Politico-Cultural Influences Within Tribally Inclusive Geographic Areas (TIGA) on Disaster Management of six Geologic Hazards: Tsunami, Volcanic Eruptive Events and Lahar, Floods, Geomagnetics, Earthquakes, and Landslides

This two phase study is designed to assist elected and appointed leaders in and near reservations communities by enhancing the understanding of the relationships between identified geological hazards and common politico-cultural factors via the fusion of this knowledge into local decision making in an effort to reduce and manage geohazard risks. Phase I: Identification of common politico-cultural factors specific to American Indian reservation communities and analysis of how these factors affect integrated management of selected geohazard risk and geological disasters in Tribally Inclusive Geographic Areas (TIGA) in four states. Phase II: Utilization of constructed weighted matrices to define levels of importance of the activities related to geohazard risks. The politico-cultural factors reviewed and analyzed were: 1) Concept of tribal sovereignty in government to government relationships, 2) Blood Quantum enrollment, and 3) Taxation of cigarettes. Six types of geologic hazards in selected TIGA in the states of New York, Wisconsin, Oregon, and Washington were reviewed: 1) Tsunami, 2) Volcanic Eruptive Events and Lahars, 3) Floods, 4) Geomagnetism, 5) Earthquakes, and 6) Landslides, roadside, and roadbed soils degradation. Results to date indicate that geomagnetic events are the least managed but pose primarily a temporary economic risk, and where applicable, tsunami hazards and earthquakes pose the greatest risk. Future work is anticipated to refine constructed waited matrices for selected geohazards and add data across additional Tribal Inclusive Geographic Areas.