City and tribe issue disaster declarations in anticipation of flood
- Jasz Garrett
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 1 hour ago
The declarations set Juneau up for quicker support if a catastrophic glacial lake outburst occurs
By Jasz Garrett
Juneau Independent
The City and Borough of Juneau and the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska are continuing to plan for the worst-case scenario this year in their Unified Command approach to Suicide Basin.
City Manager Katie Koester and Tlingit and Haida First Vice President Jackie Pata announced coordinated local disaster declarations at a press briefing held Friday at the Juneau Police Department. The meeting was to inform media about a new joint flood initiative and communications during the flood.
Koester said the municipal declaration is based on the imminent threat of the glacial lake outburst flood.
"The reason for this declaration before the event is it allows us to leverage more resources and really be prepared," she said.
She said at the same time, the city is requesting a state declaration and has been in contact with the state emergency operations center.
"I don't want the public to panic when they get this disaster declaration, but I also want them to be on high alert," Koester said.
She directed the public to the city's flood resource page and reiterated the importance of evacuation once Suicide Basin begins to release. The emergency shelter will be at Floyd Dryden Middle School. As of Friday morning, Suicide Basin was still continually rising.
"It could release today," Nicole Ferrin, a warning coordination meteorologist with National Weather Service Juneau, said. "It could release at any time, but at this point, we've got another 15 feet before it's spilling out over the side of the glacier."
The basin is expected to reach its capacity of 1,368 feet around Aug. 12, according to the Suicide Basin monitoring page. In past years, it has taken four to six days for the main release to start after the basin is at full capacity and overtopping. Rain is expected through the weekend and the weather service is keeping a close eye, Ferrin said.
Koester said at this time, CBJ is not requesting a federal disaster declaration, "because we are confident in our mitigation efforts and our planning." She said based on the severity of the flood, the disaster declaration can be escalated to the next level.
The Juneau Assembly will hold a special virtual meeting at noon on Aug. 15 to ratify its declaration. Pata said the tribe's executive council approved the declaration Friday morning. The declarations are effective immediately and will remain in place for 180 days.
Pata recalled visiting Washington, D.C. with Koester after last year's flood and "fighting hard to get money."
"Being ahead of the curve really makes a big difference, and I just really appreciate all the effort that has (been) taken by so many of the people in the parties," she said.
"We have to face a disaster," she said. "Let's just face it together."
• Contact Jasz Garrett at jasz@juneauindependent.com or (907) 723-9356.
