Newly installed temporary barriers successfully held back record flooding in Alaska's capital city, Juneau, on Wednesday after an ice dam at the Mendenhall Glacier released a surge of rainwater and snowmelt. Officials confirmed that the barriers prevented the widespread damage seen in previous years, when around 300 homes were flooded.
Water pooled on several streets and in some yards as the Mendenhall River crested, but many residents had evacuated before peak levels. Juneau city manager Katie Koester praised the barriers, stating they protected the community and prevented hundreds of flooded homes.
The National Weather Service had warned of a new record crest, with the river expected to reach over 16 feet. The temporary levee, consisting of 10,000 Hesco barriers along 2.5 miles of riverbank, was installed by city, state, federal and tribal entities to protect more than 460 properties.
Despite some water seeping through drains and damage from floating trees, the barriers largely held. The Mendenhall Glacier outburst floods have occurred annually since 2011, but are intensifying due to climate change, with Alaska warming twice as fast as the rest of the US.
Scientists attribute the glacier's retreat to Earth's warming climate, and Alaska climate specialist Rick Thoman stated that without climate change, such flooding would not be happening. The August 2023 outburst caused record flooding and erosion, and the glacier remains a popular tourist attraction near Juneau.
