Ottawa's Seismic Design Category, explained

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Ottawa is Category B. Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. Nationally, Ottawa ranks above 26% of the 4,875 cities in this dataset for seismic hazard - the 26th percentile.

Where Ottawa sits in Kansas

USGS's underlying values for Ottawa: 0.045g peak ground acceleration, 0.095g at short period, 0.067g at 1 second. Within Kansas alone, Ottawa ranks 22 of 63 cities by seismic hazard - the 66th percentile in-state. Ottawa has a population of about 12,733.

Bracing and bolting: the actual cost

A full earthquake retrofit typically runs $5,000-$10,000 nationally (around $7,000 typical), driven mainly by house size and foundation type, not by Kansas specifically. California's Earthquake Brace + Bolt grant, which covers a large share of this cost, is a California-only program and does not apply in Kansas.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A Ottawa homeowner cannot buy a standalone earthquake policy in most cases - it is added to an existing homeowners policy as an endorsement, so the place to start is a regular home-insurance quote.

Where Ottawa's figures come from

Ottawa's Category B and every number above trace to USGS's own ASCE 7-16 Design Maps service - see the methodology guide. See the category explainer for what Category B does and doesn't tell you about Ottawa.