juneau just doubled its wall

Juneau is doubling the size of its flood wall.

The city and the Army Corps of Engineers are racing to finish a major rebuild of the Mendenhall River flood barrier before summer melt hits. The new wall sits higher and wider, with heavier rock armor along the banks. It also stretches farther in both directions.

Phase two extends the barrier upstream to Back Loop Bridge and downstream toward the airport. In some streets, the temporary HESCO blocks will be stacked four high or more. The Army Corps is covering the 19 million dollar tab.

Glacier outburst floods have soaked Mendenhall Valley homes two summers in a row. The rebuild is meant to keep that pattern from repeating. Construction wraps July 15 to beat the next round of melt.