Suicide Basin update: higher floodwater crest expected – take action now

Water levels in Mendenhall River continue to rise following the release of Suicide Basin and the latest forecast indicates that flooding could exceed the August 2023 glacial outburst. Residents along the Mendenhall River are advised to take immediate action.

The latest National Weather Service forecast (updated 2:49 p.m. August 5) indicates that water levels may crest as high as 15.7 feet. The updated forecast also anticipates the crest arriving several hours earlier than previously estimated, between midnight and 1 a.m.

All residents to the west of Riverside Drive are advised to make an evacuation plan and seek shelter away from their homes for the night.

CBJ is offering shelter at the former Floyd Dryden Middle School Building (3800 Mendenhall Loop Road) to those impacted by potential flooding. The shelter will open at 8 p.m. tonight, Monday, August 5.

Juneau Animal Rescue is offering emergency boarding for pets in need (as space allows). Please contact Animal Control & Protection at (907) 789-6997 if you need emergency assistance boarding a pet.

Avoid the Mendenhall River for the safety of yourself and others. Do not drive in the impacted areas.

Unnecessary vehicle traffic for the purpose of watching a disaster unfold—aka “disaster tourism”—obstructs access for emergency vehicles, puts drivers at risk, and causes deep distress to your neighbors in the community.

Please send questions and non-emergency reports to floodresponse@juneau.gov. For those without access to email, contact the City Manager’s Office at 907-586-5240.

Please limit calls to 911 or JPD dispatch to emergencies only, so that emergency responders are able to continue assisting the community.

For more information and data, follow National Weather Service Juneau on Facebook, visit the NWS Suicide Basin monitoring page at www.weather.gov/ajk/suicideBasin, or see the NWS Mendenhall River gauge at water.noaa.gov/gauges/MNDA2.