Protect our lake from invasive species: Volunteer as a Water Scout

June 13, 2024| Community, Environment, People

By: Donna Macalle-Holly

The Lake Hopatcong Water Scouts program is designed to find and eradicate invasive water chestnut on Lake Hopatcong. Water chestnut plants, and similar invasive species, can be transported to Lake Hopatcong via boats, trailers, waterfowl, and other means. Unchecked, they have been known to take over and impoverish entire lake ecosystems.

In 2023, Lake Hopatcong Water Scouts located and hand-pulled 78 water chestnut plants, containing 96 rosettes, in the Woodport section of the lake, near Liffy Island. The number of plants removed was considerably less than in 2022 when scouts located and hand-pulled 115 Water chestnut plants, containing 156 rosettes, in the same area.

If you own a kayak and enjoy paddling on our lake, why not join the volunteer effort to protect our lake and keep Water Chestnut from spreading?  Water Scouts select one of the 22 designated scouting zones (see map) along our 45 miles of shoreline to monitor. If water chestnut is found, the scout removes it and reports their findings. Training is available. 

Interested in becoming a Water Scout? Click HERE for more information and resources.