The purpose of this hazard mitigation plan is to identify and plan for both natural and human-caused hazards facing Schuyler County and to develop strategies to reduce long-term risks. Hazards cannot be eliminated, but it is possible to determine those
hazards that are mostly likely to occur, where their impacts may be most severe and cause the most damage, and what can be done to reduce their impacts on the community. Benefits of hazard mitigation planning include
- Increased public awareness of natural and human-caused hazards and community vulnerabilities,
- Improved understanding of potential risks and possible risk reduction measures associated with existing and future development,
- Strengthened partnerships and lines of communication among diverse interests, including opportunities to leverage and share resources,
- Increased community and voter support for specific actions the County, towns, and villages may propose to reduce future losses,
- A reduction in physical, financial, and emotional losses caused by natural and human-caused disasters,
- Increased community resilience to withstand and more quickly recover from disasters, and
- Community eligibility for federal hazard mitigation grants and aid prior to and following federally-declared disasters, and for additional state matching funds for associated repairs and improvements.
Key language from the most recent Schuyler County Hazard Mitigation Plan
RISK ASSESSMENT – FLOODING
Flooding is the most significant concern for Schuyler County. In addition to the flooding events that received federal disaster
declarations, severe flooding occurred in both July and October of 1970, June of 1976, June of 2015, and August of 2018.
Flash floods are characterized by a rapid rise in water level, high velocity, and large amounts of debris. They are capable of
tearing out trees, undermining buildings, and scouring new channels. Major factors causing flash flooding are the intensity and
duration of rainfall, the steepness of the watershed, and stream gradients. The soil types, watershed vegetation, natural and
artificial flood water storage areas, and the configuration of the streambed and floodplain are also important.
RISK ASSESSMENT – SEVERE WIND/TORNADO
Severe storms include hailstorms, windstorms, and severe thunderstorms [with associated severe wind events]. Although tornadoes grab headlines due to their swift and destructive nature, the more common by-products of thunderstorms are flash floods, lightning, straight-line winds, and hail, which result in many more deaths and millions of dollars in damage each year. A National Weather Service Meteorologist noted that straight-line winds are often more damaging than the tornadoes we can expect in this area.
RISK ASSESSMENT – CYBER ATTACK
Cyber attacks are now well established as a serious and unconventional hazard. They pose significant threat not only to our computer and information networks, but also to the those systems which are supported by our networks. Systems such as
government, business, and industrial data systems; communications infrastructure; emergency services; healthcare; water and waste water; and financial services can all be impacted.
How the Schuyler County Hazard Mitigation Plan relates to STC's 2025 CEDS Update
Recovery from locally significant flood events has been a part of the prior 2 CEDS. Schuyler County’s addition of a cyberattack as a regional risk will improve the depth of the risks addressed int he CEDS, and enhance the breadth of the economic resilience/recovery recommendations put forth in the 2025 STC regional CEDS.