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UPDATE: Flood warning issued for Mendenhall Lake and River Cancelled

NOTN- Officials issued a flood warning today for the Mendenhall Lake and River after gauges showed that Suicide basin had begun releasing water.

The National Weather Service said flooding is imminent or already occurring near the glacier visitor center, Mendenhall Campground, Skaters Cabin Road, View Drive and possibly downstream of the Back Loop bridge. The warning remains in effect until around 8:00 am to 12:00 pm tomorrow.

Officials from the National Weather Service in Juneau said in an interview that the flood is expected to crest at around 11.5 to 11.9 feet, it’s not expected to be on the same scale as the flood that struck in August.

“This one’s going to come out significantly lower,” said Jeff Garmon with National Weather Service Juneau, “That doesn’t mean there won’t be impacts, but it’s not the same situation we were facing in August.”

Garmon advised residents to monitor updates from the City and Borough of Juneau for any evacuation guidance but said no immediate evacuations were being recommended.

He added that forecasters are continuing to refine projections as new data becomes available.

“We’re working with CBJ right now. We’ll have more information going out on social media.” He said.

This story has been updated as of Tuesday morning to reflect the National Weather Service had warned water from Suicide Basin could crest near 12 feet overnight, but the river actually peaked lower about 9.6 feet around 7:30 p.m. Monday, just shy of the moderate flood stage.

The Flood Warning for the Mendenhall Lake and River has since been cancelled. Levels have been steadily dropping and were already below minor flood stage by 10 p.m.

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HESCO barriers, View Drive, and the possibility of another flood; Officials reflect on Suicide Basin release

This drone image provided by the City and Borough of Juneau shows flooding from a release of water and snowmelt at Mendenhall Glacier covered some roads and threatened homes along the Mendenhall River in Juneau, Alaska on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (City and Borough of Juneau via AP)
This drone image provided by the City and Borough of Juneau shows flooding from a release of water and snowmelt at Mendenhall Glacier covered some roads and threatened homes along the Mendenhall River in Juneau, Alaska on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (City and Borough of Juneau via AP)

NOTN- City officials in Juneau say flood protection measures largely held during this month’s Suicide Basin release, but the risk of another release later this year remains.

Emergency Programs Manager Ryan O’Shaughnessy said five of the most severely damaged homes were on View Drive.

The barriers prevented widespread destruction but still experienced seepage and minor flooding in some areas.

“Six homes did have that major damage classification, And what that means is that water entered the living space and was generally above the height of a standard electrical outlet.” Said O’Shaughnessy, “At this time, the best professional judgment of the CBJ Engineering and Public Works team does believe that the HESCO barriers are not a viable solution for View Drive, so we’re working to identify any other solutions we can.”

Officials say long-term options for View Drive could include state- or federally sponsored buyouts. Meanwhile, the city is focusing on assessing barrier performance, repairing damaged sections, and moving forward with “Phase Two” of the project, which would extend protection as far as Brotherhood Bridge and Meadow Lane.

“There’s a lot of questions about phase two, and we’re working really hard to answer those, but seeing the effectiveness of the HESCO barriers this year is a great indication and a good reminder that we’re not out of the woods yet,” O’Shaughnessy said.

Last year, Suicide Basin released again in October with a final flood stage of just under 11 feet, and officials warn the glacier-dammed lake is currently refilling at a steady rate of about three feet per day, O’Shaughnessy said. “It is entirely possible we could see another release this year, another great reminder that we have a lot of work to do as a community.”

The city issued evacuation notices to more than 1,000 homes ahead of the flood, which crested at 16.6 feet, the highest on record. O’Shaughnessy credited the unified response involving the City and Borough of Juneau, state agencies, tribal partners, and the U.S. Coast Guard with preventing loss of life.

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Flood crest expected this morning; no HESCO breach reported

The National Weather Service operations, photo courtesy of the National Weather Service.

NOTN- As of this morning, the Mendenhall River remains in major flood stage due to the ongoing release from Suicide Basin and three days of heavy rain. As of 5 a.m., the river was at 15.78 feet and rising.

Forecasters expect it to crest between 16.25 and 16.75 feet late this morning, with the highest likelihood near 16.75 feet around 8 a.m. The river is expected to drop below flood stage by Tomorrow.

According to the City and Borough of Juneau, HESCO barriers have not been breached, officials reported ponding water on Meander Way and Marion Drive, which is not a breach of the barriers themselves.

According to CBJ this is water seepage at the barriers and crews have installed water pumps.

City and staff continue to monitor conditions and will provide updates as things change.

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Flood waters to crest earlier than expected according to officials, residents urged to evacuate

NOTN- Local officials are warning residents of imminent flooding, with the river crest now predicted to occur earlier than previously anticipated, potentially before noon tomorrow.

Sabrina Grubitz, Tlingit and Haida Public Safety Manager and incident commander for the 2025 flood response, announced this evening that the National Weather Service has moved up the flooding timeline by four to six hours. Flooding could begin as early as 8 AM.

“Tomorrow we are looking somewhere before noon, and certainly, if individuals have not evacuated the flood zone at this point in time, they’re highly encouraged to evacuate immediately and get out of out of that area.” Said Grubitz, “We could see flooding as as early as eight or so, so making sure that individuals are prepped and ready before they go to sleep tonight.”

The situation is developing rapidly, and officials stress the importance of taking immediate precautions to ensure personal safety.

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Near record levels expected as Suicide Basin release begins, says National Weather Service

NOTN- Water has begun spilling from Suicide Basin, prompting a flood warning for the Mendenhall Lake and River.

The National Weather Service confirmed the release began at about 9:30 a.m. after coordinating with science partners monitoring the basin.

“As of this morning, we noticed that the totals for the basin were starting to drop a lot more, very exponentially. So we looked into the Mendenhall Lake as well as the laser gage, and we sent someone up there to ground truth it in a helicopter.” Said the National Weather Service, “As of the past hour, we have decided to call it and send out the warning for the glacial release.”

Suicide Basin, a side basin of the Mendenhall Glacier, has produced annual glacial lake outburst floods since 2011, including a record event on Aug. 6, 2024. The most recent release before this week occurred Oct. 20, 2024.

“Now that it’s releasing, it’s going to release a lot more right off the bat, and then kind of level out more as it gets less full.” Said a National Weather Service representative, “The crest height is expected to be around Wednesday afternoon, and because of all the rainfall that we’ve had recently, we are expecting to have either near record levels or record levels.”

Residents in flood-prone areas are urged to follow the latest advisories from local officials and the National Weather Service.

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Suicide Basin is overtopping, no release yet

NOTN- Suicide Basin has begun overtopping and could release floodwaters within one to six days, officials say.

The City and Borough of Juneau, the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida, and local weather agencies are monitoring the basin closely and will issue an alert when the release begins.

Residents in potential inundation zones are urged to finish last-minute preparations, confirm evacuation plans, and assemble go-bags.

Forecast data is available at JuneauFlood.com, and residents can sign up for emergency alerts by texting CBJ to 38276.

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Local leaders, Army Corps coordinate on long-term flood solutions

Photo provided by CBJ following the installation of the HESCO barrier project
Photo provided by CBJ following the installation of the HESCO barrier project

NOTN- Deputy Mayor Greg Smith joined KINY’s morning show on Thursday to recap Wednesday’s joint flood initiative meeting, discussing long-term solutions for flooding caused by the Mendenhall Glacier’s Suicide Basin.

In the short term, HESCO barriers remain the primary line of defense for vulnerable neighborhoods.

“We’re approaching historical release times” said Smith, “I mean, of course, everyone is crossing their fingers and just hoping for the best possible outcome.”

The Army Corps emphasized that a more permanent solution—such as a levee around Mendenhall Lake, is likely necessary. But planning and engineering such infrastructure takes time.

“they’re doing studies, but they need to know, you know, what is the risk from Suicide basin, in 5 years, what’s the risk in 50 years? There are more basins back up behind the glacier, and they need to know what those situations could be.” He said, “There’s a lot of factors that go into it. So for them to engineer a viable, long-term solution that will not fail, it does take time. We’ve heard them say it’s probably the top issue for the Army Corps in the state of Alaska.”

A federally funded technical study is underway, and officials hope that data from current modeling and previous floods will help shorten the usual multi-year timeline.

Still, even an expedited timeline might take seven years or more, but Smith says he’s optimistic about that timeline.

“The fact that we just got federal money to do this technical study is tremendous.” Said Smith.

With the Alaska Legislature back in town for the special session, Smith urged residents to take the opportunity to raise the issue with state lawmakers.

“I think some of the takeaways for people, is letting our congressional staff or congressional delegation know the importance.”

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New Joint Flood Initiative Prepares Juneau for 2025 Glacial Lake Outburst

In preparation for a possible glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) this summer, local, tribal, and state agencies have formed a joint communications initiative aimed at improving public safety and emergency response in Juneau.

The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ), Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit & Haida), and the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) are coordinating with several federal and state partners to streamline flood messaging and improve community readiness.

The collaborative effort stems from increased awareness of the growing risks posed by the Mendenhall Glacier’s Suicide Basin and recent flood events that have affected homes, infrastructure, and traditional lands. With the basin approaching capacity, agencies are taking proactive steps to minimize confusion, provide timely updates, and improve response coordination in the event of a flood.

The new effort, called the Joint Information Center (JIC), was established under the Incident Command System and includes coordination from the National Weather Service, U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.

“This partnership will allow us to pool our resources to make sure our residents receive accurate, timely information—especially during high-stress situations like a flood,” said CBJ City Manager Katie Koester.

The JIC will provide consistent emergency alerts, preparedness tips, and flood status updates through email, social media, media briefings, and partner websites. The group will release email updates twice a week and near-daily social media posts to help keep the public informed.

“Community emergencies such as flood events do not recognize jurisdictional boundaries,” said Tlingit & Haida President Chalyee Éesh Richard J. Peterson. “That’s why collaboration between tribal, municipal, state, and federal partners is critical as we prepare our community, pool our resources, knowledge and coordinate response. Together, we are building a framework that prioritizes public safety and ensures that no one is left behind when it matters most.”

Key Ways Residents Can Stay Informed:

  1. Sign up for emergency alerts at bit.ly/CBJAlerts
  2. Check in with the Juneau Flood Ready website at bit.ly/JuneauFloodReady
  3. View road closure leading up to and during an event at 511.Alaska.gov
  4. Stay tuned to the National Weather Service Suicide Basin monitoring page (link)
    5 Review the interactive flood inundation maps available at JuneauFlood.com.
  5. Follow partner agencies on social media.

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