City of Berkeley HAZUS Implementation

City of Berkeley Information Technology Department, Geographic Information Systems Division, has used loss estimation and consequences assessment tools to support emergency response training exercises and disaster mitigation planning. These maps highlight some of the natural and technological hazards that were considered during 2003 and are shown on a base map emphasizing Census 2000 block residential population density.

Ballistic Strike Fallout Trajectory

This poster shows estimated mortality probability from six large thermonuclear warheads targeting the San Francisco Peninsula that was completed using an ArcView software-based consequence model linked to stratospheric wind data, which was gridded from observations near the scenario time. Lethal fallout reaches Sacramento, and an estimated seven to nine million lives are claimed.

Radiological Weapon on Treasure Island

Estimated radiological dispersal from a device on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay is shown. This analysis assessed consequences with an ArcView software-based model linked to surface winds, which was gridded from observations near the scenario time. The largest plume estimates a 10-millirem dose, which is small. For comparison, pregnant radiation workers are limited to fetal exposures of less than 50 millirem per month.

Ground Motion Estimates—North Hayward Fault

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Natural Hazard Loss Estimation tool (HAZUS) was used to estimate ground motion for a Hayward Fault earthquake scenario as shown above. The analysis used U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) sources of seismic landslide susceptibility, liquefaction susceptibility as shown above, and California Geological Survey soils seismic amplification data. These maps include overlays of USGS geologic line features and city of Berkeley vulnerable building inventory—unreinforced masonry, soft story, and tilt up structures. Ground motion was estimated on a 10-meter grid when USGS soils seismic amplifications were released.