The USGS monitoring equipment, the laser data and cameras are working.
Currently both the front and main basin cameras are sending images every 2 hour from 6am to 8pm AKDT.
The USGS installed a overflow channel camera and it is sending images. Images are sent hourly via the cell network but only sends images during low network traffic. The USGS is also looking to add a second overflow camera to the left of the current view of the overflow channel.
The Mendenhall Lake and River are below normal water levels at this time, around 3.3ft on the lake gauge. For comparison, last year before the outburst flooding event the Mendenhall Lake was reporting near 9ft(minor flood stage) due to effects from a atmospheric river.
The Suicide Basin water level is steadily rising as seen on the USGS laser data with the current elevation at around 1343ft. Water has begun expanding into the overflow channel. The estimated elevation of the overflow channel is around 1350ft with 7ft to go. We have been observing around a 2ft rise per day over the past week due to the persistent cloud cover. Based on the slower rate of rise seen over the past few days the most likely time to see a full basin is August 10-11th. In the past it has taken up to 6 days for the main event (sub-glacier release) to start after the basin is full.
NWS will continue to monitor the basin and update this page as needed as we move through the event over the next week, so check back for updates.
Here is the NWS event report from the record 16.65ft major flooding event that occurred on August 13th 2025.
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