Gallatin County is exposed to many hazards. The hazards were identified and profiled through several different means. Hazards were initially identified by participants in the first public meeting. Participants included government, the private sector, and the public. Then, a history of past events was gathered and possible future events were recognized through internet research, available GIS data, archives research, public meetings, subject matter experts, and an examination of existing plans.
The hazards (in alphabetical order) have been identified as follows. The level of detail for each hazard is based on the relative risk of each hazard to the communities and is limited by the amount of data available.
| Hazard | Jurisdiction | How Identified | Why Identified |
| Avalanche and Landslide | · Gallatin County | · State DES Website· Historical records from the Avalanche.org database· Colorado Avalanche Information Center· Montana Hazard/Vulnerability Analysis, 1989· USGS National Landslide Study· Montana Department of Transportation District 2 Priorities· Public meeting input· 2005 HAZUS Study | · Mountainous terrain exists that may be prone to avalanches and landslides· The county has frequent avalanches involving the population· Priority landslide areas exist along roadways in the county· The county has areas of landslide incidences and susceptibility based on a USGS study· 2005 HAZUS Study identified significant areas of landslide risk |
| Aviation Accident | · Gallatin County· All Incorporated Cities and Towns | · Research of NTSB database· Public meeting input | · The county has three airports· Long history of incidents, some with casualties· Second busiest airport in the State located in Gallatin County |
| Communicable Disease and Bioterrorism | · Gallatin County· All Incorporated Cities and Towns | · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website· Public meeting input· Local Health Department | · Large number of livestock areas· History of an influenza outbreak during the 1910’s· The area is highly traveled by tourists· Rapid disease spread potential through urban areas |
| Dam Failure | · Gallatin· All Incorporated Cities and Towns | · National Inventory of Dams website· Dam Emergency Action Plans | · Several high hazard dams and several significant hazard dams exist in the county |
| Drought | · Gallatin County· All Incorporated Cities and Towns | · Montana Drought Advisory Committee website· National Drought Mitigation Center website· Data from the Western Regional Climate Center· State DES website· NOAA Paleoclimatology Program website· Public meeting input | · Frequent historical drought events· USDA Disaster Declarations· Relationship to wildfire danger· Impact to agricultural community· Impact on natural resources and tourism |
| Earthquake | · Gallatin County· All Incorporated Cities and Towns | · Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology publication and website· USGS National Seismic Hazard Mapping Project website· University of Utah Seismograph Stations website· USGS National Earthquake Information Center website· 2005 HAZUS Study | · History of nearby earthquakes greater than 6.0 magnitude· Proximity to the active geological region of Yellowstone National Gallatin· 2005 HAZUS scenarios defined a significant hazard |
| Flooding | · Gallatin County· All Incorporated Cities and Towns | · FEMA Flood Insurance Study and Rate Maps· Gallatin County DES documents | · History of flooding· Large areas of identified floodplain in developed areas |
| Ground Transportation Accident | · Gallatin County· All Incorporated Cities and Towns | · Public meeting input· Subject matter expert input· Fire department records | · Heavily traveled Interstate 90 and Highway 191 traverse the county |
| Hazardous Materials Release | · Gallatin County· All Incorporated Cities and Towns | · Gallatin County Hazardous Material Plan· State of Montana Hazardous Materials Plan· Public meeting input· Fire department records | · Fixed facilities exist in the county that house hazardous materials· Regular interstate, highway, and railroad traffic transport hazardous materials· History of hazardous material releases |
| Railroad Accident | · Gallatin County· All Incorporated Cities and Towns | · Federal Railroad Administration database· Public meeting input | · Active railroad exists in the county and passes through Bozeman , Belgrade , Manhattan and Three Forks· Several accidents have occurred in the past· Potential exists for a large hazardous materials release from a railroad accident |
| Severe Thunderstorms and Tornadoes | · Gallatin County· All Incorporated Cities and Towns | · National Climatic Data Center database· National Weather Service website· Subject matter experts | · Severe thunderstorms, some causing damage, have occurred in recent history |
| Terrorism, Civil Unrest, and Violence | · Gallatin County· All Incorporated Cities and Towns | · Centers for Disease Control website· Gallatin County Emergency Operations Plan· Southern Poverty Law Center website· Anti-Defamation League website | · Heightened alert since September 11, 2001· Small scale incidents have occurred in Gallatin County· Proximity to Yellowstone National Park and National Forest lands |
| Utility Outage | · Gallatin County· All Incorporated Cities and Towns | · Public meeting input· Subject matter experts | · Dependence of population on utility services |
| Volcano | · Gallatin County· All Incorporated Cities and Towns | · Yellowstone Volcano Observatory· Montana Disaster and Emergency Services | · Proximity to active volcanic caldera· History of ash fall over the county |
| Wildfire | · Gallatin County· All Incorporated Cities and Towns | · Gallatin County records· DNRC records· USFS records | · Mountainous, forested, and flammable terrain exists throughout the county· History of significant wildfires, both forest and grass fires· Growth in the wildland/urban interface |
| Winter Storms and Extended Cold | · Gallatin County· All Incorporated Cities and Towns | · Western Regional Climate Center database· Public meeting input | · History of road closures due to winter conditions· Potential for power outages during a cold spell |
This data has been collected from the Gallatin County Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Historical Disasters (Federal Declarations)
The following information is a summary of federally declared incidents since 1952 in which Gallatin County was named. Data is courtesy of FEMA via www.fema.gov/data-visualization.
