Introduction
The selected community for this analysis and discussion is Henderson City in Nevada. This urban setting is found in Clark County, which is found southeast of Las Vegas. Individuals living in this wider neighborhood are exposed to various calamities and challenges that have the potential to affect their experiences and life outcomes. Hazards are occurrences, events, or materials that might trigger negative outcomes, such as injuries, environmental damage, and property loss (Clark County, 2018). A proper understanding of the disasters capable of disorienting the lives of the people of Henderson can guide different agencies to formulate the most appropriate interventions and preparedness mechanisms.
Henderson, and the wider Nevada region, has over the years recorded several disasters. For instance, a report by Clark County (2018) indicates that the region reported over seventy dangerous hazards between 1953 and 2020. The leading ones to hit Henderson in terms of occurrences were floods and wildfires. Some other common disasters occurring naturally in Henderson include earthquakes, droughts, severe storms, and landslides. The issue of response becomes critical when such disasters take place.
The primary focus of this analysis would be the hazard of floods. In the wider Clark County, flooding usually takes place between October and February. The region experiences long rains associated with melting ice and the presence of lakes. In Nevada, most of the available rivers do not drain water to the ocean. Instead, most of the floodwater in Henderson will tend to find its way into different wetlands and playas (Clark County, 2018). From June, the region would also experience various cloudburst downpours and storms. The issue of preparedness remains critical to help most of the citizens and reduce damages to property and loss of lives during floods.
Flood Hazard Analysis
Henderson is a community that is at a higher risk of experiencing the challenges associated with floods. In January 1997, the region witnessed one of the worst weather events to have been recorded in Nevada. The wider neighborhood experiences increased levels of rainwater downpours. O’Connell and Biscoe (2020) also observed that melting ice was another possible cause of the historic floods of 1997. Within a few days, the communities recorded unprecedented damages and property losses. The disaster destroyed a wide range of infrastructure, including bridges, airports, buildings, roads, and even warehouses. More people in the affected region were displaced with others losing their belongings.
The possibility of floods in the state of Nevada remains high due to the topographical and geographical features of the region. Most of the rivers draining water into lakes and playas increase the chances of flooding. Within the past three decades, analysts have observed that localized flooding is usually recorded in June, July, and August (O’Connell & Biscoe, 2020). The major ones have higher possibilities of occurring from October to March. The relevant agencies and responders understand the fact that the hazard could take place during the selected months in Henderson. These stakeholders go further to sensitize members of the public about the possible dangers associated with such hazards. The problematic question of climate change is also directly linked to this region’s environmental predicaments.
In Henderson, floods have the potential to disorient people’s lives and their overall experiences. When unexpected torrential rains and flash floods occur, Henderson is usually at risk of recording the loss of lives. Some of the people tend to be displaced and compelled to seek shelter elsewhere. The affected individuals find it hard to pursue their social and economic goals (Pine, 2015). The sudden disruption of people’s normal lives is a common challenge affecting Henderson’s residents. Those who lose beloved ones and property tend to become traumatized and in need of continuous social and psychological support. The occurrence of floods means that more citizens would record long-lasting health and mental problems.
From an environmental perspective, floods uproot trees, trigger the movement of ice, and disorient the overall integrity of biological processes. In most cases, the flooded areas would lose most of their land species, including both animals and plants (O’Connell & Biscoe, 2020). After the floods, the affected region would take longer to recover. In extreme cases, floods affect the supply of clean water and the management of municipal waste. The hazard has the potential to result in health hazards following the disorientation of sewage and clean water supply systems. These occurrences are usually recorded in most of the regions associated with frequent floods.
In terms of economic disruptions, floods tend to destroy infrastructure and disorient the supply of electricity. During floods, most people start to focus on recovery, thereby making it impossible for them to engage in meaningful economic activities (DTN Team, 2020). They will find it hard to afford most of the primary requirements due to the emerging financial burden. At the macro level, floods are known to destroy infrastructure, affect transportation, and disrupt the supply of key resources and materials (O’Connell & Biscoe, 2020). These developments would tend to have long-term impacts on the wider community. Some of the institutions and individuals would lose personal property and businesses. These outcomes tend to affect the economic well-being of the affected community negatively, thereby contributing to additional psychological problems.
Flood Risk Assessment in Henderson
This section relies on four components to assess the nature of flood risk in the selected community. Proper analysis and understanding of the magnitude of this hazard could help more professionals to be involved and implement proper mitigation strategies. The emerging insights could become the basis for guiding all key stakeholders and community members to ensure that they remain prepared (Pine, 2015). The major components for this assessment section include hazard probability, level of exposure, overall vulnerability, and performance mechanisms.
Hazard Probability
In terms of probability, Henderson has a low-moderate probability of experiencing the selected hazard. In Nevada, torrential and flash floods are usually common for at least seven months annually (Clark County, 2018). In most cases, snow melts fast at a time when some communities are experiencing thunderstorms. The region lacks rivers that drain water directly to the ocean. Smith (2019) indicates that the presence of lakes, playas, and swampy areas will increase the chances of flooding. Smith (2019) goes further to indicate that Truckee River and Lake Mead present unique geographical features that are directly linked to flash floods in Nevada. When floods occur in Henderson, people’s lives and outcomes tend to be impacted negatively.
Exposure Level
The physical features in Nevada could help analysts understand or determine the exposure levels of floods in the region. With flash floods being recorded annually, the people in Henderson are at risk of losing property and recording a loss of lives. Destruction of infrastructure is a common feature in Henderson when floods occur (Smith, 2019). Most of the people living near lakes, dams, and rivers would be at higher level of being exposed to the dangers of such hazards. Some of the assets exposed to the risk of floods include roads, commercial buildings, social amenities, residential buildings, and institutions. The occurrence of floods could, therefore, impact people’s lives and make it impossible for them to pursue their goals.
Vulnerability
Henderson and the neighboring regions have low-moderate vulnerability when it comes to floods. For instance, a report by Clack County (2018) reveals that Henderson has around 6,800 properties that are threatened by the risk of floods within the next three decades. This information represents 5 percent of the community’s total assets (Clark County, 2018). Chances of losing access to some of the available utilities increase significantly whenever there are floods in Henderson. The ones that are highly affected by floods include transportation systems, emergency coordination agencies, and electricity supply (DTN Team, 2020). The emergence of this hazard in Henderson has the potential to affect the well-being and economic performance of most of the residents. While the risk could be identified as low whenever examined for a prolonged period, experts always push for proper mitigation and response mechanisms. This approach is always necessary to help protect lives and ensure that more citizens lead comfortable lives.
Performance Mechanisms
In Henderson, the relevant agencies involved in flood risk assessment have adopted the Mitigation Action Plan. The purpose of this document is to analyze and examine the possible dangers of floods, drought, and earthquakes. The city departments collaborate to design and implement a wide range of projects or activities capable of predicting possible floods for the next three years. The participants then outline various guidelines and strategies capable of helping reduce the overall impact of floods, and other key hazards, in Henderson. Within the past four years, the city has undertaken various projects intended to repair detention basins that have been in place for decades. Repairs and improvements are usually done to improve the overall drainage of the city (Clark County, 2018). These measures are evidence-based and have continued to help Henderson record reduced cases of hazardous events associated with floods. With these features and mechanisms in place, the assessment reveals that Henderson has a low-to-moderate threat of floods. This evidence explains why there is a need for proper solutions and control initiatives.
Recommended Steps and Actions for Managing the Risk
Henderson and its neighboring communities in Clark County are always at possible threat of flooding. These hazards are dangerous and capable of affecting both human life and property. The current efforts in place are evidence-based and capable of containing flood water to ensure that it does not damage infrastructure and resources. However, proper mechanisms would be recommended to manage and reduce the overall risk of floods in Nevada (O’Connell & Biscoe, 2020). The first step is for the relevant agencies to promote personalized approaches for mitigating the dangers of floods. The ultimate aim of any plan is to protect property and lives. This knowledge would guide more citizens in Henderson to consider relocating, have adequate financial resources, and be aware of the local efforts for addressing such hazards. Those who are comfortable living in Henderson can make their homes plod-proof (Crisis Equipped, n.d.). They can also focus on the idea of getting flood insurance coverage from some of the available providers.
The second phase would be for Henderson City to consider and implement community-based strategies. Specifically, the relevant agencies would complete additional analyses and assessments on this hazard. The involved organizations will introduce new projects to reduce the risk of floods. They can also identify communities that could benefit from flood-proof mechanisms (Flood Factor, n.d.). The county can go further to develop proper infrastructure systems capable of withstanding the negative impacts of floods. Resilient standards for development could help Henderson reduce the burden of floods. The agencies can go further to remove infrastructure systems and buildings that are located in flood-prone areas.
The last phase would be to formulate a long-term plan for addressing the challenges of floods and helping more people to relocate to safer places. This effort could begin by engaging in activities capable of addressing the challenges of climate change and global warming (Crisis Equipped, n.d.). The involved agencies will identify mechanisms that could have worked elsewhere and implement them in Henderson and the wider Clark County.
Conclusion
The construction of dams and additional detention basins in the region can help address the challenges associated with this hazard. The consideration of additional mechanisms to restore ecosystems and biological processes is necessary (Flood Factor, n.d.). The creation of additional green spaces will make it possible for Henderson to improve the level of water retention. Such measures will ensure that more communities in Henderson become resilient and capable of withstanding prolonged floods.
References
Clark County. (2018). Clark County: 2018 multi- jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan. ClarkCounty.gov. Web.
Crisis Equipped. (n.d.). These natural disasters can occur in Nevada! Are You prepared? Web.
DTN Team. (2020). How do hurricanes damage the economy? DTN. Web.
Flood Factor. (n.d.). Finding flood solutions. Web.
O’Connell, P. M. & Biscoe, T. (2020). In 2019 — The 2nd wettest year ever in the U.S. — Flooding cost Illinois and the Midwest $6.2 billion. Scientists predict more waterlogged days ahead. Chicago Tribune. Web.
Pine, J. C. (2015). Hazards analysis: Reducing the impact of disasters (2nd Ed.). CRC Press.
Smith, A. B. (2019). 2018’s billion dollar disasters in context. Climate.gov. Web.