Hall County Hazard Mitigation Plan under review

Floods, hail, tornadoes and ice have been known to wreak havoc on Central Nebraska, so a new plan is being developed for how to lessen damages in Hall County.

It's called the All-Hazards Mitigation Plan.

The Regional Planning Commission will review the 93-page plan during a 7 p.m. Wednesday meeting at Grand Island City Hall, 100 E. First St. The commission is to provide input on the best projects to support.

The plan is meant to protect Hall County's $3.3 billion worth of property and its more than 50,000 residents.

That protection is crucial, considering Hall County has been hit by numerous serious storms.

Hall County has had 50 significant hail events from 1995 to 2006 and averages about $362,000 in summer storm damage a year, the plan states.

The most devastating winter storm on record came in December 2006 when thick, heavy ice downed power lines, causing $240 million in infrastructure damage across Central Nebraska.

Flooding damage was at its peak in 1967 when excessive rainfall created nearly $50 million in damages and led to three Hall County deaths.

Tornado damage was the worst in 1980 when seven tornadoes struck Grand Island, causing five deaths and $300 million in damages.

Regional Planning Director Chad Nabity said his department received a $75,000 grant to have the hazard mitigation plan prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Omaha.

"There's federal money to do this," Nabity said. "It also opens the doors for federal mitigation assistance in the future."

That future mitigation money could help pay for flood projects, for winter storm damage repair or housing relocation out of the floodplain.

Flood projects are the ones that have gained the top rankings in the study so far.

The plan suggests that Hall County work toward acquiring floodprone structures, continue with building stormwater detention cells in northwest Grand Island,  issue floodplain permits and create zoning for low-lying land downstream of dams.

As for acquiring floodprone structures, the plan states that some Natural Resource Districts have floodway acquisition programs that seek to buy properties that have repetitively sustained losses from floods. The Central Platte Natural Resources District could initiate a similar program, with the city of Grand Island as a sponsor, the plan states.

Another high priority, as identified by the plan, is securing backup power generators.

The December 2006 ice storm is a classic example of how a storm disaster can leave entire communities without power for weeks. Such a loss of power during cold weather is of great concern when people are left without heating sources. Acquiring large emergency generators could help supply interim power to critical care facilities and serve to provide warming centers.

The plan also suggests that Hall County construct or retrofit public tornado shelters in schools, fairgrounds or parks to protect large population bases during summer months. It could also publicize and evaluate public shelters to increase awareness of good places to take shelter.

An urban tree management program is recommended -- particularly one that inventories trees in public places and ways to reduce storm damage from those trees.

Finally, the plan outlines education to the public about storm awareness, severe weather alerts and snow emergency routes as critical to reducing damages when storms do occur.

Steve McMaster of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources will lead the plan review during Wednesday's meeting.

The lower priority projects in the plan include hail damage education. Hail damage to homes could be reduced if more new homes were built with metal roofs and metal siding, the plan states.

It also advocates for education on flood awareness and flood insurance.

The plan is to be finalized in July or August.