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The Alaska Floodplain Focus - January 2026

Providing Alaska communities with practical, plain-language updates on flood risk, floodplain management, NFIP requirements, and Risk MAP activities that affect local decision-making before, during, and after flood events.

Introducing the authors: DCRA's NFIP and Risk MAP Coordinators 

Happy New Year, and welcome to 2026! This year, we’re doing things a little differently. For the first time, the NFIP Coordinator and Risk MAP Coordinator are collaborating to bring you a new, unified newsletter. Welcome to the inaugural issue of The Alaska Floodplain Focus—your source for updates on flood risk, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), FEMA’s Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning (Risk MAP) program, and related planning and resilience topics for Alaska communities. To start, I’d like to introduce myself as the new NFIP Coordinator. My name is Zayleen Kalalo, and I joined the Division of Community and Regional Affairs (DCRA) in September. I am a lifelong Alaskan and spent much of my childhood in Utqiaġvik before moving to Anchorage. I’ve worked in state and federal government for over 15 years, specializing in environmental restoration, subsistence fisheries, environmental policy, and Tribal relations. For the past five years, I worked closely with Tribes in California and Washington on estuary restoration projects. In this new role, I’m excited to be back home and supporting communities across Alaska. This is a collaborative newsletter, and I’m pleased to introduce my co-author, Rebecca Rein, DCRA’s Risk MAP Coordinator. Rebecca is no stranger to Alaska communities—she has been with DCRA for over two years and brings more than a decade of experience in local government. Her background includes serving as a city clerk, administering elections, updating comprehensive community plans, and supporting planning commissions. Rebecca is deeply committed to civic work and has found a natural home supporting communities through Risk MAP and flood resilience efforts at DCRA. The first few months in this role were busy, as expected. In October 2025, Western Alaska experienced significant flooding associated with Typhoon Halong, resulting in evacuations and widespread impacts. In response, Rebecca and I worked closely with FEMA to provide general technical assistance calls to affected communities. These calls focused on floodplain recovery steps, including damage assessments, permitting considerations, high water mark collection, and next steps for rebuilding. As we move into the new year, we will continue supporting recovery efforts while strengthening long-term floodplain management across Alaska. As we reflect on 2025, recent flood events and emerging risk information reinforce the importance of proactive planning, clear hazard communication, and sustained community resilience efforts. FEMA’s Risk MAP program plays a critical role in helping communities understand where flood risk exists today—and how it may change over time. Accurate flood maps, risk assessments, and mitigation planning tools support informed land-use decisions, safer development, and eligibility for mitigation funding. Together, NFIP participation and Risk MAP products help communities reduce future flood losses while strengthening long-term resilience. Training and technical assistance remain a key part of this effort. In March, DCRA and FEMA Region 10 will host L0273: Managing Floodplain Management through the NFIP, a course designed to support floodplain administrators and local officials. Additional details can be found below under Training Opportunities. As always, we’re here to help with floodplain management questions, Risk MAP projects, and planning efforts. If we don’t have the answer, we’ll help connect you with someone who does. You can also catch us next month at the Alaska Forum on the Environment, where Rebecca and I will be hosting a DCRA table at this year’s conference at the Dena’ina Conference Center in downtown Anchorage. You’ll find us near the escalators between the second and third floors—please stop by to say hello and meet your NFIP and Risk MAP coordinators. Best regards, Zayleen Kalalo  State of Alaska, Local Government Specialist IV – Alaska NFIP Coordinator 📞 (907) 269-7904 📧 zayleen.kalalo@alaska.gov DCRA National Flood Insurance Program NFIP Website  Rebecca Rein State of Alaska, Local Government Specialist IV – Risk MAP Coordinator 📞 (907) 269-3037 📧 rebecca.rein@alaska.gov DCRA Risk MAP Wesbite

Save the Date

Alaska Forum on the Environment
February 2-6, 2026 Dena'ina Center, Anchorage

Attend the largest gathering for people making an impact on Alaska’s environment. Interact with attendees who represent most major industries in Alaska ranging from oil and gas and government entities to tribal leaders and technical scientists. See what’s coming to AFE!

Website: https://akforum.org

2026 Alaska Emergency Management Conference
March 30, to April 2, 2026 Anchorage Egan Center

Join us at the Alaska State Emergency Management Conference in Anchorage.

The Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHS&EM) cordially invites you to attend our 2026 Emergency Management Conference, March 30-April 2, 2026, at the Egan Center, 555 W. 5^th Ave, Anchorage, Alaska. 

Conference Contact: Michelle Torres, Outreach Branch Chief & CERT State Administrator Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Mgmt. Michelle.torres@alaska.gov 

Please register at: Register for Conference

Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference (WAISC) April 7th-9th in Bethel, Alaska

Alaska Sea Grant is hosting the 18th annual Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference in Bethel this spring. The event brings together people invested in sharing local knowledge and science important to rural communities in Western Alaska

Save the date: Abstracts are accepted now through January 30th.

The 2026 conference will focus on sustaining the well-being, health and subsistence traditions central to life in Western Alaska, even as communities navigate rapid changes in the environment, ecology and local industries. Conference will be in Bethel with no virtual option. 

More details: Alaska Sea Grant: 2026 Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference

ASFPM 2026 Conference
May 31 - June 4th, 2026 Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Join the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) at the world’s largest and most comprehensive floodplain management conference, May 31st to June 4th, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The conference theme is “The Fresh Coast Legacy: 50 years of Floodplain Management” Register at: https://www.floods.org/conference/

      NAEP 2026 Annual Conference & Training Symposium         May 11th-14th 2026 Anchorage, Alaska

The National Association of Environmental Professional (NAEP) will be hosting their annual conference and training symposium. Enthusiastic environmental professionals from across the country to learn about new projects, share technical knowledge, network with other industry professionals, and engage with environmental leaders. 

Save the Date: May 11th-14th, 2026 in Anchorage

This year's conference will focus on NEPA practice, remediation, resource planning, habitat/coastal resources, renewable energy, socioeconomic impacts, etc. 

Click here to register

 Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference May 19th-21st, 2026 Anchorage, Alaska

Alaska's Sustainable Conference is set to take place early this summer. The event brings together industry leaders, policymakers, and sustainability advocates to explore innovative solutions and strategies for energy sustainability in Alaska and beyond. 

Save the Date: May 19th-May 21st, 2026

Attendees will engage in a series of thought-provoking discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities aimed at promoting the development of renewable energy resources and sustainable practices. The conference will feature keynote speakers renowned for their expertise in energy efficiency, climate change, and sustainable technology. 

Click here for more details on Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference

AWRA 2026 Annual Training Conference
October 19-22, 2026 Sheraton Anchorage Downtown

Don't miss this rare opportunity to connect with experts, researchers, and students focused on Alaska's unique water resource challenges. The conference offers valuable collaboration across disciplines, including science, engineering, and resource management.

Save the Date: October 19th-22nd, 2026. in Anchorage

This year, Anchroage proudly hosts ARWA's 4 day training confernece. Two tracks will focus on water and wastewater, and source water protection. Do you or your operators need CEU's? You can earn 3 CEUs in four days! 

Click Here to Register: https://www.awra.org

News & Updates

Alaska’s 2025 Review: A Year of Record Flood Impacts and Risk Awareness

2025 was a watershed year for flood risk in Alaska, underscoring both the state’s vulnerability to extreme weather and the importance of proactive floodplain management, National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) participation, and informed risk-based decision-making.

Western Alaska

In October 2025, the remnants of Typhoon Halong traveled from the western Pacific, transitioned into an extratropical storm, and brought hurricane-force winds, storm surge, and record flooding to Western Alaska—particularly across the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta. Dozens of coastal communities were impacted, including Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, where homes were washed off their foundations and destroyed by floodwaters and debris.

Floodwaters and extreme winds were strong enough to lift houses off their foundations and move them inland—or out to sea. The Alaska Air National Guard conducted one of the largest flood evacuation efforts in Alaska’s history. Recovery efforts are ongoing and are expected to continue for some time.

This event resulted in a major disaster declaration (DR-4893-AK), enabling federal assistance for response and recovery. However, due to changes in FEMA funding authorities, this disaster did not include Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding to reduce future flood impacts.

The scale and severity of this storm highlighted the growing flood risk faced by Alaska’s coastal and riverine communities—particularly remote communities with limited infrastructure—and underscored how flood risk intersects with broader issues such as community sustainability, climate vulnerability, and long-term resilience.

Southeast Alaska

In August 2025, the Mendenhall Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) reached a historic peak of 16.65 feet. Prior to the event, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers installed HESCO barriers along the Mendenhall River to reduce flood impacts. These barriers successfully protected more than 80% of homes that had flooded during previous GLOF events. Plans are underway to install additional barriers and high-water-mark signage to further reduce risk.

These GLOF events are expected to continue annually due to the geography of Suicide Basin and the dynamics of the Mendenhall Glacier.

Compounding flood risk in the Juneau area, the winter of 2025–2026 brought above-average snowfall, increasing snowpack and snow-load concerns across Southeast Alaska. Heavy snow accumulation can contribute to elevated spring runoff, increased pressure on river systems, and added stress on infrastructure, particularly when combined with rapid warming or intense rainfall events. Snow-related impacts remain an important part of flood risk awareness and seasonal preparedness in the region.

University and community partners also launched the Juneau Glacial Flood Dashboard to monitor ice melt, basin fill rates, and potential outburst flood scenarios. Ongoing monitoring information is available at www.juneauflood.org.

Why Risk MAP and Mitigation Matter

Flood risk in Alaska is evolving, driven by changing weather patterns, coastal erosion, ice dynamics, and development pressures. FEMA’s Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning (Risk MAP) program helps communities understand where flood risk exists today and how it may change over time through updated flood maps, risk assessments, and planning tools.

Mitigation is most effective when it occurs before the next disaster. Using Risk MAP data alongside strong floodplain management practices and NFIP participation helps communities reduce future flood damage, protect critical infrastructure, and make informed land-use decisions. Even when post-disaster mitigation funding is limited or unavailable, proactive planning and mitigation investments remain essential tools for building safer, more resilient Alaska communities.

Climate and Weather Resources

For ongoing climate, weather, and hazard updates—including webinars and newsletters—visit the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP):
https://uaf-accap.org/events/about-accap-webinars/

Training Opportunities:

L0273 Managing Floodplain Development Workshop 

March 10-13, 2026, Atwood Building Anchorage

The course will be taught by FEMA Region 10 and Alaska DCRA staff and designated for the local officials and staff responsible for administering the local floodplain program or planning regulations with focused discussion on Alaska and how to manage this program in rural communities. There is no registration cost to attend for Alaska community officials. DCRA has grant funding approval to reimburse the travel and lodging expenses for a limited number of participants upon completion of the course. Prior approval is required,
please contact Zayleen Kalalo for further information.

For registration contact: State NFIP Coordinator, Zayleen Kalalo, zayleen.kalalo@alaska.gov 

Presented by: DCRA, FEMA Region10, EMI

IS-1119: Letters of Map Amendment (LOMAs) and Letters of Map Revision–Based on Fill (LOMR-Fs)

Independent Study - online course 3 hours, 0.3 CEUs click here to REGISTER

Course Description: This course is designed to provide information to individuals interested in Letters of Map Change (LOMCs) with a focus on Conditional Letters of Map Amendment (CLOMAs); Letters of Map Amendment (LOMAs); Conditional Letters of Map Revision—Based on Fill (CLOMR-Fs); and Letters of Map Revision—Based on Fill (LOMR-Fs) on the applicant, community floodplain administrator, licensed professional, and FEMA levels.

Presented by: Emergency Management Institute, EMI, FEMA

IS-273 – How to Read a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)  IS-274 – How to Use a Flood Insurance Study (FIS)

Online Independent Study course, 0.3 CECs for each class, 2.5 hours

Click HERE to Register to register for How to Read a Flood Insurance Rate Map.  The purpose of this course is to provide the participants with the knowledge and skills required to use Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) to determine the potential flood risks for a specific property to determine if a property should be protected against flood loss. Participants will learn about various types of flood maps, explain the elements on the map, and demonstrate how to use a flood map to obtain information for a specific property location.

Click HERE to Register to register for How to Use a Flood Insurance Study. The purpose of this course is to provide the participants with the knowledge and skills required to access and properly use a FIS to determine the flood risk for a property and allow participants to take actions that may prevent flood disasters or insure against losses caused by floods.

Presented by: EMI, Emergency Management Institute, 16825 S. Seton Ave. Emmitsburg, MD 21727 - Independent Study Program

AML Alaska Infrastructure Symposium

April 7th to 9th, 2026

Conference Description:

The 2026 Alaska Infrastructure Development Symposium will be an amazing opportunity to learn and understand Alaska’s Infrastructure needs and challenges, networking possibilities, and planning for the future. Work together with infrastructure experts, local, state and national officials to advance and strengthen infrastructure across Alaska

Registration will open in January 2026, Click Here to register

Alaska Division of Community & Regional Affairs
National Flood Insurance Program
Alaska Risk MAP Program

550 W 7th AVE, STE 1650, Anchorage, AK 99501-3510
(907)269-3037 / (907)269-7904 |  website

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