We are looking for people who are interested in participating in the process of establishing a Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan (NHPM) for Wickiup Water District’s service area.  The Hazard Mitigation Plan will be a living document that provides the framework that guides our community in making decisions and developing policies to reduce or eliminate risk of life and/or property in the event of a natural disaster.

Making the Wickiup Water District more disaster resistant and resilient means taking proactive steps and actions to protect lives, reduce damage, and shorten the recovery period from a natural disaster.  Completely eliminating the risk of a disaster is not technologically possible or economically feasible.  However, reducing the negative consequences is possible with the implementation of mitigation measures that reduce the likelihood of damages to our water system.

FEMA grant assistance is available through the Department of Land Conservation and Development to special districts, and others, that have an approved Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan.  Upon approval of the Board of Commissioners and public, the proposed plan will be submitted to the Oregon Emergency Management Agency for review and comment and then will be given to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for final review.  If approved, we will be entitled to apply for future federal relief dollars to fund specific mitigation projects designed to reduce and/or eliminate vulnerabilities resulting from a disaster. 

As part of the process, input is needed from citizens living in our district.  We will be mailing out a survey to random households and would appreciate everyone’s input.  In addition to the survey, we need individuals to participate on a planning team.  The mitigation planning team’s roles and responsibilities are described as:

·         Participate actively in planning team meetings.

·         Provide local perspectives on natural hazards and the threats that they pose to the District’s facilities and people.

·         Help to identify existing plans, studies, reports and technical information for inclusion or reference in the mitigation plan. 

·         Forge consensus on mitigation action items and their priorities.

·         Help to facilitate the public outreach actions during the mitigation planning process, and

·         Review and provide comments on draft materials during development of the Wickiup Water District’s Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan.

Comments, suggestions, corrections, and additions are encouraged from the planning team and the public.  All comments received will be documented and considered for inclusion in the Plan.

If you are interested in completing a survey, being part of the planning team, or just providing comments and suggestions, please contact Michelle via email: michelle@wickiupwaterdistrict.com