Juneau Recovers After Record Glacier Flood: Evacuation Orders Lifted, Damage Assessed

Juneau, Alaska, is now assessing the aftermath of what was anticipated to be a record-setting glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) from the Mendenhall Glacier’s Suicide Basin. Residents who were urged to evacuate on Tuesday and Wednesday are beginning to return, as floodwaters from the Mendenhall River have crested and are now receding.

Authorities had issued urgent warnings for parts of the city, especially the Mendenhall Valley, as the river was forecast to crest at over 16 feet on Wednesday morning. Emergency flood barriers were deployed, and officials had advised, “Don’t wait, Evacuate TONIGHT” on Tuesday as water began escaping the ice dam. While the full extent of the impact is still being determined, initial reports indicate that the emergency measures helped mitigate some of the anticipated damage.

This year’s GLOF was driven by a combination of rainwater and snowmelt, intensified by the ongoing effects of climate change, which has led to significant glacial retreat. Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and the Alaska Climate Science Center highlight that Alaska is warming twice as fast as the rest of the U.S., contributing to the increasing intensity of these annual flood events. While these glacial floods have been an annual concern for nearly 15 years, experts noted this event was expected to set a new record for water levels.

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