Hazardous Mitigation Plan for Worth County Being Updated

The Hazardous Mitigation Plan for Worth County is in the process of being updated. This plan must be updated every few years in order for the county to continue to get FEMA hazardous mitigation funding. 

The county is in the process of getting public comments regarding risk assessments for the county. 22 surveys have been returned so far. The risk assessment public comment period ends June 25th.

As part of developing the plan, three meetings are held. The second of three meetings was held Monday evening. The county and other jurisdictions are holding them in conjunction with the Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments.

Risk assessment was discussed at Monday’s Zoom meeting. Sinkholes were eliminated as a risk. 

Flooding, including levee failure and dam failure, was discussed. There is a potential of $2,431,000 in losses from flooding in the county. There have been 12 Presidential declarations for Worth County, including two in 2015. Losses from levee breaks would mostly affect agricultural assets. 

There were three dams in the county identified by the state as high hazard dams. They include Aldridge Lake near Sheridan, Dunfee Dam near Denver, and Zollman Dam near Worth. 

While there is less than a 1% chance of an earthquake in Worth County, the potential loss from such an event would be $715,000.

Droughts are usually covered by crop insurance, but it would affect water systems. There is a 28% chance for at least a moderate drought in any given year. Extreme heat and cold would affect both the very young and the very old. 

There have been nine thunderstorm events in the last 10 years, and 21 hail events for a total of $220,000 in damages. There are usually two disaster declarations a year for winter-related events, with a total estimated loss of $13,000.

Since 1965, there have been seven Presidential declarations for tornadoes. Around 8.3% of homes in Worth County are mobile homes. There is hazardous mitigation money for tornado safe rooms for future projects. 

Wildfires affect around 600 acres a year annually in Worth County. One such wildfire almost destroyed the Sheridan Rural Housing three decades ago. 

In 2018, the state implemented a plan which involved ensuring continuity, protecting public and private property, and community tranquility. In 2017, Worth County’s plan involved protecting life and property along with ensuring continued operation. The county must decide which goals and actions to keep, and which ones to modify or delete. Actions in the 2017 plan included maintaining and expanding severe weather alerts, identifying people most at risk during heat and cold and checking on them, and maintaining school involvement. 

Also on Monday, the Biden Administration announced it would be doubling the size of a FEMA program that will give money to state and local governments to reduce vulnerability before disaster happens. Part of the program involves relocating or elevating flood-prone homes.