After waters peaked at 16.65 feet, newly installed HESCO barriers and early alerts spared schools, homes and businesses from major damage with no rescues or evacuations.

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.

One of Alaska's most populated cities is bracing for potentially catastrophic flooding as a basin dammed within the Mendenhall Glacier has started to release water.