Suicide Basin waters expected to crest by 6 p.m. Thursday

Published 10:40 am Thursday, August 13, 2026

Residents and officials in Juneau were playing the waiting game Thursday as the waters around the city continued the steady rise.

The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) provided another update Thursday morning on the status of the Mendenhall Lake and River after a glacier outburst occurred at Suicide Basin.

Nicole Ferrin, National Weather Service (NWS) warning coordination meteorologist, said that the rate of release from the basin is slower than previously expected.

“The new crest is expected to be between 2 and 6 p.m. this afternoon, and we’re looking at a slightly lower crest height at 15.8 to 16.3 feet,” she said. “So, still in that major flood category, and just looking at a little bit later in the day, and here in the next hour or so, we will be getting into major flood stage of 14 feet.”

The Mendenhall River stage had reached 13.56 feet at 10:30 a.m.

Ferrin added that everyone is thankful that the crest is happening during the daytime, as it can be observed and allow those who hadn’t evacuated last night to do so during the day.

Ryan O’Shaughnessy, CBJ emergency programs manager and one of three city instant commanders, said that the flashflood could still happen at any time and is encouraging everyone to evacuate.

“We do have crews in the field, both monitoring the Hesco barriers and checking on the pumps,” he said. “There’s no need for pumping quite yet.”

O’Shaughnessy said that trees and other debris are moving down the river, and a flash flood could happen at any time.

Governor Mike Dunleavy issued a State Disaster Declaration in response to the imminent threat of catastrophic flooding.

In 2025, the State of Alaska issued a preemptive disaster declaration when an outburst became imminent. Thanks to a temporary flood barrier constructed by CBJ and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), record-high water levels during the 2025 event were contained, preventing severe inundation in residential neighborhoods.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and local agencies fortified sandbag barriers along the Medenhall River this year, with barriers up to 16 feet in some areas. Despite the measures, an evacuation advisory was issued for about 1,900 homes in the event those barriers fail.

Officials will be monitoring the river and barriers by livestream cameras and by drone throughout the flood, with emergency crews staged nearby ready to respond.

O’Shaughnessy added that there have been reports of disaster tourism, with people going on Brotherhood Bridge and Back Loop Bridge, and driving through the neighborhoods while the evacuation advisory is in place.

He is also encouraging everyone to be a good neighbor and leave the evacuation sites immediately.

“Please leave the evacuation area if you live there, and don’t go there if you don’t live there,” he said. “It is never safe to be near the river or the Hesco barriers during these events.”

While Brotherhood Bridge is closed to pedestrians, it is still open to vehicle traffic, according to the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities. The department is also using drone oeprations to monitor the bridges.