Community recovery continues in the wake of the August 6 Mendenhall River flooding. Many new resources have become available in the last 24 hours. Visit CBJ’s dedicated flood response page at juneau.org/manager/flood-response to see all the latest information and resources. The page is updated throughout the day as soon as new information is available.

For offers to volunteer time or resources of any kind, please visit bit.ly/juneau-flood. Both individuals and organizations are welcome.

Please send all flood-related questions and requests to [email protected]. Contacting this email delivers your message directly to the CBJ flood response team and allows them to quickly get you the right information.

Volunteer Center Open TONIGHT August 8-11

UPDATE: Due to the tremendous need from the community, the volunteer center will be open the following hours:

Thursday, August 8, 10:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday, August 9, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday, August 10, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday, August 11, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

United Way of Southeast Alaska will host a volunteer center in Melvin Park (4098 Riverside Drive ) tonight, August 7, through 9 p.m. At the center, volunteers will be matched with a resident in need or assigned to general clean-up work. Please come with appropriate PPE: sturdy shoes, work gloves, and any additional items you may need such as safety goggles or masks. You are also encouraged to bring any tools available to you, such as box knives and pry bars.

If you have box fans, dehumidifiers, pumps, or other large equipment you would like to lend to the clean-up effort, please clearly label them with your name and phone number before bringing them to the center.

For more information, contact Volunteer Coordinator Ryan O’Shaughnessy at 907-209-5069.

State Disaster Assistance Applications Open

Residents impacted by the flood can now apply for Individual Assistance and Temporary Housing support from the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Apply now through October 9 at ready.alaska.gov/Recovery/IA or call 1-844-445-7131 (Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.). Apply by October 9, 2024.

• Individual Assistance Fact Sheet – 2024 Juneau Glacier Flood
• Infographic: Have disaster damages? Take these steps
• Infographic: State of Alaska Individual Assistance process

Debris Collection Underway

CBJ is working with the State of Alaska to collect disaster debris in the upcoming days. As of today, DOT&PF crews are out in the field picking up an initial round of household garbage, furniture, and other non-hazardous-waste. Please help the crews work quickly by hazardous waste from the garbage pile. Hazardous items include cleaning chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides, fuel, propane tanks, electronic waste/anything with a batter or cord (except freezers, refrigerators, and AC units).

CBJ will hold a separate collection effort for hazardous waste—stay tuned for details soon. Alternatively, you can dispose of hazardous waste for free at CBJ’s RecycleWorks facility. Visit juneaurecycling.com for more information about household hazardous waste.

Expanded Landfill Hours for Self-Haul Waste

In addition to neighborhood debris collection by CBJ, Waste Management has expanded drop-off hours for residents who wish to self-haul waste. Starting Thursday, August 8 the landfill will be open to residents on Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. and on Saturday from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. The landfill remains closed on Sunday.

Read more about drop-off requirements and potential reimbursement procedures.

Heating Oil Tank Assistance

Delta Western has offered to dip oil tanks for water and provide oil boom and other sorbent materials at no cost to impacted residences in the flood zone. Interested residents can contact Delta Western at their Juneau Office, 907-586-2800.

Local Contractor Contacts

The Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce has provided a list of local contractor members. These contractors may be able to assist homeowners with clean-up or reconstruction projects. See the list at juneau.org/manager/flood-response (click “Local Contractors & Resources”). If you are a local contractor who would like to be added to this list, please contact [email protected].

CBJ is providing this for informational purposes only and at the request of the community. CBJ is not formally endorsing or recommending any individual private business, but greatly appreciates the support the business community in Juneau continues to provide to impacted residents.

Meal Canteen at Melvin Park

The Salvation Army has opened a canteen at Melvin Park (4098 Riverside Drive), providing to-go meals for those working to clean up after the flood. Stop by if you need a quick bite to eat or just a momentary break from 12 – 6 p.m., Thursday, August 8 through Saturday, August 10.

Free Cardboard Boxes at Floyd Dryden

If you need cardboard boxes to store or sort belongings as you clean up, Juneau School District has surplus boxes available for free at the Floyd Dryden Middle School building (3800 Mendenhall Loop Road). Pick up on Thursday, August 8 or Friday, August 9 from 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Other JSD surplus items will also be available for free to the public at this event.

Red Cross Disaster Relief Operation Office

Beginning Friday, the American Red Cross of Alaska will open a DRO (Disaster Relief Operation) office in Juneau. Red Cross staff will arrive on Thursday, August 8 and begin volunteer coordination and training. From Friday, August 9 through Sunday, August 11 volunteers will be in the field helping with damage assessment.

Starting next week, the Red Cross will begin intake for disaster assistance. Stay tuned for more information.

Last updated 8:30 a.m., August 8, 2024.

In light of the recent glacial flood, the Waste Management (WM) Capitol Disposal Landfill will expand its hours for residential customers to self-haul to the landfill.  Starting on August 8, the residential hours will be as follows until further notice:

Monday – Friday 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Saturday 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Sunday closed

Reminder: Documentation is required for all loads. Please complete the non-asbestos certification form before arriving at the landfill.

Residents choosing to self-haul, please note that this is a reimbursable expense from Alaska’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for up to $1,500 if your application for Individual Assistance (IA) is approved by the State. Residents will need to provide receipts of payment for reimbursement and apply online or via the hotline at 1-844-445-7131 to utilize IA funding. Visit ready.alaska.gov/Recovery/IA to learn more about the process or start your application.

CBJ is working with the State of Alaska to collect disaster debris in the upcoming days. Please stay tuned for more information—we will update the community as soon as we have more information.

In the early morning hours of August 6, the Mendenhall River crested at 15.99 feet, causing unprecedented flooding in the Mendenhall Valley. Although fortunately there were no injuries or fatalities, damage was widespread. Over 100 homes have been damaged or impacted by floodwaters.

The community is now facing a long recovery. Read on for more information about first steps to take as you begin the recovery process.

For all the latest information and resources, visit CBJ’s dedicated flood response webpage at juneau.org/manager/flood-response.

Shelter

CBJ opened an emergency shelter at Floyd Dryden Middle School on August 5 and was able to offer shelter to several dozen residents who evacuated their homes.

As of Tuesday, August 6, all residents who sought emergency shelter have departed for other accommodation. However, staff are on standby should sheltering needs arise. If you need emergency sheltering due to the flood event, please reach out to [email protected].

Residents who need assistance with long-term sheltering should also contact [email protected]. We will do our best to connect you with available resources.

Building Safety and Damage Assessment

Impacted homeowners who would like to talk to a CBJ building inspector and ask questions about their individual situation are welcome to reach out to [email protected].

The Red Cross will provide assistance in the coming weeks to help with formal damage assessment documentation—stay tuned for more information.

In the interim, FEMA has provided a number of practical recommendations and safety precautions for residents returning home after a flood.  Download the PDF here.

State Disaster Assistance

Thanks to the Governor’s declaration of disaster emergency, additional resources and funding are available to help residents and homeowners recover from the flood. The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) is sending staff to Juneau on August 6.  They will be able to coordinate both individual assistance and public assistance applications.  Stay tuned for more information.

Forms and guidelines will be available shortly. In the meantime, take a look at the guidelines from the 2023 flood to get an idea of how the process works.

UPDATE: Residents impacted by the flood can now apply for Individual Assistance and Temporary Housing support from the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHS&EM). Apply now through October 9 at ready.alaska.gov/Recovery/IA or call 1-844-445-7131 (Monday – Friday 8 a.m – 4 p.m.).

The State has shared the following information for residents with disaster damages:

• Individual Assistance Fact Sheet – 2024 Juneau Glacier Flood
• Infographic: Have disaster damages? Take these steps.
• Infographic: State of Alaska Individual Assistance process

Debris and Waste Removal

CBJ staff are working to arrange disaster debris collection and will notify residents as soon as we have more information and dates.

In the meantime, please follow the guidelines below for materials that will be part of CBJ’s flood debris collection. Your help will make an invaluable difference as we clean up the community.

• Bag all waste (where possible)
• Reduce the size of larger items (where possible)
• Keep all waste within your property boundaries until notified by CBJ to move it to the right-of-way (ROW) for collection.
• Keep waste separated into the following three categories (see handout)
  • Residential Waste
  • Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)
  • Construction & Demolition (C&D) Waste

UPDATE: CBJ is working with the State of Alaska to collect disaster debris in the upcoming days. As of today, DOT&PF crews are out in the field picking up an initial round of household garbage, furniture, and other non-hazardous-waste. Please help the crews work quickly by hazardous waste from the garbage pile. Hazardous items include cleaning chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides, fuel, propane tanks, electronic waste/anything with a batter or cord (except freezers, refrigerators, and AC units).

CBJ will hold a separate collection effort for hazardous waste—stay tuned for details soon. Alternatively, you can dispose of hazardous waste for free at CBJ’s RecycleWorks facility. Visit juneaurecycling.com for more information about household hazardous waste.

Some private haul options are also available—see CBJ’s recent waste PSA for more information.

Oil/Hazardous Substance Spills

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation spill responders are on the ground in Juneau responding to reports of spills and odors in the impacted neighborhoods. Residents who have loose or spilling fuel tanks and/or other hazardous spill situations should contact the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Spill Prevention and Response hotline at 1-800-478-9300, or report a spill via their website at ReportSpills.alaska.gov.

Food Safety

If you are returning to a home that was impacted by floodwaters, you may need to exercise extra caution cooking, eating, and drinking in your home. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation has shared several safety tips—including what to do if your freezer was covered by floodwaters.

Flood Insurance

The CBJ Community Development has prepared a flood insurance FAQ answering questions like how to start a flood insurance claim and how FEMA flood insurance works. If you’re not sure whether your home insurance covers flood damage or where to find more information, start with this FAQ.

If you’re ready to start a federal flood insurance claim, visit FEMA’s webpage Starting Your Recovery After a Flood.

Recovery Checklist

As you navigate through the recovery phase, there are several things to keep in mind—like insurance, mortgage, and damage documentation—that can help make your next steps much easier. CBJ has prepared a checklist that may be useful for your recovery. Although it may seem arduous now, the sooner you are able to take any of these steps the more help they will be.

Volunteer Coordination

A whole-hearted thank you to all community members who have generously offered to assist with recovery. CBJ is partnering with United Way for volunteer coordination. If you have time or resources and are wishing to volunteer to help your neighbors in the community, please fill out the form at bit.ly/juneau-flood.

If you are in need of support, please fill out the same form with information about your needs.

Questions and More Information

For all questions about the flood, including information about response efforts and resources for impacted residents, please contact [email protected]. Contacting this email delivers your question directly to the CBJ flood response team and allows them to quickly get you the right information.

For those without access to email, please call the City Manager’s Office at (907) 586-5240.

Last updated 6:30 p.m. August 7, 2024.