This is a developing story.
Tens of thousands of sandbags are being distributed by the city on Saturday to residents in areas affected by this year’s record flooding from Suicide Basin, which may end up being ideal timing since a drop in the basin’s water level was reported Friday morning by the National Weather Service Juneau.
The drop of 1.5 feet during a 12-hour period before 7 a.m. Friday comes after a brief drop eight days ago that saw water levels start rising again a few hours later. The basin’s current water level is about 1,244 feet and a full release would result in the Mendenhall River reaching a level of about 11.5 feet — officially “moderate flood” stage, but far below the 15.99 feet on Aug. 6 that resulted in damage to nearly 300 homes.
“As of 7 am Friday, there are no indications of a rise on Mendenhall Lake as of yet,” a NWS Juneau statement issued at the agency’s Suicide Basin monitoring website notes. “The NWS and its partners will continue to monitor basin and lake levels and provide further updates throughout the day.”
A crest of 11.5 feet would primarily affect homes on View Drive, with homes along the river on Meander Way also potentially experiencing backyard flooding, according to a NWS Juneau flood inundation mapping webpage.
The City and Borough of Juneau has received about 75,000 sandbags from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and free distribution of them is scheduled to begin Saturday at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library, according to a memo by City Manager Katie Koester to the Juneau Assembly. A bulletin issued by CBJ about the distribution states up to 200 empty sandbags are available in bundles of 50 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for homes in the flooded area.
“You are welcome to come whenever, but please don’t feel compelled to come immediately at 9 a.m.,” Tom Mattice, CBJ’s emergency programs manager, wrote in a Facebook post. “We anticipate a rush and waiting times may be significant right when we open.”
Sand piles to fill the bag will be available at Dimond Park and Melvin Park during the same period as the sandbag distribution, although that is weather dependent, the CBJ bulletin states.
“Shovels will be available at both locations, but if you want to bring your own shovel or tools you are welcome (and encouraged) to do so,” the bulletin notes.
Also, the bulletin notes, “due to the onset of colder temperatures, we don’t anticipate being able to provide sand again until the spring. Once sand freezes, it is not usable until it thaws.”
The NWS Juneau forecast calls for rain and snow this weekend with highs around 40 degrees and lows dropping into the 20s.
Mattice, in his Facebook post, stated the 200-bag limit is based on the total number received and the residents who may need them.
“The Army Corps gave CBJ the entire stockpile of sandbags they had in Alaska for this distribution,” he wrote. “(A limit of) 200 per household represents about the maximum amount we can give out per household, if every household that was impacted in the 2024 GLOF asks for sandbags.”
City officials are also in the process of evaluating a four-mile semi-permanent levee along the Mendenhall River using Hesco barriers provided by the Corps. The Juneau Assembly is scheduled to get an update about the proposed project Monday, and public outreach meetings by the Corps are scheduled between Oct. 29-31, according to Koester.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.
