Juneau's draft capital priority list pegs mid-term flood fix at $600M

Juneau's Mendenhall Valley needs a mid-term engineering fix for glacial outburst floods that could cost more than $600 million, and the city has not identified where its share of that cost will come from, according to the City and Borough of Juneau's draft FY2028 Legislative Capital Priority list. Juneau has secured $11.155 million toward glacial flood work so far.

The draft list ranks Glacial Outburst Flood Response, Mitigation and Preparedness first among 21 projects, requesting more than $25 million. The list is not a funding request. It shows Juneau's largest capital needs to the Alaska State Legislature, the federal delegation and granting agencies.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers aims to begin construction on the mid-term solution as early as the end of 2027. Permanent solutions could take seven to 10 years, though the Alaska congressional delegation is working with the Corps to speed that up where possible. A multi-year Corps general investigation is underway. The Assembly appropriated a $3 million local match for it in September 2024, and the federal government has put in $4.75 million.

The August 2024 flood released 16 billion gallons of water and damaged 290 homes. The August 2025 flood was larger, with a higher lake stage and a faster rate of release. The draft credits the first HESCO barrier installation, Phases 1 and 1A, with cutting the potential impact from more than 750 homes to fewer than 50. Those barriers sustained damage and now need significant repairs. Juneau is responsible for ongoing maintenance and repair costs on all phases.

Assembly Member Alicia Hughes-Skandijs raised the match question at the Assembly Committee of the Whole work session on Aug. 31, pointing to "the very real long-term need for a cost share."

CBJ boards, commissions and the public can email input to [email protected] through Oct. 23, including support, objections or new nominations. Boards are asked to limit recommendations to their top two projects, and new projects must cost more than $1 million and create an asset lasting more than 20 years. The Assembly is scheduled to adopt the final list in January 2027.