Knox County's Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan
Back to the Knox County Floodplain Program Main PageThe 2020 Progress Report for the Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan is now available. To read the report, click HERE.
What is Knox County doing to prepare for natural disasters?
What is a Hazard Mitigation Plan? Does Knox County have one?
All States are required by the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 44 Emergency Management and Assistance Section § 201.6 to develop and implement a Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP). All municipalities within each State are covered by that state’s Hazard Mitigation Plan. However, local municipalities can opt to adopt their own Hazard Mitigation Plan, separate from the State’s.
Knox County, the City of Knoxville and the Town of Farragut have worked together to develop a regional Hazard Mitigation Plan. Communities with approved plans, especially those who have adopted a regional Hazard Mitigation Plan by working together, are able to apply for federal Hazard Mitigation Grants in addition to leftover federal disaster relief funding issued to the State for natural disaster mitigation. These funds can be used for non-emergency situations including:
- Repetitive flooding (property) mitigation
- Repetitive flooding roadway improvement projects
- Construction of regional detention basins
Knox County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan outlines specific goals to address the following potential natural disasters in Knox County:
- Dam Failure
- Drought
- Earthquakes
- Expansive Soils
- Extreme Temperatures
- Flooding
- Sinkholes / Land Subsistence
- Landslides
- Severe Storms
- Tornados
- Wildfires
- Winter Storms
Knox County has developed procedures and / or policies that limit the potential for these natural disasters. For example, to limit the magnitude of the effects of flooding, Knox County requires an Elevation Certificate to be in place for all structures (see Floodplain Development Permits and Elevation Certificates) to guard against construction in flood-prone areas and to guard against construction impacting other properties that are close to flood-prone areas.
