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Suicide Basin Nears Full Capacity as Juneau Prepares for Flooding
The plan could bypass parts of the traditional process as officials seek a faster, cheaper way to protect 1,900 homes from annual flooding.
- On Thursday, August 13, 2026, the Mendenhall River reached major flood stage, with the National Weather Service forecasting a peak between 16.1 and 16.6 feet following an outburst from Suicide Basin.
- Suicide Basin, dammed by the Mendenhall Glacier, releases water annually; the City and Borough of Juneau and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reinforced flood barriers to mitigate damage.
- Officials expanded the HESCO barrier system by about 30% and deployed roughly 40 industrial pumps, while this year's evacuation advisory covers roughly 1,900 homes, up from roughly 1,000 homes previously.
- Emergency manager Ryan O'Shaughnessy urged residents to "evacuate," stating it is "absolutely the best way to keep yourselves, your neighbors, and first responders safe." The city closed Back Loop Bridge and opened an emergency shelter at Floyd Dryden Middle School.
- After the 2026 outburst, the Army Corps plans to solicit private sector bids to "evacuate" water from Suicide Basin, according to Adam Telle, assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works.
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The spokesman-ReviewReposted by 
Lodinews.com
Lodinews.comJuneau’s Suicide Basin is full, with glacial outburst flooding expected within days
JUNEAU, Ak. — Suicide Basin, the source of Juneau’s annual glacial outburst floods, was full as of 9 a.m. Tuesday, putting the Mendenhall Valley on standby. With the basin full, the 2026 flood is expected to occur within one to six days. The flood begins when water from Suicide Basin, which is dammed by the side of the Mendenhall Glacier, lifts part of the glacier, creating a channel underneath the ice that sends billions of gallons of water into the Mendenhall River. The river runs through the Mendenhall Valley, Juneau’s largest residential area.
·Spokane, United States
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Total News Sources10
Leaning Left4Leaning Right0Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution56% Center
Bias Distribution
- 56% of the sources are Center
56% Center
L 44%
C 56%
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