Inventory of Natural Hazards Data Resources in the Federal Government

The inventory includes more summaries of data describing the natural event and post-disaster investigations than references to sources of demographic and economic data. The latter would themselves be the proper subject of another inventory. Hence, only the most relevant sources are included along with several computerized systems to integrate the raw data and planning needs. Information useful in natural hazards planning is included when listed in bibliographies or library-listed series of reports. Academic, nonprofit, state, and local organizations publish much of this information. The major natural hazards covered in this inventory are: avalanche, drought, earthquake, erosion, flood, landslide, lightning, severe storm, tornado, tropical cyclone, tsunami, volcano, wildfire. The inventory summarizes data collected by the Federal government--primarily the major departments of the Executive Branch--although where deemed relevant, a number of Legislative Branch offices and independent and quasi-official agencies are included. Agencies of a regional nature (i.e., the Tennessee Valley Authority, the river basin commissions, and the power administrations) are not included. Federally funded projects (such as universities) are not included with the exception of the Earthquake Engineering Research Center. A planner or researcher interested in information on a specific locale should check with Federal district and state offices, state geological and land-use offices, local planning offices, local universities, nonprofit organizations, private commercial and industrial firms, or with the Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309.