Juneau Flood?

[gooch47]

Any info?

[jeffbrig]

I had no idea what you're were referring to. But found this on google:

 

http://www.theeagle.com/news/nation/juneau-glacial-outburst-predicted-to-top-last-year-s-floods/article_195fa5b1-7f36-52f1-8b6e-e94ce9e97eae.html

 

The Juneau Empire reports that Suicide Basin began draining in the Mendenhall Lake and Mendenhall River Thursday. Forecasts say the lake will be above flood stage at 11.4 feet, close to the 2014 record of 11.8 feet.

 

The lake's water level was at about 6 feet Thursday morning and was expected to crest sometime between Friday and Saturday.

Edited July 1, 2016 by jeffbrig

[jeffbrig]

Actually, this is rather fascinating...it's essentially a glacier lake that builds up every year, and eventually drains into Mendenhall Lake. It's just a question of how much water accumulates before it builds enough pressure to drains. Too much can cause flooding downstream. There are also concerns about whether it's a sudden deluge or a slow drain. Apparently this is a relatively new phenomenon for Juneau, because the basin used to fill with ice, but in recent years it only fills with liquid water during melt periods.

 

This is from 2014, but has a lot of general information

http://juneauempire.com/local/2014-07-04/suicide-basin-water-levels-rising

 

Suicide Basin, approximately 72,000 square meters large (the equivalent of 130 football fields), is located on the eastern side of Mendenhall Glacier roughly two miles up. It’s hidden from the view at the visitor center by Mount Bullard. It’s named after Suicide Glacier, which is located right above it in a valley between the mountain peaks. Some of the melt from Suicide Glacier contributes to the water in the basin.

...

It’s hard to tell whether this year’s jökulhlaup will be a glacier outburst — a dramatic gush of water bursting through the ice dam — or more of a glacier leak like last year’s, when water dribbled out over the course of the summer.

 

Either way, people will have plenty of time to prepare. It takes time for the lake and river to rise inches at a time, and it should take roughly 36 hours for the lake and river gauges start rising. The crest on the lake and river will likely be four days after the basin begins draining.

Edited July 1, 2016 by jeffbrig

[AKStafford]

Any info?

Are you talking about this: http://juneauempire.com/local/2016-06-30/flooding-forecasted-start-july-fourth-weekend

[AKStafford]

And there's this: http://www.adn.com/alaska-news/environment/2016/07/01/mendenhall-river-warning-in-place-for-near-record-flooding/

Unless you were planning on camping in the campground, it shouldn't have much effect...

[Chenega]

Further information from KTUU news in Anchorage:

 

http://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Glacial-flooding-prompts-closures-at-popular-Southeast-Alaska-tourism-area--385262701.html

[CanuckonaBoat]

as of july 1st- flooding was bad enough to close some hiking trails at mendenhall glacier. Couldn't get out to nugget falls. they had a cool graph to show the water height over time...and it was really high that day.