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:
Web site:
Rev. 3
Acknowledgments
Madison County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee, 2014
Jared Cassidy, Chair / Huntsville-Madison County EMAPaige Colburn, Vice Chair
Dale Strong / Huntsville-Madison County EMA
Madison County Commission*
Don Webster / Madison County Emergency Planning Committee
Houston Matthews / Madison County Engineering
Fritz Mucke
John Buxton / Madison County Water Department
Madison County Water Department
Cheryl Clay / Madison County Health Department
Mayor Tommy Battle / City of Huntsville
Gary Gleason / City of Huntsville Engineering
Marty Calvert / City of Huntsville Engineering
Ben Ferrill / City of Huntsville Planning
Amy Kenum
Mayor Troy Trulock
Mike Gentle
Greg Bates / City of Huntsville GIS
City of Madison
City of Madison
City of Madison Engineering
Mayor Tony Craig
Scott Worsham / Town of Owens Crossroads
Town of Owens Crossroads
Mayor Robert Sentell / Town of Gurley
Mayor Butch Taylor / City of New Hope
Kim Passalaqua / City of New Hope
Mayor Mary Caudle / Town of Triana
Theresa Nelson / Town of Triana
Joseph A. Lee, AICP / Alabama A&M University
Brian Kotrous / NASA Marshall Space and Flight Center
Kevin Bennett
Chris Darden
David Nadler
Greg Garner
Harry Hobbs / 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, LLCThe Hill Engineering Group, LLC
James E. Lehe, AICP, ManagerDerrick C. Hill, P.E., Manager
Kevin McCauley, Project ManagerJeremy Sharit, Engineering Technician
Celeste Boydston, Planner
Kristine Goddard, Associate Planner
Lewis Lehe, Planning Technician
Rev. 3
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Background and Purposes of the Plan
1.1About the Plan
1.2Scope
1.3Authority
1.4Funding
1.5Purposes
Chapter 2 County Profile
2.1 Geographic Setting and History
2.2 Government
2.3Demographics
2.4Economy
2.5Climate
2.6Physical Features
2.7Transportation
2.8Utilities
Chapter 3The Planning Process
3.1A Multi-Jurisdictional Planning Process
3.2Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee
3.3Public Involvement
3.4Interagency and Intergovernmental Coordination
3.5Participating Jurisdictions
3.6Integration with Existing Plans
3.7Professional Planning Guidance
Chapter 4Risk Assessment
4.1The Risk Assessment Process
4.2Identification of Hazards
4.3Significant Hazard Events
4.4Tornadoes
4.5Severe Thunderstorms
4.6Floods
4.7Winter Storms/Freezes
4.8Landslides
4.9Droughts/Heat Waves
4.10Wildfires
4.11Land Subsidence
4.12Hurricanes
4.13Dam/Levee Failures
4.14Earthquakes
4.15Vulnerability Assessment: Identification of Assets
4.16Vulnerability Assessment: Impacts on Population, Buildings, Critical Facilities; Estimated Losses
4.17Vulnerability Assessment: Analysis of Development Trends
4.18Multi-Jurisdictional Risk Assessment
Table of Contents (continued)
Chapter 5Mitigation Strategies
5.1Purpose of the Mitigation Strategies
5.2Steps in Developing the Strategies
5.3The Planning Approach
5.4Issues and Opportunities
5.5Existing Hazard Mitigation Activities
5.6Vision Statement
5.7Comprehensive Mitigation Strategies
Chapter 6Community Mitigation Action Programs
6.1Purpose of the Community Mitigation Action Programs
6.2Prioritization of Mitigation Actions
6.3Available Mitigation Measures
6.4Mitigation Action Programs
Chapter 7Plan Maintenance
7.1The Planning Cycle
7.2Procedures
7.3Implementation Through Existing Programs
7.4Continuing Public Involvement
7.5Ongoing Planning Needs
List of Maps
2-1General Location
2-2Madison County Municipalities
2-3Population Density
2-4Household Income Distribution
2-5Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level
2-6Topography
2-7Floodplains
2-8Wetland Areas
2-9Madison County Soils
2-10Transportation System
4-1 Tornado Paths, 1950-2012
4-2 Tornado Threat Probabilities
4-3 Madison County Floodplain
4-4 Madison County Landslides
4-5 Colluvial Soils in Madison County
4-6 Lower Atmosphere Stability Index
4-7 Observed Fire Danger Class
4-8 Sinkhole Density Map of Madison County Area
4-9 Dams in Madison County
4-10 Historical Alabama Earthquakes
4-11 Earthquake Risk Zones
4-12 Emergency Care
4-13 Emergency Response
4-14Education
4-15 Communication
4-16 Hazardous Material Sites
4-17 Highway Bridges
4-18 Transportation Facilities
4-19 Land Use
List of Tables
2-1Population
2-2Largest Employers
2-3Climate
3-1 Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee
4-1Hazard Identification/Risk Assessment Exercise
4-2Federally Declared Disasters, 1973-2012
4-3Tornado Events, 1951-2012
4-4Fujita Tornado Damage Scale
4-4A Enhanced Fujita Tornado Damage Scale Comparison
4-5Significant Thunderstorm/High Wind Events, 1956-2012
4-6Significant Lightning Events, 1994-2012
4-7Significant Hail Events, 1961-2012
4-8Flooding Events, 1994-2012
4-9Winter Storms, 1995-2012
4-10Extreme Cold Incidents from 1996-2012
4-11Heat Index / Heat Disorders
4-12Excessive Heat Incidents, 1996-2012
4-13Drought, 1998-2012
4-14Wildfires in Madison County
4-15Hurricane Events, 1994-2012
4-16Most Significant Hurricane, 1995-2012
4-17Earthquakes Affecting Madison County, 1916-2003
4-18Total County Building Inventory
4-19Value of Buildings by Type
4-20Population Vulnerable to Hazards
4-21Number of Buildings Exposed to Hazards
4-21A Residential Buildings Exposed to Hazards
4-22Value of Buildings Exposed to Hazards
4-22A Value of Residential Buildings Exposed to Hazards
4-23Historical and Projected Population Growth Trends, 1980-2025
4-24Historical Population Growth by Jurisdiction
4-25Multi-Jurisdictional Risk Assessment
4-26Priority of Hazard Risks by Jurisdiction
5-1National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Participants
5-2Planning and Regulatory Tools by Jurisdiction
6-1Mitigation Measures
6-2Madison County Mitigation Action Program
6-3Town of Gurley Mitigation Action Program
6-4City of Huntsville Mitigation Action Program
6-5City of Madison Mitigation Action Program
6-6Town of New Hope Mitigation Action Program
6-7Town of Owens Crossroads Mitigation Action Program
6-8Town of Triana Mitigation Action Program
6-9Priority Projects by Jurisdiction for Possible FEMA Funding
List of Charts
2-1Age Distribution
2-2Race Composition
2-3Income Distribution
2-4Educational Attainment
2-5Employment by Industry Type
4-6Annual Tornado Distribution by Year
4-7Annual Tornado Distribution by Month
4-8Annual Tornado Distribution by Time of Day
4-9Annual Tornado Distribution by Intensity
List of Figures
5-1Steps in the Development of the Mitigation Strategies and Action Programs
Rev. 3