20 hours ago
Record glacial flooding in Juneau damaged nearly 50 homes
Aug. 19—A glacial outburst flood that swept through Juneau's Mendenhall Valley last week damaged nearly 50 homes, according to preliminary surveys.
Only six, however, sustained "major" damage, according to a Red Cross of Alaska tally included with a state emergency operations report. Twenty-five homes experienced minor damage and 16 were considered "affected" by flooding, with 49 in unverified status, according to preliminary surveys of nearly 850 homes by assessment teams.
Erosion from floodwaters undermined a large chunk of a bridge abutment on Mendenhall Loop Road. Officials say repairs will cost about $1 million. The road remained closed at Backloop Bridge on Tuesday.
Overall, the amount of flood damage was far below that of the past few years in the valley where much of Juneau lives. Most of this year's damage occurred in basements and crawlspaces, local officials say.
The flooding stems from what's become an annual climate change-induced event in Suicide Basin, a glacial bowl above Juneau.
The outburst occurred Monday afternoon after an ice dam gave way and billions of gallons of rain and meltwater tumbled onto Mendenhall Glacier and into the valley. Water in the Mendenhall River rose to record levels Wednesday morning before dropping just as fast.
The half-dozen properties with the most damage sit along View Drive, where they weren't protected by a new wall of temporary barriers credited with protecting many low-lying neighborhoods.
Residents of View Drive mounted a last-ditch but unsuccessful attempt to save their homes with a berm they paid to build in the past month, according to reporting by Alaska Public Media.
The Suicide Basin glacial outbursts, first noted in 2011, have wreaked havoc in recent years. In 2024, scores of homes were inundated.
Officials and residents this year also praised a new level of cooperation between the multiple local, tribal, state and federal agencies involved in the emergency planning and response.
Damage assessment teams on the ground in Juneau represented a range of organizations and volunteers: Tlingit & Haida; City and Borough of Juneau; Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation; U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska; Community Emergency Response Team volunteers; Team Rubicon; American Red Cross; United Way of Southeast Alaska; and University of Alaska Southeast.
People who haven't been included in the damage assessment surveys can submit a report online. To apply for State of Alaska Individual Assistance, call 1-844-445-7131 or 907-632-2165 Monday through Friday or apply online.
