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2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan <br />Kittitas County, Washington <br /> <br /> <br />Chapter 4: Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment 147 <br />for public and private transportation. Furthermore, landslides can impact bridges when abutments are <br />destroyed or compromised resulting in closure. Utility lines can be damaged by landslides leading to <br />service interruptions. Landslides could impact the conveyance of irrigation water during the growing <br />season resulting in severe indirect economic impacts. Other critical facilities potentially vulnerable to <br />landslides include hospitals, healthcare facilities, emergency services, and schools. <br /> <br />Economy: Direct economic impacts due to landslides include the repair of roads and properties, road <br />cleanup, and loss of life. Indirect economic impacts include the loss of property value and tax revenue, <br />and environmental impacts (e.g., water quality degradation).175F <br />175 Businesses that heavily rely on the <br />transportation infrastructure (e.g., movement of inventory) can be disrupted in the event that a landslide <br />impacts or damages transportation lifelines. Kittitas County has a significant agricultural sector and the <br />loss of the ability to deliver irrigation water would create direct economic impacts. <br /> <br />Changes in Development and Impact of Future Development: Changes in development have slightly <br />increased (between 5% and 9%) the vulnerability of Kittitas County to landslides. Future development <br />may minimally increase (4% or less) the impact of landslides within Kittitas County. <br /> <br />Underserved and At Risk Population: The underserved and at risk population face unique <br />vulnerabilities and impacts as a result of landslides. These groups include, but are not limited to, low- <br />income families, elderly, individuals with disabilities, those with limited English proficiency, and those <br />without adequate access to emergency resources. These groups may not have access to the appropriate <br />education on landslide risk. Furthermore, these groups may not have access to accurate and timely <br />information due to limited internet access, language barriers, and living in isolated areas. Therefore, <br />critical landslide warnings may not reach these groups in a timely manner which results in higher injury <br />and mortality rates within these communities. Additionally, those individuals living in isolated areas with <br />limited access (e.g., one (1) road in and one (1) road out) are vulnerable to being cut off from community <br />lifelines if a landslide were to block access to the area for an extended period of time. <br /> <br />Effects of Climate Change in Severity of Impacts: As global average temperatures increase; <br />evaporation increases adding moisture into the atmosphere which results in more precipitation.176F <br />176 The <br />frequency and intensity of heavy precipitation events are projected to increase over the 21st century.177F <br />177 <br />Although heavy precipitation does not necessarily result in landslides, landslides are predominantly a <br />result of saturated soils, it is possible that increased intensity of rain events will result in a greater number <br />of landslides annually and an increase in the severity of impacts. Additionally, increases in temperatures <br />will reduce snowpack and spring snowmelt, which may reduce the likelihood of spring landslides due to <br />snowmelt.178F <br />178 Increasing temperatures are expected to increase the occurrence and duration of droughts <br />and the probability of wildfire, reducing the vegetation that helps to support steep slopes. Overall, the <br />impacts of climate change on various hazards will result in an increased probability for landslide <br />occurrences. <br /> <br />175 Washington State Department of Natural Resources. (n.d.). Landslides. Retrieved from <br />https://www.dnr.wa.gov/programs-and-services/geology/geologic-hazards/landslides. <br />176 Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Climate Change Indicators: U.S. and Global Precipitation. Retrieved <br />from https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-us-and-global-precipitation. <br />177 U.S. Global Change Research Program. (2017). Climate Science Special Report: Fourth National Climate <br />Assessment, Volume I (Chapter 7: Precipitation Change in the United States). Retrieved from <br />https://science2017.globalchange.gov/chapter/7/. <br />178 United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Climate Change Impacts in the Northwest. Retrieved from <br />https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/northwest/topic/climate-change-impacts-northwest.