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While Indian River County is moderately vulnerable to impacts from drought due <br /> to the County' s large agricultural land tax base , some communities are less vulnerable due to <br /> their location and non-agricultural economic base . <br /> A few examples of direct impacts of drought are reduced crop , ra geland , and <br /> forest productivity ; increased fire hazard ; reduced water levels ; increased livestock and <br /> wildlife mortality rates ; and damage to wildlife and fish habitat. Social impacts include public <br /> safety , health , conflicts between water users , reduced quality of life , and inequities in the <br /> distribution of impacts and disaster relief. Income loss is another indicator used in assessing <br /> the impacts of drought ; reduced income for farmers has a ripple effect throughout the <br /> region ' s economy ( National Drought Mitigation Center, 2003 ) . <br /> The web of impacts is so diffuse that it is very difficult to come up Nith financial <br /> estimates of damages . However , FEMA estimates $ 6 to $ 8 billion in losses as the annual <br /> average ( FEMA , 1995 ) . The worst drought in recent history occurred in 1987 - 1989 , and the <br /> NCDC reports the estimated cost as $40 billion ( National Drought Mitigation Center, 2003 ) . <br /> 4. 1 . 9. 3 Risk Assessment <br /> Indian River County overall , has a moderate vulnerability to the impacts from <br /> drought due to the County' s large agricultural land tax base . The western area of the County <br /> is most vulnerable to the impacts of drought because this area is extensively involved in <br /> farming and ranching . As of 1996 , the average annual market value of agricultural products <br /> in Indian River County was $625 million . The urbanized communities along t e County's <br /> coast are less vulnerable due to their location and non-agricultural economic base . Potential <br /> impacts to Indian River County's potable water supply during drought conditions appear to be <br /> slight. <br /> 4 . 1 . 10 Seismic Hazards <br /> This section covers seismic hazards , which include dam/levee failure , <br /> earthquakes , and sinkholes and subsidence . <br /> 4. 1 . 10. 1 Dam/Levee Failure <br /> Hazard Identification . Dam/levee failure poses a minor threat to population and <br /> property in Indian River County . All dams and levees are earthen structures and are State , <br /> regional , local , or privately controlled . The most significant risk related to da /levee failure is <br /> flooding due to substantial rainfall and its eastward migration to final discharge in the Indian <br /> River Lagoon . Structural and non-structural techniques to slow and contain t is runoff <br /> incorporate several drainage systems . Rainfall in excess of designed capacities could cause <br /> erosion of constructed drainage facilities and flooding of many areas including primary <br /> roadway evacuation routes ( Indian River County Department of Emergency Management <br /> Services , 2002 ) . According to the National Inventory of Dams , there are five listed dams in <br /> Indian River County ( South Relief Structure , Lateral C Structure , Main Canal Structure , North <br /> Relief Canal Structure , Lateral Structure #3 ( United States Army Corps of Engineers , 1999 ) . <br /> Best available data do not indicate that there have been any dam or levee failures <br /> in Indian River County or the municipalities . The overall extent of seismic hazards in Indian <br /> *,. River County is uniform throughout the individual jurisdictions in the County . <br /> 4-47 <br />