Snow Avalanche Hazards and Mitigation in the United States (1990) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
4. An International Perspective on Avalanche Management
4. An International Perspective on Avalanche Management
Pages 27-36
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From page 27... ...
The physical aspects of avalanche control are discussed in Chapter 5; the human element is of concern in this chapter. Of particular interest are the strategies that have been implemented frequently or that have shown greater sophistication in the past decade: these include avalanche legislation and regulation, avalanche zoning, and hazard mapping insurance or disaster relief (Kockelman, 1986~.
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From page 28... ...
The main innovation since 1980 has been the Plan d'Exposition aux Risques (PER) , a risk map with legal connotations defined in a 1982 law bearing on natural hazard insurance (Brugnot, 1987~.
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From page 29... ...
The ministry of municipal affairs is also involved in avalanche management: under the Municipal Act, RSBC 1979, municipal councils have the power to relocate and close municipal highways, develop community plans, regulate sitings of buildings, and regulate land use through zoning. Municipal councils also have the power to restrict specific uses within a particular zone, and it is this potential management strategy that is particularly useful in preventing large-scale loss of life and property damage from avalanche hazards.
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From page 30... ...
Through Bill 301, Alaska's Department of Public Safety is mandated to forecast and control avalanche hazards and coordinate an avalanche information program and "to assist local governments and state agencies in identifying hazardous avalanche zones and in developing snow avalanche zoning regulations" (James, 1981~. Thus, a vehicle has been established for future avalanche zoning policies in Alaska.
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From page 31... ...
Switzerland uses two types of hazard maps: avalanche zone plans and avalanche hazard maps. Avalanche zone plans are legitimized by avalanche zoning laws and are legally
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From page 32... ...
Blue zones have dynamic pressures less than 30 kN/m2 with return periods of 30 to 300 years. Residential development is permitted if it is protected by avalanche defenses or if construction meets design specifications to resist avalanche forces.
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From page 33... ...
Avalanche hazard maps compiled by the Colorado Geological Survey are at a scale of 1:24,000 and are published at a scale of 1:50,000 (Mears, 1979~; they define high hazard, moderate hazard, and no hazard areas based on impact pressures and avalanche return periods. "No hazard" is assigned to areas considered!
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From page 34... ...
For preexisting buildings in a blue zone, the insurance company cannot refuse protection, but the owner has a 5-year period in which to comply with PER requirements. Several aspects of the French system are particularly important: first, natural hazard insurance is implicit, which signifies that no additional insurance cost applies to blue zone properties.
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From page 35... ...
. There is a lack of overall legislation requiring local communities to zone for avalanche hazards in Canada, Norway, and most locations in the United States, although in Norway the National Fund for Natural Disaster Assistance has been active in preventing development in areas at
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From page 36... ...
2. Avalanche hazard maps and avalanche zone plans require the level of clarification specified in Switzerland or France; terminology and definitions, often not used uniformly, can lead to ambiguities.
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