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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is exploring a costly drainage solution, estimated between $613 million and $1 billion, to prevent outburst floods from expanding glacial lakes in Alaska. A study from 2018 to 2024 reveals that glacial lakes are growing 120% faster than from 1986 to 1999.

It predicts lakes could expand up to fourfold due to glacier melting, exacerbating flood risks. More than 1,150 drainage events occurred in Alaska from 1985 to 2020, with significant ecological impacts. Globally, over 15 million people are at risk from such floods, emphasizing the need for better mapping and monitoring.