Juneau approves 10 more years of gravel mining at Lemon Creek
Published 4:30 am Saturday, October 24, 2026
Gravel mining along upper Lemon Creek has been cleared for another decade, with Juneau approving an expansion onto two neighboring parcels along a waterway shaped by years of industrial activity and flood concerns.
The Juneau Planning Commission approved a 10-year permit extension for Colaska Inc., doing business as Secon, without objection on Oct. 13. The decision allows the company to continue extracting material near the end of Anka Street in Hidden Valley and expand into two adjoining properties zoned Rural Reserve.
Secon’s operation was previously authorized under a conditional use permit issued in 2016, which was scheduled to expire May 20, 2026. The approval continues a longstanding industrial use along Lemon Creek, where gravel removal has supplied construction materials and influenced efforts to manage sediment and flooding.
A creek shaped by mining
Decades of extraction have changed how water moves through Lemon Creek, particularly as gravel deposits shift downstream from the surrounding mountains.
A 2005 U.S. Geological Survey study found that extensive gravel removal between the 1940s and mid-1980s straightened and deepened portions of the creek.
As sediment accumulated again, the waterway began developing features resembling its earlier condition, including multiple channels separated by gravel bars. Researchers warned that the buildup of material could reduce the channel’s capacity to carry water, increasing the potential for flooding in developed areas.
Removing accumulated material can help address sediment buildup, but industrial activity near the creek requires consideration of water quality, erosion and aquatic habitat.
Juneau’s 2018 Lemon Creek Area Plan recognized resource extraction as an important local industry, citing its contribution to construction and flood protection.
But at the same time, the plan called for continued oversight of industrial operations and their effects on nearby neighborhoods.
Under the previous municipal permits described in that plan, Secon’s upper Lemon Creek operation could extract gravel year-round without a specified volume limit, whereas a separate downstream operation faced seasonal restrictions.
Environmental oversight
Protecting fish habitat has been another consideration in managing gravel removal along the creek. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation assessments have identified Lemon Creek as impaired by sedimentation and turbidity, which measures cloudiness caused by suspended particles in the water. Urban runoff and gravel mining have been identified among the contributing sources.
Because the creek supports salmon, including coho, extraction activities can raise concerns about sediment entering spawning areas or disturbing streambeds, issues that were also discussed when Secon sought its previous permit in 2016.
During an April meeting of Juneau’s Wetlands Review Board that year, Alaska Department of Fish and Game representative Greg Albrecht described how the agency inspected extraction areas before work began to identify salmon spawning locations. Fish and Game used GPS information to mark those areas and conducted water-quality measurements, while a 35-foot buffer separating the mining operation from the stream was among the protections discussed.
Mike Short, representing Secon, told the board that extraction stopped when turbidity readings exceeded allowable levels.
The Wetlands Review Board unanimously supported the proposal, including a 10-year permit period and annual Fish and Game review of extraction plans. Work affecting fish-bearing waters may still require authorization from Fish and Game, with additional state or federal approvals depending on the activities involved.
Outside the creek itself, Juneau’s 2018 area plan documented complaints involving truck traffic, noise and possible habitat damage associated with operations in the broader Lemon Creek area. Other residents emphasized the economic importance of local gravel supplies and the role extraction can play in flood management.
With the extension approved, Secon can continue planning extraction on the expanded properties under the applicable permit requirements, however, how the operation develops over the next decade will depend on the approved conditions, the amount of gravel removed and oversight of work near the creek.
