Dunleavy declares state disaster for Juneau glacial flood

Gov. Mike Dunleavy's state disaster declaration for Juneau opens the State of Alaska Public Assistance program, which reimburses local and tribal governments for infrastructure repair, and waives regulations that would otherwise slow mitigation work such as clearing waterway debris. He acted after the National Weather Service confirmed water was releasing from Suicide Basin, a side basin of the Mendenhall Glacier; the resulting flood pushed the Mendenhall River to a crest of 14.7 feet before the release ended.

Juneau and the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska jointly requested state help Aug. 12, seeking expedited permitting for emergency riverbank stabilization. Three State Emergency Operations Center personnel are deploying to assist. Residents evacuated, and local leaders say they want long-term mitigation rather than a disaster declaration renewed every year.

Outburst floods from the same basin also hit Juneau in 2023, 2024 and 2025, a pattern that has coincided with glacier retreat observed worldwide. The Army Corps of Engineers, the US Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior said Aug. 7 that they will solicit proposals for expedited flood-protection prototypes under what the agencies call a "Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork" approach.