Juneau's flood threat ended Thursday; evacuated areas are open to residents only

Juneau's flood unified command declared the Suicide Basin threat over at 5 p.m. Thursday and **reopened evacuated areas to residents only**. Residents had been told to evacuate until authorities issued an all-clear.

The Mendenhall River crested at 14.7 feet Thursday at 2:15 p.m., exceeding the National Weather Service's 14-foot major flood stage but short of the 16.1- to 16.6-foot range the agency had forecast. The weather service puts major flooding of multiple View Drive homes at 15 feet.

An Alaska 511 advisory, last updated Aug. 13 at 9:51 a.m., hours before the crest, **restricts View Drive to local traffic only** between Terrace Place and the road's end until further notice. The Back Loop Bridge stayed closed Thursday for a state safety assessment. Juneau's flood information hotline, 907-500-0890, runs 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Suicide Basin is a glacier-dammed lake that collects behind the Mendenhall Glacier and periodically drains downstream. Such outbursts have recurred annually since 2011, drawing state and federal disaster responses in 2023 and 2024, and last year's release crested at a record 16.65 feet. The weather service said the release has ended and the river is below flood stage.