An image of Suicide Basin from the official webcam Sunday afternoon. (Courtesy of National Weather Service & USGS)
Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a state disaster declaration Sunday in anticipation of a glacial lake outburst flood expected to hit Juneau’s Mendenhall Valley very soon.
That follows a preemptive disaster declaration issued Friday by the City and Borough of Juneau and the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska.
According to the latest data, Suicide Basin — the glacial lake that is expected to unleash an outburst flood soon — is about to reach its full capacity. That capacity is the same or larger than the total water volume seen in prior years.
The annual release has been happening since 2011, but record-breaking outburst floods struck the Mendenhall Valley in August the last two years. Last year’s flood damaged hundreds of homes.
“Our goal is to act early to reduce impacts and preserve community safety,” Dunleavy wrote in the declaration.
Current reports from the National Weather Service estimate the basin will be full Monday, but a release can happen at any time.