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Assembly approves Hesco barrier funding and state/federal grants for outburst‑flood protections
Summary
After recent glacial outburst flooding, the assembly approved a package of funding actions including state revolving fund loan appropriations, transfers for Hesco barrier phases and a HUD subaward to support riverbank and community flood protections.
The Juneau City and Borough Assembly approved several measures to fund and extend flood protections following a major glacial outburst flood. The assembly accepted a $7,830,000 loan from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (Clean Water Nonpoint Source Loan State Revolving Fund) to support outburst‑flood improvements, approved a transfer of $1,400,000 to extend Hesco barrier phases, and accepted a subaward of $882,000 from the Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority (a HUD ICDBG‑T grant) to contribute to Hesco barrier installation.
According to manager materials, the $7.83 million loan will be used for installation of Hesco barriers, site preparation, bank armoring, drainage and access work to protect residential areas and public infrastructure from glacial outburst inundation. Staff explained additional transfers were necessary after updated inundation modeling showed the need to extend barriers downstream to protect high-value CBJ assets and private properties.
The assembly approved Transfer Request 25‑17 to move $1,400,000 from the outburst flooding improvements CIP to a CIP for additional Hesco barrier phases; the committee of the whole had previously approved the request. The assembly also adopted ordinance AX (an $882,000 appropriation) formalizing the subaward through Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority; the manager explained the subaward makes HUD grant funds available for Phase 1 barrier installation.
Public testimony on outburst flood measures was limited at the meeting; the manager’s memo and staff presentations provided technical rationale. The airport board separately asked for riverbank stabilization funds and the assembly approved a $300,000 appropriation to replace armor rock lost in the 2023 flood along the airport riverbank; the city has applied for state grant reimbursement for that airport work.
The assembly’s actions authorize spending and transfers for barrier construction and related work and require project management and grant compliance steps by staff. Implementation will include contracting, environmental clearance and coordination with landowners and agencies to construct and maintain engineered Hesco barrier segments and other riverbank protections.
