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.

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.

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.

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.

The glacial flooding that sent residents of Alaska's capital city scrambling this week has become an annual ordeal for those who live along the picturesque river that winds from the nearby Mendenhall Glacier.

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.