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A surge of water from a deteriorating glacier caused record flooding along the Mendenhall River in Juneau, Alaska, on Tuesday, damaging over 100 homes. This βglacial lake outburst floodingβ was described by city officials as unprecedented in severity. Such floods occur when a lake of melting snow, ice, and rain rapidly drains after overtopping the glacier containing it, akin to unplugging a full bathtub. These events have been frequent since 2011, attributed to climate change, which is causing Arctic regions, including Alaska, to warm at twice the global rate.
The Mendenhall and Suicide glaciers, where the floodwaters originated, have been thinning due to this warming. The Suicide Glacier, now partially replaced by an earthen divot, fills up each summer, setting the stage for these outbursts. On August 1, after an unusually wet July, the lake at Suicide Basin overflowed, and by Sunday, water began reaching the Mendenhall River. By Monday, residents were warned of potential evacuations.
The outburst caused the Suicide Basin lake to drop over 400 feet, including a 350-foot drop in 24 hours from Monday to Tuesday. Consequently, the Mendenhall Riverβs water level soared to a record 15.99 feet, surpassing last yearβs peak by more than a foot. The floodwaters inundated Mendenhall Valley, submerging streets and homes.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy issued a disaster declaration to support the response and recovery efforts. βI am grateful no one has been injured or killed by this morningβs outburst flood,β Dunleavy said. The floodwaters have since receded, with the National Weather Service in Juneau confirming that the river levels have dropped below flood stage.
