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County board approves five‑year hazard mitigation plan, allows emergency management to clarify hydrology language
Summary
After questions about differing lake and stream counts, the board approved the five‑year hazard mitigation plan and granted emergency management the flexibility to revise hydrology language or numeric categorizations for clarity.
The Ashland County Board of Supervisors approved the county’s five‑year hazard mitigation plan with a motion that permits emergency management to modify hydrology language and numbers for clarity.
Supervisor questions flagged discrepancies between counts in the plan—where the hydrology section lists 85 lakes, 96 flowages and 548.1 miles of stream—and figures shown later in the agenda and other materials that list 157 lakes and roughly 1,700 miles of streams. Supervisors asked whether differences reflected varying data sources or differing definitions (for example, whether dry creek beds or small tributaries are counted as streams). Board members suggested clarifying terms such as “navigable” or otherwise describing categorization methods.
The plan’s authors (the Northwest Regional Planning Commission) were identified by staff as the source of the plan’s compiled hydrology data; emergency management staff said the plan itself resulted from meetings that included highway, city, county and other partners and that the plan’s actions were assigned to departments for follow‑up. After discussion, the board amended the motion to approve the plan while authorizing emergency management to adjust hydrology numbers or wording if additional clarifying language benefited the county.
Emergency management staff explained that the hazard mitigation plan is intended to cover natural hazard preparedness and response—planning, emergency notifications, and actions such as culvert upsizing and wetland restoration to reduce flood risks. Supervisors discussed specific mitigation work already underway, including culvert upsizing projects funded by grants and collaboration with federal programs and private landowners to restore wetlands and increase water storage capacity.
The plan was approved by voice vote after the board confirmed the amendment allowing emergency management limited editorial flexibility in the hydrology section; meeting minutes show the motion carried.
