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American Military News
5 days ago
- Climate
- American Military News
Major flooding forces evacuations in Alaska
A glacial outburst has sparked emergency evacuations in Juneau, Alaska, as the Mendenhall River is expected to reach record levels and cause major flooding. In a Tuesday Facebook post, Juneau officials announced, 'A glacial outburst has occurred at Suicide Basin. The basin is releasing and flooding is expected along Mendenhall Lake and River late Tuesday through Wednesday. Residents are advised to evacuate the potential flood inundation area.' Officials warned residents in the '17ft lake level inundation zone' to 'evacuate the area until the flood waters recede and an 'All Clear' message is sent via the Wireless Emergency Alert system and/or CBJ Alerts.' In Tuesday's post, Juneau officials told Alaskan residents not to go near the Mendenhall River and warned, 'Approaching the river during a flood warning endangers yourself and first responders and interferes with residents evacuating.' Officials also confirmed that a Red Cross shelter had been established for Alaskan residents at Floyd Dryden Gymnasium. During a news conference on Tuesday, meteorologist Nicole Ferrin warned that the expected flooding would be a 'new record.' READ MORE: 3 Americans evacuated in Antarctica by New Zealand Air Force In another post, officials noted that Mendenhall Loop Road had been closed due to the river flooding. 'The closure will remain in effect until water levels recede below 12 feet and bridge engineers complete a safety inspection,' officials stated. The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities also announced that the Federal Aviation Administration issued a temporary flight restriction over part of the Mendenhall River due to the flooding. Officials explained that the temporary flight restriction 'creates controlled airspace to ensure safe aerial operations for geo-hazard monitoring, flood response, and potential evacuations.' On Tuesday afternoon, the National Weather Service's Juneau office issued a flood warning for the region and warned that the forecasted crest of the flooded river was expected to be 16.6 feet high by Wednesday afternoon. According to Fox Weather, National Weather Service Juneau Meteorologist Andrew Park warned that in addition to the danger presented by the flood waters, the debris in the Mendenhall River presents another danger for Alaskan residents. 'There is a lot of debris in the river. Please stay away from the river. It's very dangerous right now,' Park warned. 'If you get in that water, you're not going to make it out of there. So, please, remain away from the river.'
National Observer
6 days ago
- Climate
- National Observer
Parts of Juneau prepared for flooding from water slipping past Alaska's Mendenhall Glacier
Sections of Alaska's capital city are bracing for the arrival of what could be record floodwaters due to rainwater and snowmelt flowing downstream from a basin dammed by the Mendenhall Glacier. Some Juneau residents in the flood zone have evacuated, heeding warnings. On Tuesday morning, authorities confirmed water had started escaping the ice dam, with flooding expected into Wednesday. The Mendenhall Glacier is about 12 miles (19 kilometers) from Juneau, home to 30,000 people, and is a popular tourist attraction due to its proximity to Alaska's capital city and easy access on walking trails. Homes on the city's outskirts are within miles of Mendenhall Lake, which sits below the glacier, and many front the Mendenhall River, into which the glacial outburst is flowing. The National Weather Service said it expected flooding to to peak around 8 a.m. to noon on Wednesday. 'This will be a new record, based on all of the information that we have,' Nicole Ferrin, a weather service meteorologist, told a news conference Tuesday. Basin flooding is a yearly worry Flooding from the basin has become an annual concern since 2011, and in recent years has swept away houses and swamped hundreds of homes. Government agencies installed temporary barriers this year in hopes of protecting several hundred homes in the inundation area from widespread damage. The flooding happens because a smaller glacier near Mendenhall Glacier retreated — a casualty of the warming climate — and left a basin that fills with rainwater and snowmelt each spring and summer. When the water creates enough pressure, it forces its way under or around the ice dam created by the Mendenhall Glacier, enters Mendenhall Lake and eventually flows down the Mendenhall River, as it did Tuesday. Before the basin began overtopping, the water level was rising rapidly — as much as 4 feet (1.22 meters) per day during especially sunny or rainy days, according to the National Weather Service. The city saw successive years of record flooding in 2023 and 2024 — with the river last August cresting at 15.99 feet (4.9 meters), about 1 foot (30 centimeters) over the prior record set a year earlier — and flooding extending farther into the Mendenhall Valley. This year's flooding was predicted to crest at between 16.3 and 16.8 feet (4.96 to 5.12 meters). Last year, nearly 300 residences were damaged. A large outburst can release some 15 billion gallons of water, according to the University of Alaska Southeast and Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center. That's the equivalent of nearly 23,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. During last year's flood, the flow rate in the rushing Mendenhall River was about half that of Niagara Falls, the researchers say. A temporary levee is installed City officials responded to concerns from property owners this year by working with state, federal and tribal entities to install a temporary levee along roughly 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) of riverbank in an attempt to guard against widespread flooding. The 10,000 'Hesco' barriers are essentially giant sandbags intended to protect more than 460 properties completely during an 18-foot (5.5-meter) flood event, said emergency manager Ryan O'Shaughnessy. The US Army Corps of Engineers is at the start of what's expected to be a yearslong process of studying conditions in the region and examining options for a more permanent solution, such as a levee. The timeline has angered some residents, who say it's unreasonable. Outburst floods are expected to continue as long as the Mendenhall Glacier acts as an ice dam to seal off the basin, which could span another 25 to 60 years, according to the university and science center researchers.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Parts of Juneau brace for flooding from water slipping past Alaska's Mendenhall Glacier
Alaska Flooding-Glacial Dam Sections of Alaska's capital city are bracing for the arrival of what could be record floodwaters due to rainwater and snowmelt flowing downstream from a basin dammed by the Mendenhall Glacier. Some Juneau residents in the flood zone have evacuated, heeding warnings. On Tuesday morning, authorities confirmed water had started escaping the ice dam, with flooding expected into Wednesday. The Mendenhall Glacier is about 12 miles (19 kilometers) from Juneau, home to 30,000 people, and is a popular tourist attraction due to its proximity to Alaska's capital city and easy access on walking trails. Homes on the city's outskirts are within miles of Mendenhall Lake, which sits below the glacier, and many front the Mendenhall River, into which the glacial outburst is flowing. The National Weather Service said it expected flooding to to peak around 8 a.m. to noon on Wednesday. 'This will be a new record, based on all of the information that we have,' Nicole Ferrin, a weather service meteorologist, told a news conference Tuesday. Basin flooding is a yearly worry Flooding from the basin has become an annual concern since 2011, and in recent years has swept away houses and swamped hundreds of homes. Government agencies installed temporary barriers this year in hopes of protecting several hundred homes in the inundation area from widespread damage. The flooding happens because a smaller glacier near Mendenhall Glacier retreated — a casualty of the warming climate — and left a basin that fills with rainwater and snowmelt each spring and summer. When the water creates enough pressure, it forces its way under or around the ice dam created by the Mendenhall Glacier, enters Mendenhall Lake and eventually flows down the Mendenhall River, as it did Tuesday. Before the basin began overtopping, the water level was rising rapidly — as much as 4 feet (1.22 meters) per day during especially sunny or rainy days, according to the National Weather Service. The city saw successive years of record flooding in 2023 and 2024 — with the river last August cresting at 15.99 feet (4.9 meters), about 1 foot (30 centimeters) over the prior record set a year earlier — and flooding extending farther into the Mendenhall Valley. This year's flooding was predicted to crest at between 16.3 and 16.8 feet (4.96 to 5.12 meters). Last year, nearly 300 residences were damaged. A large outburst can release some 15 billion gallons of water, according to the University of Alaska Southeast and Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center. That's the equivalent of nearly 23,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. During last year's flood, the flow rate in the rushing Mendenhall River was about half that of Niagara Falls, the researchers say. A temporary levee is installed City officials responded to concerns from property owners this year by working with state, federal and tribal entities to install a temporary levee along roughly 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) of riverbank in an attempt to guard against widespread flooding. The 10,000 'Hesco' barriers are essentially giant sandbags intended to protect more than 460 properties completely during an 18-foot (5.5-meter) flood event, said emergency manager Ryan O'Shaughnessy. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is at the start of what's expected to be a yearslong process of studying conditions in the region and examining options for a more permanent solution, such as a levee. The timeline has angered some residents, who say it's unreasonable. Outburst floods are expected to continue as long as the Mendenhall Glacier acts as an ice dam to seal off the basin, which could span another 25 to 60 years, according to the university and science center researchers. ___ Associated Press writer Becky Bohrer in Juneau contributed to this report.
Glasgow Times
6 days ago
- Climate
- Glasgow Times
Homeowners warned of flood risk as lake starts to break through ice dam
Officials in recent days have been warning people in the flood zone to be ready to evacuate. On Tuesday morning, they confirmed water had started escaping the ice dam and flowing downstream, with flooding expected from late on Tuesday into Wednesday. Flooding from the basin has become an annual concern and, in recent years, has swept away houses and swamped hundreds of homes. A canoe, bottom right, glides on Mendenhall Lake, in front of the Mendenhall glacier, Juneau, Alaska (Becky Bohrer/AP) Government agencies installed a temporary levy this year in hopes of guarding against widespread damage. 'This will be a new record, based on all of the information that we have,' Nicole Ferrin, a National Weather Service meteorologist, told a news conference on Tuesday. The Mendenhall glacier, a thinning, retreating glacier that is a major tourist attraction in south-east Alaska, acts as a dam for Suicide Basin, which fills each spring and summer with rainwater and snowmelt. The basin itself was left behind when a smaller glacier nearby retreated. Flood barriers to protect property against glacial outburst flooding have already been positioned (Marc Lester/Anchorage Daily News via AP) When the water in the basin builds up enough pressure, it forces its way under or around the ice dam, entering Mendenhall Lake and eventually the Mendenhall River. Before the basin reached the limit of its capacity and began overtopping over the weekend, the water level was rising rapidly – as much as 1.22 metres per day during especially sunny or rainy days, according to the National Weather Service. The threat of so-called glacier outburst flooding has troubled parts of Juneau since 2011. In some years, there has been limited flooding of streets or properties near the lake or river. But 2023 and 2024 marked successive years of record flooding, with the river last August cresting at 4.9m – 30cm over the prior record set a year earlier, and flooding extending farther into the Mendenhall Valley. This year's flooding was predicted to crest at between 4.96m and 5.12m. Last year, nearly 300 residences were damaged. A large outburst can release some 15 billion gallons of water, according to the University of Alaska Southeast and Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Centre. That's the equivalent of nearly 23,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. During last year's flood, the flow rate in the rushing Mendenhall River was about half that of Niagara Falls, the researchers said. City officials responded to concerns from property owners this year by working with state, federal and tribal entities to install a temporary levee along roughly 2.5 miles of riverbank in an attempt to guard against widespread flooding. The installation of about 10,000 1.2m barriers is intended to protect more than 460 properties from flood levels similar to last year, said Nate Rumsey, deputy director with the city's engineering and public works department. The US army corps of engineers is at the start of what is expected to be a years-long process of studying conditions in the region and examining options for a more permanent solution. The timeline has angered some residents, who say it is unreasonable. Outburst floods are expected to continue as long as the Mendenhall Glacier acts as an ice dam to seal off the basin, which could span another 25-60 years, according to the university and science centre researchers.
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Parts of Juneau brace for flooding from water slipping past Alaska's Mendenhall Glacier
Sections of Alaska's capital city are bracing for the arrival of what could be record floodwaters due to rainwater and snowmelt flowing downstream from a basin dammed by the Mendenhall Glacier. Some Juneau residents in the flood zone have evacuated, heeding warnings. On Tuesday morning, authorities confirmed water had started escaping the ice dam, with flooding expected into Wednesday. The Mendenhall Glacier is about 12 miles (19 kilometers) from Juneau, home to 30,000 people, and is a popular tourist attraction due to its proximity to Alaska's capital city and easy access on walking trails. Homes on the city's outskirts are within miles of Mendenhall Lake, which sits below the glacier, and many front the Mendenhall River, into which the glacial outburst is flowing. The National Weather Service said it expected flooding to to peak around 8 a.m. to noon on Wednesday. 'This will be a new record, based on all of the information that we have,' Nicole Ferrin, a weather service meteorologist, told a news conference Tuesday. Basin flooding is a yearly worry Flooding from the basin has become an annual concern since 2011, and in recent years has swept away houses and swamped hundreds of homes. Government agencies installed temporary barriers this year in hopes of protecting several hundred homes in the inundation area from widespread damage. The flooding happens because a smaller glacier near Mendenhall Glacier retreated — a casualty of the warming climate — and left a basin that fills with rainwater and snowmelt each spring and summer. When the water creates enough pressure, it forces its way under or around the ice dam created by the Mendenhall Glacier, enters Mendenhall Lake and eventually flows down the Mendenhall River, as it did Tuesday. Before the basin began overtopping, the water level was rising rapidly — as much as 4 feet (1.22 meters) per day during especially sunny or rainy days, according to the National Weather Service. The city saw successive years of record flooding in 2023 and 2024 — with the river last August cresting at 15.99 feet (4.9 meters), about 1 foot (30 centimeters) over the prior record set a year earlier — and flooding extending farther into the Mendenhall Valley. This year's flooding was predicted to crest at between 16.3 and 16.8 feet (4.96 to 5.12 meters). Last year, nearly 300 residences were damaged. A large outburst can release some 15 billion gallons of water, according to the University of Alaska Southeast and Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center. That's the equivalent of nearly 23,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. During last year's flood, the flow rate in the rushing Mendenhall River was about half that of Niagara Falls, the researchers say. A temporary levee is installed Wednesdays What's next in arts, life and pop culture. City officials responded to concerns from property owners this year by working with state, federal and tribal entities to install a temporary levee along roughly 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) of riverbank in an attempt to guard against widespread flooding. The 10,000 'Hesco' barriers are essentially giant sandbags intended to protect more than 460 properties completely during an 18-foot (5.5-meter) flood event, said emergency manager Ryan O'Shaughnessy. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is at the start of what's expected to be a yearslong process of studying conditions in the region and examining options for a more permanent solution, such as a levee. The timeline has angered some residents, who say it's unreasonable. Outburst floods are expected to continue as long as the Mendenhall Glacier acts as an ice dam to seal off the basin, which could span another 25 to 60 years, according to the university and science center researchers. ___ Associated Press writer Becky Bohrer in Juneau contributed to this report.
