The USDA Forest Service and City and Borough of Juneau sign agreement to invest in flood study

Local, tribal, and federal partners are joining forces to seek a solution to the Mendenhall glacial lake outburst flooding in the capital city.

The Forest Service and City & Borough of Juneau signed a $1 million participating agreement to search for a long-term solution providing relief to Juneau residents who reside in the flood path of the Mendenhall River. The federal funding would not be realized without staunch support from the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit & Haida).

“This agreement marks a crucial first step in addressing the risks posed by reoccurring glacial lake outburst flooding to our citizens and the greater Juneau community,” said Tlingit & Haida President Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson. “Protecting lives, homes, and vital infrastructure is our foremost priority. Tlingit & Haida is dedicated to working alongside our partners to develop solutions that are not only effective and sustainable but also grounded in the cultural values that define our people. By collaborating, we can strive to strengthen the safety and resilience of our community.”

The funds will go towards near-term studies to provide base line data for the General Investigative Study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The local and federal agencies are eager to get to work on a long-term solution, and this funding will help get some of the work started.

“Our goal is to implement solutions that protect the homes and infrastructure in the Mendenhall Valley from annual glacial lake outburst floods,” said CBJ City Manager Katie Koester. “To do that we have work together on both short- and long-term solutions. Permanently solving this threat to our community will be an ongoing partnership.”

“We recognize that addressing local flooding requires a collaborative approach that includes the voices of our partners and Alaska Native communities who have stewarded the land for thousands of years,” said Alaska Regional Forester Chad VanOrmer. “Their perspectives and insights are valuable to building a flood relief plan that respects cultural values and long-term sustainability.”

All involved share a common goal of protecting valued public and private infrastructure. Together, the Forest Service, CBJ, Tlingit & Haida, and others will contribute to near-term studies and actively participate in the Corps of Engineers General Investigation Study to support long-term solutions.

About the partners

The City & Borough of Juneau is a home-rule municipality on Tlingit land with a mission to provide for local government responsive to the will of the people and continuing needs of the community.

Tlingit & Haida is a federally recognized tribal government representing more than 37,000 Tlingit and Haida Indians worldwide with a mission to preserve our sovereignty, enhance our economic and cultural resources, and promote self-sufficiency and self-governance for our citizens.

The Forest Service Alaska Region has considerable interests at stake as the glacial lake outburst flooding originates on Forest Service managed lands – as both a land management agency with technical expertise, as well as a community partner with a responsibility and vested interest in the safety of the downstream community of Juneau. Forest Service leadership, hydrologists, engineers, planners, and recreation specialists are actively working to understand, map, and plan for future glacial lake outburst flooding events.

About the area

The Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area is a world-class tourism destination and highly valued community asset. The agreement seeks to manage, maintain, and provide for ecologic values, recreation opportunities, and community safety at the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area now and into the future.

The Regular Assembly Meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, December 16, in the City Hall Assembly Chambers will include a public hearing on the proposed ordinance to establish an LID for the HESCO barrier flood mitigation project.

The full text of the ordinance, as well as related memos and documents, is available in the meeting agenda packet as item M-20. If you are interested in this topic or want to learn more about the LID process, please be sure to see the draft FAQ included in the agenda packet as item P-30 (or keep reading this PSA for more). The FAQ will be updated if the Assembly amends the ordinance. the updated FAQ, which reflects amendments made this meeting. A copy of this FAQ was mailed to all homeowners. (12/20)

The public is welcome to testify in person or remotely. Please be aware that testimony time will be limited by the Mayor based on the number of participants. Alternatively, you’re welcome to send your comments in writing to [email protected].

To testify in person, please sign up when you arrive at the meeting using the sign-up sheet at the back of the Assembly Chambers. Overflow space will be available on the second floor of City Hall, and those in the overflow space will be able to testify in person.

To testify remotely, please contact the CBJ Municipal Clerk’s Office at (907) 586-5278 by 4 p.m. Monday, December 16. If you do not contact the Clerk’s Office by this deadline, you will not be able to testify over Zoom.

Those who wish to watch the meeting remotely but do not intend to testify are encouraged to use the CBJ YouTube livestream. This will help ensure that the Zoom meeting has enough capacity for all those participating, given the high degree of interest on this topic.

Zoom link: https://juneau.zoom.us/j/91515424903

Dial-in: 1-253-215-8782

ID: 915 1542 4903

What is a Local Improvement District (LID)? How will it work for the HESCO barrier project?

A Local Improvement District, or LID, is a process that enables properties within a certain area to contribute to financing an infrastructure improvement that will benefit them.

In this case, the infrastructure improvement is the installation of HESCO barriers along the Mendenhall River. The barriers are intended to provide temporary and immediate mitigation against glacial outburst floodwaters while CBJ pursues a long-term solution. The proposed LID would pay for half of the project, while all CBJ taxpayers would pay for the other half. The proposed LID would pay for 40% of the project, while all CBJ taxpayers would pay for the other 60%.

Property owners pay for the LID as part of their property tax bill, usually over the course of several years. Payment is capped at a maximum amount, even if the cost of the project exceeds expectations.

In this case, the LID would be paid off over the course of ten years. (Property owners who wish to pay in full are welcome to do so at any time without penalty.) The payment amount is highest in the first year of the repayment schedule and decreases every year after.

The highest single-year payment within the ten year schedule is $1081.05. You can find a full payment table in the FAQ. UPDATED: The highest single-year payment within the ten year schedule is $853.23. You can find a full payment table in the FAQ.

Four designated properties along the Mendenhall River bank would pay significantly more than this amount. You can read more about this in the FAQ.

For the LID to take effect, property owners who would bear 50% or more of the LID cost must agree to it. (In other words, if some property owners object, and the payments that would have been made by all those who object add up to 51% or more of the total LID amount, then the LID fails.) Objections must be made in writing.

You can read the full LID language in the CBJ code under section 15.10 Local Improvements and Special Assessments.

To find out more about which properties are included in the proposed LID, the ordinance timeline, the full installation cost, what happens if CBJ secures federal funding for the project, how to object, and many other questions, please read the FAQ.

Keep in mind that this FAQ is based on the ordinance that will be presented to the Assembly on Monday, December 16. The Assembly has the power to make amendments that may change some of this information. If you are unable to attend the meeting, or unsure how any such changes affect you, the FAQ will updated after the meeting to reflect the final ordinance. Following the December 16 Assembly meeting, the FAQ has been updated to reflect amendments made at the meeting. All links in this post lead to the updated FAQ.

Updated December 20, 2024, 4:30 p.m.