence
4.12 Hurricanes
4.13 Dam/Levee Failures
4.14 Earthquakes
4.15 Vulnerability Assessment: Identification of Assets
4.16 Vulnerability Assessment: Impacts on Population, Buildings,
Critical Facilities; Estimated Losses
4.17 Vulnerability Assessment: Analysis of Development Trends
4.18 Multi-Jurisdictional Risk Assessment
Rev. 3
Table of Contents (continued)
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Mitigation Strategies
5.1
Purpose of the Mitigation Strategies
5.2
Steps in Developing the Strategies
5.3
The Planning Approach
5.4
Issues and Opportunities
5.5
Existing Hazard Mitigation Activities
5.6
Vision Statement
5.7
Comprehensive Mitigation Strategies
Community Mitigation Action Programs
6.1
Purpose of the Community Mitigation Action Programs
6.2
Prioritization of Mitigation Actions
6.3
Available Mitigation Measures
6.4
Mitigation Action Programs
Plan Maintenance
7.1
The Planning Cycle
7.2
Procedures
7.3
Implementation Through Existing Programs
7.4
Continuing Public Involvement
7.5
Ongoing Planning Needs
2-1
2-2
2-3
2-4
2-5
2-6
2-7
2-8
2-9
2-10
4-1
4-2
4-3
4-4
4-5
4-6
4-7
4-8
4-9
4-10
4-11
4-12
4-13
List of Maps
General Location
Madison County Municipalities
Population Density
Household Income Distribution
Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level
Topography
Floodplains
Wetland Areas
Madison County Soils
Transportation System
Tornado Paths, 1950-2012
Tornado Threat Probabilities
Madison County Floodplain
Madison County Landslides
Colluvial Soils in Madison County
Lower Atmosphere Stability Index
Observed Fire Danger Class
Sinkhole Density Map of Madison County Area
Dams in Madison County
Historical Alabama Earthquakes
Earthquake Risk Zones
Emergency Care
Emergency Response
Rev. 3
4-14
4-15
4-16
4-17
4-18
4-19
Education
Communication
Hazardous Material Sites
Highway Bridges
Transportation Facilities
Land Use
List of Tables
2-1
2-2
2-3
3-1
4-1
4-2
4-3
4-4
4-4A
4-5
4-6
4-7
4-8
4-9
4-10
4-11
4-12
4-13
4-14
4-15
4-16
4-17
4-18
4-19
4-20
4-21
4-21A
4-22
4-22A
4-23
4-24
4-25
4-26
5-1
5-2
6-1
6-2
Population
Largest Employers
Climate
Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee
Hazard Identification/Risk Assessment Exercise
Federally Declared Disasters, 1973-2012
Tornado Events, 1951-2012
Fujita Tornado Damage Scale
Enhanced Fujita Tornado Damage Scale Comparison
Significant Thunderstorm/High Wind Events, 1956-2012
Significant Lightning Events, 1994-2012
Significant Hail Events, 1961-2012
Flooding Events, 1994-2012
Winter Storms, 1995-2012
Extreme Cold Incidents from 1996-2012
Heat Index / Heat Disorders
Excessive Heat Incidents, 1996-2012
Drought, 1998-2012
Wildfires in Madison County
Hurricane Events, 1994-2012
Most Significant Hurricane, 1995-2012
Earthquakes Affecting Madison County, 1916-2003
Total County Building Inventory
Value of Buildings by Type
Population Vulnerable to Hazards
Number of Buildings Exposed to Hazards
Residential Buildings Exposed to Hazards
Value of Buildings Exposed to Hazards
Value of Residential Buildings Exposed to Hazards
Historical and Projected Population Growth Trends, 1980-2025
Historical Population Growth by Jurisdiction
Multi-Jurisdictional Risk Assessment
Priority of Hazard Risks by Jurisdiction
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Participants
Planning and Regulatory Tools by Jurisdiction
Mitigation Measures
Madison County Mitigation Action Program
Rev. 3
6-3
6-4
6-5
6-6
6-7
6-8
6-9
Town of Gurley Mitigation Action Program
City of Huntsville Mitigation Action Program
City of Madison Mitigation Action Program
Town of New Hope Mitigation Action Program
Town of Owens Crossroads Mitigation Action Program
Town of Triana Mitigation Action Program
Priority Projects by Jurisdiction for Possible FEMA Funding
List of Charts
2-1
2-2
2-3
2-4
2-5
4-6
4-7
4-8
4-9
Age Distribution
Race Composition
Income Distribution
Educational Attainment
Employment by Industry Type
Annual Tornado Distribution by Year
Annual Tornado Distribution by Month
Annual Tornado Distribution by Time of Day
Annual Tornado Distribution by Intensity
List of Figures
5-1
Steps in the Development of the Mitigation Strategies and Action
Programs
Rev. 3