USACE, CBJ to host public session about Mendenhall Valley flood technical study, long-term solution

A glacial lake outburst flood flows along the glacier boundary towards Mendenhall Lake, visible in the far distance. (Christian Kienholz / University of Alaska Southeast)

Representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Alaska District and the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) will be available for a public information sharing session about the Mendenhall Valley glacial outburst technical study and how it supports a long-term mitigation solution.

The event is scheduled Wednesday, July 30, from 6-8 p.m. at Thunder Mountain Middle School.

The purpose of this event is to provide a general update on the ongoing work related to the technical study and the path forward. USACE will provide a brief presentation on the technical study followed by a question-and-answer session.

USACE representatives will be from its Civil Works Branch focused on the long-term solution to mitigate the flood risk in the Mendenhall Valley. The USACE Emergency Management Program team will not be present — however, representatives from CBJ, Tlingit and Haida, the National Weather Service, the American Red Cross and the University of Alaska Southeast will also be available following the USACE presentation.

USACE is conducting a technical study for flood risk management of the Mendenhall Valley in Juneau. The cost of the study is about $4.75 million and fully funded by the federal government. The primary goal of the technical effort is to establish the existing conditions within the study area so the USACE team can assess the viability of potential long-term solutions.

Elements that will be included in the final report are evaluations of hydrology and hydraulics as well as geomatic, geotechnical and economic conditions within the study area. A high-level environmental assessment will be performed as well.