Orange County Water & Wastewater Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan 2024
Hazard
Climate Change Vulnerabilities
Temperatures are expected to increase due to climate change and IRWD anticipates more frequent and intense extreme heat days and heat waves in the future. Climate change is not expected to cause any changes to the potential for earthquake fault rupture occurring within IRWD’s service area. While there is no definitive analysis identifying how wind patterns will change as a result of climate change, it is expected that damage associated with windstorms may be greater due to climate change effects on plants, animals, and infrastructure. Droughts are expected to increase in length and frequency due to climate change and impact IRWD as described in the base plan. Climate change could indirectly affect the conditions for landslides within IRWD’s service area as increased precipitation and storm intensities may cause more moisture-induced landslides. In addition as droughts become more frequent and intense, vegetation along hillsides may be impacted affecting slope stability. Climate change will likely increase IRWD’s vulnerability to power outages as local electric companies implement protocols such as Public Safety Power Shutoff events or as electric demand increases due to increased energy needs. Greater precipitation fluctuations resulting from climate change are anticipated to increase the frequency and intensity of coastal storms and could cause storms occurring in parts of the year when no storm activity usually occurs. These events could impact IRWD as described in the base plan. Climate change is expected to increase the potential for flooding either due to more intense precipitation events or flooding in areas that haven’t historically been affected by these events. While there is no direct link to hazardous materials release and climate change, it is possible that increased temperatures and changes in precipitation intensity could cause releases. Hotter temperatures could affect the integrity of containers used to store and transport materials and more intense precipitation coupled with leakage from containers could increase the migration of materials impacting IRWD’s service area.
Severe Weather: Extreme Heat
Seismic Hazards: Earthquake Fault Rupture
Severe Weather: Windstorm
Severe Weather: Drought
Geological Hazards: Landslide and Mudflow
Human-Caused Hazards: Power Outage
Coastal Hazards: Coastal Storm
Flood
Human-Caused Hazards: Hazardous Materials
O-18
WSCP - 71
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