Juneau opens flood hotline as city prepares for anticipated Suicide Basin flood

The City and Borough of Juneau has activated a weekday public-information hotline for people with questions and concerns about the anticipated 2026 glacial lake outburst flood from Suicide Basin.

The hotline, announced July 27, is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 907-500-0890. It gives residents a direct city contact for information related to the expected flood.

The announcement comes as Juneau continues seasonal preparations in the Mendenhall Valley. The city said final openings in its flood barriers were being closed during the week of the notice.

Barrier work continues along the Mendenhall River

Juneau and partner agencies have been installing and repairing HESCO flood barriers along the Mendenhall River. The work is part of the city’s preparations ahead of the anticipated flood period.

Closing the remaining openings is a current operational step, not a declaration that flooding has begun. The available official notice does not give a precise forecast date for the 2026 flood, a projected peak water level or a final number of households that could be at risk.

The city also has not been described in the supplied material as having issued an active evacuation order. Residents should not treat the barrier work as a guarantee that flooding will be prevented or that any particular neighborhood will be protected.

Evacuation map was released July 10

Earlier in the month, on July 10, Juneau released a new flood-evacuation-zone map for the expected 2026 glacial outburst flood. Alaska Public Media reported that the city expected the flood later in the summer.

The updated map followed prior flooding and continued discussion of a long-term solution. The hotline and barrier work reflect the city’s move into active seasonal preparedness while those longer-term discussions continue.

For now, the known public-facing steps are the evacuation-zone map, the weekday hotline and the continuing work to close the final barrier openings. People seeking information about the anticipated 2026 flood can call 907-500-0890 during the hotline’s weekday hours.

The supplied material does not establish whether the 2026 flood had begun as of Aug. 2.