About 150 community members attended KTOO’s expert panel discussion on Juneau’s annual glacial outburst flood Tuesday night at Thunder Mountain Middle School. KTOO Climate and Environment Reporter Alix Soliman moderated the discussion and the audience question and answer session.
Panelists included:
- Nate Rumsey, deputy director of engineering and public works, City & Borough of Juneau
- Denise Koch, director of engineering and public works, City & Borough of Juneau
- Sabrina Grubitz, public safety manager, Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska
- Jason Amundson, geophysicist and professor, University of Alaska Southeast
- Aaron Jacobs, senior service hydrologist, National Weather Service
- Jamie Pierce, hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey
- Daryl Downing, emergency management specialist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Mike Records, hydraulic engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Panelists talked about the latest science guiding flood planning, the temporary flood wall made of HESCO barriers, future solutions and public safety.
Experts estimate that damaging glacial outburst floods on the Mendenhall River will last another 25 years.
HESCO barriers, which form the temporary flood wall, last about five years. This year, the flood wall is expected to cost nearly $50 million. The City and Borough of Juneau estimates it will spend $14.8 million, while the Army Corps expects to spend $35 million on the project.
The Army Corps plans to provide more information about mid-term and long-term solutions this August.
At this point, the National Weather Service estimates the window for when Suicide Basin will fill to the top is between July 29 and August 11.
The city plans to release new flood evacuation zone maps next week.
