Resolution_2025 Kittitas County Hazard Mitigation Plan

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2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan Kittitas County, Washington Chapter 4: Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment 103 following years of drought. Refer to the Wildfire section of this Plan for further details on wildfires. Critical infrastructure such as water and wastewater, and energy can be impacted by drought conditions. • Water and wastewater: Changing factors (e.g., climate, population and land use) influence water supply and demand. Population growth and an increase in land use will increase water demands resulting in increased competition for water which in turn can impact the County’s economy (e.g., agriculture, energy, tourism). • Energy: Reduced water supply can reduce energy production because water is used to produce energy. Additionally, higher temperatures that occur during drought conditions can affect electricity lines. Water and wastewater services are highly dependent on electricity.116F 116 Disruptions to electricity and water supplies will exacerbate health problems. Economy: The primary direct economic impact of drought in the agricultural sector, an important contributor to the economy of Kittitas County and the United States, is crop failure and pasture losses. Water availability in soils and increasing costs to access water for crop or forage irrigation and watering livestock causes a significant decline in crops and livestock productivity. Additionally, drought conditions can increase the probability of wildfires and insect outbreaks which can also have severe impacts to the agriculture sector. As a result, reduced agricultural productivity can lead to higher food prices and economic instability for farming communities.117F 117 Drought has a number of indirect effects in the economy; however, impacts to recreational activities have a significant impact in Kittitas County. In particular, those activities that are dependent on water or snow (e.g., skiing) can experience economic losses, particularly for small business owners.118F 118 Among environmental hazards associated with billion-dollar weather disasters since 1980, drought ranks third behind tropical cyclones and severe storms. Drought events average over $9 Billion per year.119F 119 Changes in Development and Impact of Future Development: Changes in development have minimally increased (4% or less) the vulnerability of Kittitas County to drought. Future development may minimally increase (4% or less) the impact of drought within Kittitas County. Underserved and At Risk Population: Droughts have a profound impact on underserved and at risk populations, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities and creating new challenges. The people most vulnerable to the health impacts of droughts are those with chronic medical conditions (e.g., cardiovascular disease, respiratory conditions, mental illness), lower income, infants and children, and the elderly.120F 120 During droughts, air quality can decrease as a result of wildfires and dust which produce air particulates that irritate the lungs and bronchial passages exacerbating chronic respiratory conditions. 116 Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. (2021). Drought and Infrastructure: A Planning Guide. Retrieved from https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Drought_and_Infrastructure_A_Planning_Guide_508c.pdf . 117 National Integrated Drought Information System. (n.d.). Drought.gov, By Sector: Agriculture. Retrieved from https://www.drought.gov/sectors/agriculture. 118 National Integrated Drought Information System. (n.d.). Drought.gov, By Sector: Recreation and Tourism. Retrieved from https://www.drought.gov/sectors/recreation-and-tourism. 119 National Integrated Drought Information System. (n.d.). Drought.gov, By Sector: Agriculture. Retrieved from https://www.drought.gov/sectors/agriculture. 120 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Populations Impacted by Drought. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/drought-health/toolkit/vulnerable-populations.html.