Department – Page 27 – City and Borough of Juneau

Flood warning for Mendenhall River

The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the Mendenhall Lake and River following a glacier-dammed lake outburst. Please avoid the Mendenhall River for the safety of yourself and others until further notice.

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. Residents in the area are advised to monitor conditions closely and take necessary precautions.

Read the full warning at https://www.weather.gov/ajk/suicideBasin.

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 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.

October 19th, 2024|

Join Parks & Rec for early Halloween fun October 25-26

It’s spooky season! Join Parks & Recreation for a scarily good time with community Halloween events on October 25 & 26.

On Friday, October 25, dress your best for a free Halloween Skate from 7 – 8:30 p.m. at Treadwell Arena. Come in costume for a chance to win prizes! Skate rentals are included—just be aware they’re available first-come, first-served. This event is generously sponsored by Juneau Pediatric Dentistry.

Then on Saturday, October 26, give yourself the shivers with a dive-in movie at Dimond Park Aquatic Center. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (PG) will show at 6:15 p.m. thanks to the generous sponsorship of Glacier Pediatrics. Locker rooms open at 6 p.m. and guests are welcome to queue in the lobby. Please be aware that space is limited, with a maximum of 100 guests. Regular pool admission applies for this event, and pool passes are accepted.

For more information, contact Parks & Recreation at (907) 586-5226 or [email protected].

October 17th, 2024|

Federal declaration of emergency granted for August 2024 Mendenhall River flooding

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. issued a federal declaration of major disaster following the August 6 glacial outburst flood in Juneau. The declaration will now trigger the release of federal funds to help the community recover.

This is the first such declaration to be made in response to a joint state-tribal request. Governor Mike Dunleavy and the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska requested the declaration on September 19.

“We are extremely grateful to see this much-needed support available to our community,” said CBJ Manager Katie Koester. “We know that the impact of the flood on many families has been immense and costly and that, for some, recovery is far from over. As CBJ works to mitigate the impact of future events, it’s heartening to know that those recently impacted now have access to more financial support.”

“Tlingit & Haida stands united with the City and Borough of Juneau,” said Tlingit & Haida President Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson. “CBJ has been an integral partner in the community response. Collaborating with the State of Alaska in requesting a federal declaration is historic for Alaska. This effort exemplifies the Tribe’s commitment to government-to-government relationships as sovereign entities. The recognition underscores the resilience and strength of tribal citizens and the community, paving the way for greater collaboration and support in addressing the challenges we face.”

Federal assistance available will include both Individual Assistance for impacted households and Public Assistance for infrastructure and facilities.

Further information about how to apply for disaster assistance, including an in-person Disaster Assistance Center in Juneau, will follow. Those who are immediately ready to begin their application should visit DisasterAssistance.gov to apply through FEMA.

Additional resources:

For more information about flood recovery and mitigation resources, visit CBJ’s dedicated flood response webpage at juneau.org/manager/flood-response. For questions, please contact [email protected].

For more information about Tlingit & Haida visit CCTHITA.org.

October 17th, 2024|

Registration for Parent & Tot and Lil’ Swimmers lessons opens October 25

Juneau Pools is offering both Parent & Tot lessons and the Lil’ Swimmers program for preschool beginners at Dimond Park Aquatic Center during the upcoming fall season. Registration opens Friday, October 25 at noon through the Parks & Recreation online registration catalog (click the “Juneau Pools” tab).

Both programs will be offered on Saturdays from November 2 through December 14 (excluding Thanksgiving weekend).

Parent & Tot lessons, open to children ages 6 months to 3 years, will meet in two sessions: 9:15 – 9:45 a.m. for children 6 to 17 months old and 10:00 – 10:30 a.m. for children 18 to 35 months old. Each child must be accompanied in the pool by an adult, and children are required to wear swim diapers during class.

Lil’ Swimmers will meet in two sessions: 10:45 – 11:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Both sessions are open to children ages 3 to 5 years. Lil’ Swimmers uses a non-traditional format to teach young beginners basic water skills.

Both programs cost $60 plus tax. Learn more about the programs on the Juneau Pools website.

For more information, please contact Aquatics Programming Coordinator Ellen Johnston at (907) 586-0839 ext. 4148 or [email protected].

October 17th, 2024|

Join Parks & Rec commercial use open house on October 30

Join CBJ Parks & Recreation and Corvus Design for a public open house on Wednesday, October 30 to talk about draft updates to the commercial use strategy for CBJ parks and trails. Stop by the Dimond Park Field House any time between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to join the conversation.

CBJ Parks & Recreation is partnering with Corvus Design to develop a thoughtful and strategic approach to commercial recreation on lands and trails managed by Parks & Rec. Following several months of evaluation, including neighborhood meetings and community input, CBJ partner Corvus Design has completed a draft plan that will shortly be available for review and comment.

At the open house, you’ll be able to read over the overall document, learn more about guidelines in your neighborhood, and submit a comment card. The open house will include stations for each neighborhood area—Douglas Island, Downtown and Thane, Twin Lakes and Lemon Creek, Mendenhall Valley and Auke Bay, and Out the Road—where you’ll be able to look over neighborhood-specific draft permitting guidelines and chat with Parks & Rec and Corvus staff.

If you can’t make the open house or have more thoughts to add at a later date, you’ll be able to submit your comments online from October 23 to November 8—keep an eye on the project page for links to download the plan online and submit comments.

Over the last several months, Parks & Rec and Corvus have held several neighborhood meetings to gather input from the community as they work to develop an updated strategy. Current regulations are over twenty years old and do not reflect new CBJ-managed parks and trails and new types of recreation use. This plan will evaluate City-managed parklands and trails for commercial use, recommending locations, restrictions, carrying capacities, intensity of use, and adaptive management guidelines, while also serving as a guideline reflective of community input and priorities for commercial recreation.

For more information about the project, visit the Commercial Recreation Use Analysis project page.

For questions, please contact Parks & Recreation at (907) 586-5226 or [email protected].

October 16th, 2024|