Lake Information

As we forge our way into a new year, the Lake Hopatcong Foundation (LHF) Student Leadership Team is gathering for their third meeting, in order to continue planning projects that support and protect New Jersey’s largest lake. 

Freeholder boards in Morris and Sussex counties have agreed to allocate a total of $50,000 in matching funds to support an application by the Lake Hopatcong Commission for a potential $500,000 state grant to study and reduce harmful algal blooms (HABs), which severely limited recreational use of Lake Hopatcong during most of the 2019 recreational season.

Today the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) announced two major changes to the grant process to help battle HABs. These changes are due in a large part from feedback and pressure applied by the Lake Hopatcong Foundation and the Lake Hopatcong Commission.

On January 13, 2019, the Lake Hopatcong Commission got underway for the start of 2020. During the meeting Princeton Hydro provided a detailed presentation with 2020 monitoring recommendations, State Funding was discussed, and the commission is looking to get stricter on Zoning and build-up around Lake Hopatcong.

Living up to the “Cultural Center” in their location name, the Lake Hopatcong Foundation just announced the three following three new educational programs, that will be held at the Lake Hopatcong Foundation Environmental & Cultural Center.

Senator Joe Pennacchio was dismayed by Governor Murphy’s absolute veto of legislation to maintain the lake and ensure clean water in Greenwood Lake.

Residents of the Lake Hopatcong area are very accustomed to the wide variety of ongoing events from the Lake Hopatcong Foundation (LHF), but we never really understand everything this small team of superstars and volunteers accomplish throughout the year, as they publish the reflections for the year.

In the summer of 2019 while Lake Hopatcong was under attack from the Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs), Assembly Women BettyLou DeCroce rushed to support our area through her attendance of the local meetings, and creation of bill A-5763 that sought to bring the monies necessary to fight the HABs.

The Delaware River Basin Restoration Program is important to New Jersey to help protect the 62,000 jobs that pay $1.3 billion in wages.

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is seeking applications for $6 million in grants for projects related to lakes and harmful algal bloom (HAB) management, including treatment and prevention demonstration projects as well as water quality restoration through prevention and mitigation of nonpoint source pollution (NPS). This is being done via two (2) Request for Proposals (RFP).

The Lake Hopatcong Commission held its monthly meeting on December 9, 2019, at the Lake Hopatcong Train Station. The following provides the highlights of the meeting and full video coverage.

Since 2015, the Lake Hopatcong Foundation education team of staff and volunteers have been holding spring field trips for local students to learn about the lake and how to keep it healthy. In line with these lessons, volunteers Dorothy Sabarese and Pat Mueller began working on a children’s book, geared toward 4th and 5th graders (the same age as the students on our field trips).