A group of Juneau residents, including geologists, energy specialists, engineers, and concerned homeowners, have formed in the past few weeks to try to get the government to act on the seemingly annual disaster that is happening to neighborhoods near Juneau’s Mendenhall River, where catastrophic flooding is becoming the norm.
After a flood from an ice dam lake at the Mendenhall Glacier washed away homes in 2023, the city Assembly sat on its hands and did essentially nothing. The Assembly was too busy spending $50,0000 to lobby voters to approve a new city hall during that October’s election, instead of addressing the crisis along the river. The voters said no to the city hall, and the city did not act on the flood crisis.
The flooding was even worse in 2024, when the ice dam once again burst and hundreds of homes were inundated, impacting thousands of Juneau residents.
Juneau Flood Solution Advocates was born to tackle the issue head on. Studies don’t require federal permits, they say. The studies should already be done by now.
One of the group’s first public projects is an explanatory documentary film produced by Noah Tether that was just launched on YouTube, “Frozen Waters Unleashed.” In it, solutions are explored that have contained the flooding on the Chena River in Fairbanks, with a look at how the same solutions could be applied to the Mendenhall River.
Juneau Flood Solution Advocates is also calling for a town hall meeting in advance of the Juneau Assembly’s regular meeting on Dec. 16, which may be a decision-making meeting about more actions to protect homes and lives. The group wants the city to schedule the town hall meeting first to get the information out to the public about the decisions that may be made on Dec. 16.
“The purpose is to allow for a conversation including questions and answers about the upcoming ordinance.  We are waiting for the city’s response. You can email the city, and your assembly and ask for the Juneau FSA Townhall. Many requests give power to our voice, so please consider writing to the city this weekend. We are also preparing for the public comment time at the assembly meeting on Monday, December 16th. We are looking for volunteers to speak.  Can we count on you?  Please let us know.  Respond to [email protected] and tell us you will help,” the group advised on its website, where more information and resources can be found.
