Mendenhall River Flooding Update: Approximately 290 Homes Damaged

A drone image shows widespread flooding in the Mendenhall Valley on Tuesday morning. (Image courtesy of Rich Ross)

Juneau, Alaska (KINY) – As of this weekend, CBJ and the American Red Cross of Alaska have completed preliminary damage assessments of neighborhoods impacted by the August 6 Mendenhall River flooding. At the latest estimate, approximately 290 residences (including apartments and condos) were damaged by floodwaters.

Some residents are now turning to long-term planning and recovery, while others continue cleaning and mucking out. For those who are still working to clear their homes, CBJ & DOT crews continue to collect flood debris from impacted neighborhoods—including construction & demolition debris, large appliances, and hazardous waste. See the latest pick-up information here.

For complete and up-to-date flood recovery resources and information, visit juneau.org/manager/flood-response. For questions, email floodresponse@juneau.gov.

Volunteer Center Open Monday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Over 100 volunteers turned out at the Melvin Park volunteer center on Saturday, a stunning demonstration of Juneau’s readiness to come together. Unfortunately, extreme need remains. Experienced volunteer teams and partner organizations are mobilizing to lend their support, but the community still needs as many helping hands as possible.

The volunteer center will be open on Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with Tuesday and Wednesday hours to follow. Stop by Melvin Park to find out how you can lend a hand. (Don’t forget your sturdy shoes and work gloves!)

Worried about working on an empty stomach? Hot meals will be available Monday through Wednesday from 12-2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m., including vegan and gluten-free options.

As of Sunday, August 11, the center is in need of dehumidifiers, respirators, and elbow-length rubber gloves. If you have equipment available to loan or donate, you can drop it off any time the center is open. If you’re making a loan, please be sure to label equipment with your name and phone number.

Follow CBJ on Facebook to see daily volunteer center hours and updates. If you’re in need of volunteer assistance, visit bit.ly/juneau-flood

Junk Vehicles

Many residents have cars or trucks that have been damaged or totaled by the flood and are now wondering what steps to take.

For those who have comprehensive coverage, reach out to your insurer as soon as possible. You may not have had the energy to do so in the immediate aftermath—now is the time to do it.

CBJ operates a year-round junk vehicle program to help residents dispose of junk vehicles for free. However, the number of vehicles damaged by the flood would likely overwhelm our processing partner. CBJ is currently working on a storage solution so that junk vehicles can be accepted immediately and then processed as capacity allows.

For health and safety reasons, the most urgent debris priorities are municipal solid waste, construction & demolition waste, and household hazardous waste. Once we have made further progress clearing these types of debris from flood-impacted neighborhoods, we’ll be able to turn our focus to junk vehicles.

More guidance will be shared as soon as it’s available—stay tuned.