The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the Mendenhall Lake and River following a glacier-dammed lake outburst.
The Mendenhall River is forecasted to crest between 11 and 11.5 feet on Monday, October 21, between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. National Weather Service flood forecasts predicts that at 11 feet, View Drive will be flooded and impassable, with significant flooding to some homes in the area. Some homes along the river on Meander Way will begin to see flooding in backyards.
Residents in this area are strongly advised to take immediate precautions. Take steps to protect your property and prepare for possible power outages in the area. Temperatures in the Mendenhall Valley will be around 20°F when the river is expected to crest.
All members of the public should avoid the Mendenhall River until further notice for the safety of yourself and others. Banks are unstable and slippery with recent snow.
CBJ is monitoring conditions closely in cooperation with local weather agencies and will continue to provide updates. Read the full NWS statement at https://www.weather.gov/ajk/suicideBasin.
The following roads and trails will be closed to traffic beginning tomorrow afternoon, Sunday, October 20:
- View Drive
- Skater’s Cabin Road
- Kaxdigoowu Héen Dei (Brotherhood Bridge Trail)
- Dimond Park pedestrian bridge
To see inundation maps, visit https://water.noaa.gov/gauges/MNDA2.
- Scroll down, click “Activate MNDA2 FIM Gauge”
- Zoom out and reposition the map
- Maximize the opacity gauge
- Click the numbers under Stage(ft) on the left-hand side to see predicted inundation levels
For information about how to stay safe during a flood, visit juneau.org/emergency/juneau-hazards and click the “Floods” tab.
For the latest weather information and updates, follow the National Weather Service on Facebook and X (Twitter).
To sign up for CBJ emergency alerts, text CBJ to 38276 or visit bit.ly/CBJAlerts. To see all CBJ alerts and information releases, visit juneau.org/newsroom or follow CBJ on Facebook.