The City and Borough of Juneau, Tlingit & Haida and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are partnering to host flood preparedness and sandbag distribution events this summer to help residents prepare for potential flooding along the Mendenhall River. The events are on the following dates: July 11, 18, 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in front of the Dimond Park Field House.
Crews have begun closing the remaining gaps in the Phase 1 and Phase 2 HESCO flood barriers, which were previously left open to provide the public access to certain trails along the Mendenhall River.
Earlier this month, both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the flood barrier system were completed. Gaps left open for pedestrian access include the Brotherhood Bridge, the Wildmeadow Lane entrance to Kaxdigoowu Héen Dei (Brotherhood Bridge Trail), the Dimond Park Pedestrian Bridge and behind Mendenhall River Community School. All entry points are now closed until after the flood.
The City and Borough of Juneau reminds the public to stay away from the barriers and evacuate the advised area when alerted.
Visit Parks & Recreation’s Find a Trail website to look for alternative trails to enjoy. Thank you for your patience.
For more information about the annual glacial lake outburst flooding, visit bit.ly/juneaufloodready, email [email protected], or call the Flood hotline at 907-500-0890.
The City and Borough of Juneau Flood Information Hotline is now available during weekdays. Residents can call the hotline with non-emergency questions and concerns related to the 2026 glacial lake outburst flood. The hotline is available at 907-500-0890 on Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Once Suicide Basin is filled, the hotline will extend operating hours to include Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Once release has begun – and a wireless emergency alert text message goes out – the hotline will move to 24/7 operations through the event.
Residents can also email questions and concerns to [email protected]. For more information about the hotline, visit bit.ly/JuneauFloodReady.
The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) Assembly Committee of the Whole (COW) Worksession scheduled for Monday, July 20 at the Andrew Hope Building has been cancelled for both topical and timing reasons. CBJ will move the planned agenda topics to a future COW worksession after the 2026 glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF).
The Special COW meeting was originally scheduled to provide updates and allow for assembly discussion on topics related to the annual threat of glacial lake outburst flooding events. The meeting included an update from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a discussion of flood protection costs and potential funding mechanisms, and flood preparedness updates from the CBJ Emergency Management and Tlingit & Haida Public Safety offices.
“With a 2026 GLOF just days to weeks away, all three of our agencies (USACE, Tlingit & Haida and CBJ) are talking with residents daily about mitigation, preparation and how they can stay safe,” shared City Manager, Katie Koester. “We understand that our flood vulnerable neighbors are dedicating their focus and time to the flood just ahead of us, and realized there was nothing in the planned meeting agenda that couldn’t wait until after the waters have receded and residents have more capacity to tune in and share their input.”
The July 20 COW was scheduled to take place in the Council Chambers of the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska in the Andrew Hope Building.
“We are honored that President Peterson and the Central Council invited the Assembly to conduct our meeting in their Executive Council Chambers showcasing the strong spirit of collaboration between our two governments,” said CBJ Deputy Mayor Greg Smith. “We are already looking for the next opportunity to meet and discuss these critical issues that impact Juneau’s residents, including tribal citizens in their Chambers.”
Updates regarding GLOF mitigation solutions and flood preparedness are regularly shared on the CBJ, USACE and Tlingit & Haida social media pages. Flood planning resources, including evacuation maps, are available at bit.ly/juneaufloodready. CBJ is also hosting sandbag distribution events tomorrow (July 18) and on all subsequent Saturdays until the 2026 GLOF.
The American Red Cross will host a free workshop and resource fair on Sunday, July 19 at the Mendenhall Valley Library. The event is designed to help older adults, individuals with access or functional needs, and medically fragile persons prepare for emergencies.
The event begins at 12 p.m. with a presentation, available both in-person and online, followed by a planning workshop and resource fair from 1 to 3 p.m.
Attendees will have the opportunity to build an individualized disaster plan, complete an emergency contact card, learn how and where to safely store important documents and more.
Registration is free and available online at bit.ly/4vZJlPL. Information for virtual attendance will be provided upon registration.
For more information, contact Britta Tonnessen, Community Disaster Program Manager at [email protected].