2024 year in review

November 21, 2024| Advocacy, Community, Education, Environment, Events

By: Lake Hopatcong Foundaiton

As the year starts to wind down, we like to take a moment to reflect on all that has been achieved for Lake Hopatcong in 2024. Thanks to your generosity and dedication, this year has been one of progress, action, and community spirit on New Jersey’s largest lake.

From environmental initiatives to educational programs, your contributions—both in time and resources—made it all possible. Together, we have educated, advocated, and worked tirelessly to ensure a healthier, more vibrant lake for generations to come.

As we look ahead, let’s celebrate the following list of some of the incredible accomplishments of 2024. We thank you again for your support and look forward to building on these successes next year!

2024 Accomplishments

Environment

• Implemented an alum treatment on Lake Hopatcong, in partnership with the Lake Hopatcong Commission, targeting a 970-acre area in the main lake. This product will bind with phosphorus in the water, causing it to settle to the lake bottom, reducing the chance of harmful algal blooms, improving water quality, and enhancing ecosystem health.
• Secured a grant to develop an Early Detection Aquatic Invasive Species Plan for Lake Hopatcong. The plan will evaluate emerging technologies for detecting invasive species, emphasizing cost-effectiveness and suitability for our lake's unique needs.
• Launched a pilot “Socks for Docks” program in partnership with the Lake Hopatcong Commission, distributing 475 biochar socks to lakefront property owners. These socks reduce phosphorus levels in the water by capturing and immobilizing nutrients, reducing algae growth, and improving water quality.
• Expanded the boat shrink wrap recycling program by adding drop-off sites and hosting two public drop-off days. The program collected 19 tons of shrink wrap from Morris and Sussex Counties, diverting it from landfills and recycling it into products like composite lumber and planters.
• Coordinated Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) volunteer monitoring at 20 Lake Hopatcong sites as part of the Musconetcong Watershed Association’s program. Volunteers conducted weekly sampling, submitting results to project partners and the NJDEP when criteria were exceeded.

Education

• Educated nearly 2,000 students from 30 schools across five counties—a 25% increase from 2023—on protecting freshwater resources through our environmental field trip program, supported by over 50 dedicated educators and volunteers.
• Developed and launched a new high school field trip program, engaging 200 students from four local schools in its inaugural year. Participants conducted advanced water quality experiments and gained ecological insights to inspire future environmental stewardship.
• Hosted 8 summer public eco cruises aboard the Lake Hopatcong Floating Classroom, welcoming hundreds of guests to take part in hands-on experiments and activities to deepen their understanding of lake ecology, water quality, and water resource protection.
• Organized a series of 6 community programs on a variety of topics, including Insights from the 2023 Water Quality Report, LH365: Lake Hopatcong from a new perspective, Replacing Invasives with Natives for More Sustainable Landscapes, Kayaking and Photography with Jeremy Travers, The World of Bees and Beekeeping, and The Impact of Drones on Industry.
• Provided valuable internship opportunities to four individuals, supporting their professional growth and academic and career development.

Community

• Mobilized an impressive 229 volunteers, who collectively contributed a remarkable 4,018 hours (and counting!) of their time. This includes leading our educational field trips, supporting events like the Lake Hopatcong Block Party, Lake Loop, and our native plant sale, assisting with cleanups, as well as ongoing HAB monitoring, Water Scouts, trail maintenance, and so much more.
• Partnered with Zufall Health to bring OuterSpatial—a one-stop social app providing information on parks, trails, and natural areas—to the Lake Hopatcong area. As part of the launch, the Lake Hopatcong Trail and several local hikes, known as “outings” were added to the app, and a challenge was hosted, which drew over 50 participants.
• Completed several improvements at the historic Lake Hopatcong Station, including the installation of a digital sign along busy Landing Road to share lake news, upcoming events, and important community announcements. The station also provided meeting space for local groups and organizations including the Lake Hopatcong Commission, Roxbury Township, ROW New Jersey, and others.
• Welcomed nearly 200 businesses, non-profit organizations, craft vendors, community groups, food merchants, local governments, and the NJDEP Commissioner, along with more than 3,000 visitors to Hopatcong State Park for our annual Lake Hopatcong Block Party, a community day in celebration of New Jersey’s largest lake.
• Coordinated pre-season and post-season meetings with the NJ State Police Marine Bureau, Morris County Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Lake Hopatcong Commission, and the police departments from the four municipalities surrounding the lake to discuss ways to work together for a safer lake that can be enjoyed by all. 

Advocacy

• Met regularly with federal, state, county, and municipal representatives to advocate for protection, support, and funding for Lake Hopatcong, its watershed, and public lakes throughout the state.
• Advocated for clean water initiatives with local representatives, resulting in Rep. Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) securing $750k in federal funding for phase one of sanitary sewer installation along Jefferson Township's lakefront. This vital project, included in Sherrill's Community Funded Projects list, approved by Congress, and signed into law by the President, marks a critical step in protecting Lake Hopatcong’s water quality and reducing the risk of harmful algal blooms (HABs) on New Jersey’s largest lake.
• Coordinated the Public Lakes Alliance of New Jersey, a coalition of representatives from New Jersey’s public lakes who meet regularly to support each other in addressing environmental, safety, and lake-related challenges, while also uniting to advocate for the protection and sustainability of New Jersey’s lakes.
• Co-chaired the 16-member Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed Steering Committee, helping advocate for a healthy Delaware River watershed, which includes Lake Hopatcong. In addition, we met with our legislators and their staff during the Coalition’s Hill Day to advocate for legislation and funding to help ensure the long-term health of our watershed.
• Hosted Senator Corey Booker, Congressman Tom Kean Jr., and representatives from the Public Lakes Alliance of New Jersey on Lake Hopatcong and the Floating Classroom, offering firsthand insights into current lake initiatives and the pressing issues impacting Lake Hopatcong's health and sustainability.

Awards

We were honored, in partnership with Roxbury Township Clean Communities & Recycling, the Morris and Sussex County Municipal Utilities Authorities, and Ultra-Poly, with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Outstanding Achievement in Recycling award for the success of the Morris and Sussex Counties Boat Shrink Wrap Recycling Program at Lake Hopatcong.

Donna Macalle-Holly received the 2024 NJ Clean Communities Clean Waterways Award for her outstanding leadership in organizing our Lake-Wide Community Cleanup on November 4, 2023. During the cleanup, held in conjunction with a 5-foot drawdown of Lake Hopatcong, 600 volunteers cleared 28,000 pounds of debris from the lake’s shores, including 900 tires.

Marty Kane was recognized with a Senior of Distinction Award from Congressman Tom Kean Jr. for his outstanding efforts in protecting and improving Lake Hopatcong. Marty is widely regarded as a historian and ambassador for New Jersey’s largest lake, serving as both our board chair and the president of the Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum.