CBJ GUIDE TO FLOOD PREPAREDNESS

Current Conditions:

FLOOD Warning – Active Response Underway

Suicide Basin is now releasing. Flooding is expected late Tuesday thru Wednesday. If you are in the 17ft flood inundation area (see JuneauFlood.com), evacuation is advised. Follow emergency alerts and use the resources on this page to stay safe. Be prepared — finalize evacuations plans, complete preparations, and evacuate when ready. Do not go near the Mendenhall River.

Key Action Links

Sign up for Emergency Alerts
Current Suicide Basin Conditions (NWS)

Latest Updates and Alerts

How to Prepare for a Flood

  • Contact the Flood Information Hotline at 907-500-0890 for non-emergency questions. 

  • Sign up for emergency alerts – Get texts and calls about flood risk in your area.

  • Know your risk – Check the Mendenhall River inundation maps to see if your home is in a flood-prone area.

  • Buy flood insurance – NFIP policies are affordable in Alaska but can take up to 30 days to activate.

  • Make a go bag – Pack food, water, medications, important documents, and pet supplies.

  • Know where you’ll go – Plan evacuation routes, sheltering and parking (see below), and coordinate with neighbors.

  • Protect your property – Move valuables to higher ground and use sandbags or water barriers if needed. Elevate, secure or safely dispose of household hazardous materials and use your main breaker to shut off power.

Emergency Shelter

Floyd Dryden Gymnasium (3800 Mendenhall Loop Rd) has been identified as the emergency evacuation shelter location in the event of a flood warning and evacuation notice.

The American Red Cross will operate the shelter. Check out these tips for how to prepare for an emergency in the video below

Capital Transit will assist with the transportation of evacuees from Riverview Senior Living and Trillium Landing to Red Cross Shelters as well as overflow shuttling from Floyd Dryden to contingency shelter locations if the primary shelter capacity is exceeded.

Evacuation Routes

To avoid congestion and road or bridge closures, please follow the evacuation routes below. 

  • Residents north of Division Street, please travel north on Riverside Drive, toward Mendenhall (Back) Loop Road and out of the inundation area.
  • Residents south of Division Street, travel south on Riverside Drive, turn left on Stephen Richards Memorial Drive, towards Mendenhall Loop Road.
  • On Rivercourt Way, travel south on Riverside Drive, toward Egan Drive
  • On the west side of the Mendenhall River, travel west on Mendenhall (Back) Loop Road toward Auke Bay (avoid Back Loop Bridge).
  • West of Brotherhood Bridge, travel west on Glacier Highway toward Auke Bay

Route Maps

Vehicle Parking

Residents in the flood inundation area that (are not sheltering at Floyd Dryden) are invited to move vehicles (cars, ATVs, etc.) to the following parking lots once the Basin is full and evacuation preparedness alert is sent out:

  • St. Brendan’s Episcopal Church
    • 4207 Mendenhall Loop Road
  • Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church
    • 8198 Keegan Street
  • Christ Lutheran Church
    • 10300 Glacier Hwy
  • Juneau Christian Center
    • 8001 Glacier Hwy

Please register your vehicles early using the form below.

REGISTER YOUR VEHICLE

Evacuating with Pets

While the Red Cross is not able to accommodate pets at the Floyd Dryden Shelter, Juneau Animal Rescue (JAR) offers emergency sheltering for pets through their Safe-Keeping Program (PDF).

JAR and KTOO have created resources to help pet owners prepare for emergencies and evacuation. Click the button below to watch the video or download JAR’s Emergency Pet Planning brochure.

Learn More

Road Closure Info – Alaska 511

Alaska DOT and CBJ will be tracking and reporting road closures at 511.alaska.gov.

You can sign up to receive alerts and visit the Alaska 511 website for the latest road closure updates.

Visit Alaska 511

River Cams

Follow live camera footage of Mendenhall Lake and Mendenhall River:
KTOO Live Stream

KINY River Watch Cam

Eyes on the River Cams
EXPLORE.org Mendenhall Glacier cam

Remember: when waters start to rise, stay away from the river and flooded areas for the safety of yourself and others

Alerts: What to Expect

Residents can expect to receive important notifications about the status of a flood emergency at several points:

National Weather Service determines the Basin is full: (Sent on 8/10)

  • CBJ and our partners will issue evacuation advisories via SMS text (push notification, no opt-in requirement). Alerts will also go out via email, social media, website and printed door hangars.
  • Historically, there has been 1-6 days between when the Basin reaches full capacity and its release. However, it is possible for the Basin to release before it reaches full capacity.

Basin begins to release: (Sent on 8/12)

  • A FLOOD WARNING will be issued by the National Weather Service.
  • CBJ, Tlingit & Haida and partner agencies will push out evacuation advisories through all available channels.
  • First responders will provide in-person evacuation notice in neighborhoods in the potential flood inundation area.
  • It is possible for the Basin to release before it reaches full capacity. In that case, this would be the first alert distribution.

Water recedes, area deemed safe to return:

  • CBJ and our partners will issue an “All Clear” notification via SMS text, email and social media.
  • Availability of response and recovery services will be share via CBJ & partner agency social media and website(s).
Sign Up for Alerts

Volunteer/Ask For Help

The United Way of Southeast Alaska is coordinating volunteer efforts and offers of help. Sign up to volunteer—or ask for help—using the form below.

Volunteer

Flood Information Hotline

907-500-0890

Call the 24/7 flood information hotline for non-emergency questions.

In an emergency, call 911.

What To Do During a Flood

Before the Flood

  • Monitor alerts and news

  • Charge your phone and pack your go bag

  • Move valuables off the floor & take action to prevent spills

  • Call the Flood Information Hotline at 907-500-0890 for non-emergency questions

During the Flood

  • Follow evacuation orders

  • Shut off electricity if it’s safe

  • Don’t wait — water rises quickly

  • Do NOT walk or drive through flood waters

  • Call the Flood Information Hotline at 907-500-0890 for non-emergency questions

After the Flood

  • Return home only when cleared

  • Watch for mold, damage, and contamination

Juneau Glacial Flood Dashboard

The Juneau Glacial Flood Dashboard (JuneauFlood.com) is a comprehensive resource about glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) from Suicide Basin. Created and maintained by the University of Alaska Southeast in partnership with the Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center,  the page provides an interactive view of the flood inundation maps, information about flood forecasting, history of past outburst flood events, and an of understanding of how outburst floods originate from Suicide Basin, including how they form, what triggers them, and how they can impact the Juneau area.

Flood Mitigation

HESCO Barrier Project

CBJ completed the installation of HESCO Flood barriers as a near-term solution to mitigate potential widespread damage from future GLOF events.

Learn more

Sandbag Distribution Events

CBJ and Tlingit & Haida are partnering to host an additional sandbag distribution event to help residents prepare for potential flooding along the Mendenhall River.
Where: Dimond Park Field House (Parking area)
When: Saturday, July 26 – 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Long-Term Solution

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting Mendenhall Glacial Lake Outburst Flooding Technical Study in support of a long-term mitigation solution.
Photo of Mendenhall Lake with glacier in the distance

Resources and Contact Info

National Weather Service

Road Closure Info – Alaska511

American Red Cross – Alaska

CBJ Emergency Programs

Emergency Alerts Signup

Tlingit & Haida Emergency Services

Alaska DEC – Spill Response

University of Alaska Southeast