Natural Hazard Mitigation Planning and Projects

5-Year Update - Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan 2024

Clackamas County's Multi-Jurisdictional Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan (NHMP) was approved in September 2024. The NHMP helps the County plan for actions that can lessen the impact of disasters on communities and reduce their post-disaster recovery timeframe. It identifies risks and community vulnerabilities associated with natural disasters and outlines long- and short-term strategies for protecting people and property. With approval of this NHMP, Clackamas County and participating partners are eligible to apply for certain project grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through September 2029. The funding can support a variety of projects to mitigate risks and reduce vulnerabilities, including retrofitting roads, bridges, culverts, and other structures to prevent damage from earthquakes, winter storms, or flooding.

Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan

Clackamas County updated the Multi-Jurisdictional Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan in collaboration with public agencies, private sector organizations, and residents within the community. The County portion of the plan is included in Volumes I and III, while the addenda for Cities and Special Districts are in Volume II.

Volume I – Clackamas County Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan

Volume II – Jurisdictional Addenda

• Canby Addendum
• City of Estacada Addendum
• City of Gladstone Addendum
• City of Happy Valley Addendum
• City of Lake Oswego Addendum
• City of Milwaukie Addendum
• City of Molalla Addendum
• City of Oregon City Addendum
• City of Sandy Addendum
• City of West Linn Addendum
• City of Wilsonville Addendum
• Clackamas Fire District Addendum
• Clackamas River Water Addendum
• Colton Water District Addendum
• Oak Lodge Water Services Addendum 

Volume III – Annexes

• Mitigation Success Example
• Mitigation Factsheet

Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee 

The Clackamas County NHMP is the result of a collaborative effort between the County, cities, special districts, community members, public agencies, non-profit organizations, the private sector and regional organizations. The Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee (HMAC) guided the NHMP development process. The HMAC participants included representatives from the following jurisdictions and agencies:

Clackamas County Departments & Agencies:

• Clackamas County Disaster Management
• Clackamas County Planning Commission
• Clackamas County Public Health
• Clackamas County Transportation and Development
• Clackamas County Water Environment Services

Participating Cities and Special Districts

Partner Organizations:

• Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District
• Clackamas River Water Providers
• Greater Oregon City Watershed Council
• Metro
• North Clackamas Watersheds Council
• Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries
• Oregon Office of Emergency Management
• Portland General Electric
• United States Army Corps of Engineers
• United States Forest Service

Significant Changes in the 2024 Update

• Update hazard-related information and data for improved characterizations of evolving hazards, such as drought, extreme heat and other climate change-related impacts.
• Improve the risk assessment section through an enhanced vulnerability assessment of community assets and infrastructure.
• Better integrate NHMP information in related county plans and planning documents.
• Provide mitigation and NHMP-related information in more accessible methods to the public, including improved educational resources and outreach activities

Hazard Mitigation Projects

Since 2006, Clackamas County has been awarded over $4 million in funding from FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance and the Oregon Infrastructure Finance Authority’s Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program.

Mitigation Successes

Clackamas County has several examples of hazard mitigation including the following projects funded through FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance and the Oregon Infrastructure Finance Authority’s Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program¹.

FEMA Funded Mitigation Successes

• 2020: HMGP-FM5327-13, Upper Sandy River Flood Warning System Improvements ($94,408)
• 2020: HMGP-5195-01, Flood Acquisition (no cost provided)
• 2017: HMGP-1956-05, Upper Sandy River Basin Flood Warning System ($45,046) 
• 2016: FMA-PJ-10-OR-2016-003, Flood Mitigation Elevation (no cost provided)
• 2015: HMGP-1956-03, Sandy River Erosion (Channel Migration) Study ($125,000)
• 2014: HMGP-1956-02 Phase 2, Flood Acquisition ($315,609)
• 2013: HMGP-1824-08, Landslide Hazard Mapping/Risk Assessment ($121,876)
• 2013: HMGP-1956-02 Phase 1, Flood Acquisition ($101,925)
• 2013: HMGP-1956-02 Phase 1, Flood Acquisition ($266,614)
• 2012: HMGP-1824-03 Phase 3, Flood Acquisition ($353,606)
• 2012: HMGP-1824-03 Phase 4, Flood Acquisition ($243,868)
• 2010: HMGP-1824-03 Phase 1, Flood Acquisition ($140,763)
• 2010: HMGP-1824-03 Phase 2, Flood Acquisition ($281,445)
• 2003: PDMC-PJ-10-OR-2003-001, CCOM/EOC Seismic Upgrade ($272,000)
• 2003: PDMC-PJ-10-OR-2003-004, WES Tri-City Wastewater Seismic Upgrade ($333,290)
• 2007: FMA-PJ-10-OR-2007-001, Flood Mitigation Elevation ($128,672)
• 2005: PDMC-PJ-10-OR-2005-002, Clackamas WES Pipe-Bridge Erosion/Scour Relocation Project (no cost provided)
• 2005: EMS-2005-FM-E002, Flood Mitigation Elevation ($194,000)
• 2005: HMGP-1510-03, Partners For Loss Prevention Pre-School Seismic Safety ($1,527)
• 2005: HMGP-1510-09, Hazard Tree Mitigation Assistance – Oregon Department of Forestry ($10,000)
• 2005: PDMC-PJ-10-OR-2005-002, WES Pipe bridge Erosion/Scour Relocation ($2,057,133

Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program Mitigation Successes 

• 2019: North Campus Sabin-Schellenberg, North Clackamas School District ($2,500,000)
• 2017: Molalla Fire District Station 82, ($1,189,967)
• 2017: Sunnyside Elementary (Community of Clackamas), North Clackamas School District, ($1,500,000)
• 2017: Whitcomb Elementary, North Clackamas School District ($1,500,000).
• 2014: Clackamas Fire District Fire Station #12 (Logan) ($94,552) • 2014: Clackamas Fire District Fire Station #13 (Clarkes), ($71,582)

Other mitigation success regardless of funding

• South End Road, installed slope inclinometers and vibrating wire piezometers See city addenda for mitigation successes within each city and special district.

¹The Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program (SRGP) is a state of Oregon competitive grant program that provides funding for the seismic rehabilitation of critical public buildings, particularly public schools, and emergency services facilities.

Hazard Mitigation Assistance – Funding

The Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan was formally approved by FEMA and the County in September 2024. The County, participating cities and special districts are eligible for Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs while the plan is current, through September 2029. See a full list of grants.

Examples of Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants and programs include:

• Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)
• Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Grant Program
• Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)
• Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Grant Program