November 16, 2022| Community, Environment
By: Holly Odgers
Each year the water level on Lake Hopatcong is lowered to allow for waterfront maintenance and to protect private property from ice damage. The lake level is managed by Hopatcong State Park staff through adjustments in the four sluice gates at the dam within the park. These adjustments are made in accordance with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) Lake Hopatcong Water Level Management Plan along with the amendment to that plan, the 2016 Lake Hopatcong Water Level Management Pilot Program, which reduced the level of the annual drawdown to 22 inches.
Recent rainfall and current lake levels are taken into account when determining the drawdown initiation date each year. Given current conditions, officials at the State Park anticipate an estimated start date of November 30, give or take a day or two depending on precipitation between now and then. The goal is to reach the 22” drawdown level, or a gage height of 7.16’, by December 15. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) monitors water level, outflow, and rain data on Lake Hopatcong. Their data can be viewed HERE.
The water level will then be maintained until a spring thaw has softened the ice on the lake sufficient to avoid ice damage to private property. Once the spring thaw is underway, flow will be reduced at the dam to a level to both maintain sufficient flow to the Musconetcong River and allow refill of the lake, given adequate rainfall, to the elevation of 9 feet.
For more information about the annual drawdown on Lake Hopatcong, Click HERE.
