Authorities are still taking stock of Mendenhall River flooding, but new temporary riverfront barriers appear to have staved off the kind of severe damage seen in 2024.

These floods, which began more than a decade ago, have become increasingly destructive in recent years and now pose a persistent summertime threat. This time, Alaska’s capital city fortified itself against the floodwaters.

When the peak of the annual glacial outburst flood hit early Wednesday morning in Juneau, newly installed flood barriers stacked along the Mendenhall River largely prevented flooding of the nearby residential area.

Residents in some parts of Juneau evacuated ahead of what could be a record surge of floodwater after a huge upstream basin of rainwater and snowmelt dammed by Alaska’s Mendenhall Glacier started to e

Officials in Alaska have advised residents to evacuate the state's capital city Wednesday as a melting glacier is expected to cause major flooding.

The flood reached a record-breaking crest of 16.65 feet at about 8 a.m. Wednesday. Water continues to seep into Valley neighborhoods.

Emergency officials say new barriers appear to have worked as planned, with only scattered reports of water leaks.

The temporary levee the city installed along the Mendenhall River this year protected hundreds of homes nearby. But water still leaked through some sections and flooded several streets and homes.