US EditionMendenhall Glacier Outburst Sends Record Floodwaters Toward Juneau Homes
- On August 3, 2025, HESCO flood barriers were erected along the Mendenhall River to protect nearby homes from potential flooding caused by a glacial outburst.
- This event comes after two years in which the Mendenhall Glacier functioned as an ice dam, periodically releasing enormous volumes of water that flooded areas further along the river.
- Authorities issued evacuation alerts for residents in the 17-foot inundation zone and coordinated the installation of about 10,000 four-foot barriers and a temporary levee to guard over 460 properties.
- Officials warned that the outburst could discharge as much as 15 billion gallons of water—comparable to nearly 23,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools—and that flooding this year may approach near-record levels, with the crest expected around midweek.
- The disaster declaration and preparedness measures aim to reduce impacts and preserve safety during what may be another historic GLOF, which may continue as long as the glacier seals the basin over the next 25 to 60 years.
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257 Articles
A record surge triggered the alert in Juneau, but rapid response and installed defenses prevented major damage to homes and shops in the city
New River Barriers Prevented Severe Flood Damage From Glacial Outburst in Alaska, Officials Say
New sandbag-style barriers installed along a river in Alaska’s capital city held back record levels of flooding and prevented widespread damage after an ice dam at the nearby Mendenhall Glacier released a massive amount of rainwater and snowmelt downstream, officials said Wednesday. Water pooled on several streets, in some yards, and in some homes in Juneau after the Mendenhall River crested earlier in the day. But the water receded, and by late…
Alert in Alaska, where Donald Trump meets Friday with Vladimir Putin. Juneau, the capital of the U.S. state, is partially evacuated, the subject of catastrophic floods that can cause floods of water filled with rivers from a glacier.
Massive floods caused by glacial melt have reached a new record high in Alaska. Despite protective measures, several houses have been torn away from the almost six-meter-high water masses. The authorities are calling for evacuation.
Juneau hit by flooding from melting glacier for third year in a row
For three years in a row, Juneau has had unprecedented flooding in August from a melting glacier. This year, officials built a levee to protect the city. It seems to have helped, but it's temporary.
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