Each summer in the mountains above Juneau, Alaska, meltwater from the massive Mendenhall Glacier flows into mountain lakes and into the Mendenhall River, which runs through town.

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.

Officials say new barriers protected against the kind of major damage inflicted during last year’s destructive Suicide Basin release, though high water inundated numerous areas.

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 all clear has been given and residents have been allowed to return to their homes in Alaska’s capital of Juneau after a glacial lake outburst sent debris-filled water rushing down the Mendenhall River on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

Zaz Hollander is a veteran journalist based in the Mat-Su and is currently an ADN local news editor and reporter. She covers breaking news, the Mat-Su region, aviation and general assignments. Contact her at [email protected].

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.

A wave of water that gushed out of an Alaskan glacial lake and sent a river surging to a new record level is causing flooding issues in the state capital of Juneau for the third consecutive August. A

A powerful surge of glacial meltwater is once again testing Juneau's resilience, and this time, the ripple effects could reach well beyond city limits — impacting thousands of travelers headed to Alaska’s capital by cruise ship.