The Lake Hopatcong Water Level Management Plan is now available online. The Lake Hopatcong Commission is not responsible for updating the Management Plan or maintaining the water level in Lake Hopatcong (see Q&As below.)
The Management Plan for the waters of Lake Hopatcong, Lake Musconetcong and the Musconetcong River will describe the objectives of the plan, uses and minimum river flow requirements, Lake Hopatcong annual 26-inch drawdown and 60-inch five year drawdown, lakeshore construction and gate manipulation guidelines. The management plan also contains appendices with historical documents including the October 20, 1932 Rules for the Manipulation of the Gate at Lake Hopatcong State Park as well 25 years of water level for the Lake and rainfall data from 1976 through 2000.
Due to the document size, the Lake Hopatcong Management Plan is available in three files:
Part 2: Appendix B - 25 years of monthly rain measurements from 1976 thru 2000; Appendix C - Lake Hopatcong Commission Title 58, C.58:4B-1
Part 3: Appendix D-Fluctuations in water level of Lake Hopatcong from 1976 through 2000; Appendix E*- Morris Canal and Banking Company Dock Construction Guidelines and Application; Appendix F*-Guide to Land Use Regulation Program; Appendix G*-Analysis of Changes in the Model Piers and Docks Ordinances 1974 Proposed & 1983 Final Draft; Appendix H-Lake Hopatcong Dam, Musconetcong River Emergency Operation and Warning Procedures; Appendix I*-Lake Hopatcong Water Level, 100 Year Storm 8/12/00-8/22/00
*The documents contained in the appendices addressing dock construction, land use regulations, pier and dock ordinances may be outdated. For updated information on these subject matters, contact Hopatcong State Park, your local municipal construction/zoning office and/or NJ DEP Division of Land Use Regulation.
The Lake Hopatcong Commission provides funds the operation and maintenance of gages on Lake Hopatcong and at the outflow into the Musconetcong River through an agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The lake level gage is located near the dam at the Hopatcong State Park in Landing, New Jersey.
The Lake Hopatcong Water Level Management Plan and Mother Nature control the water level in Lake Hopatcong. The goal of the Water Level Management Plan is to provide for lake and dock maintenance, environmental safeguards while meeting the mandatory flow requirements into the Musconetcong River for sewage treatment, fire suppression purposes and protection of aquatic habitat. Each year the NJ DEP Division of Parks and Forestry - State Park Service follows procedures to control the water level for Lake Hopatcong. However, the annual precipitation does effect the raising or lowering of the lake. A gage to monitor the precipitation is also funded by the Commission through the USGS agreement .
The 26 inch annual drawdown begins every November 1st except when the 60 inch drawdown occurs every fifth year. Starting in late winter or early spring, depending on when the ice breaks away from the docks, rainfall is allowed to raise the lake level.
The next 60 inch drawdown is scheduled to begin in September 2008. During the 60 inch drawdown from December through February, when ice conditions permit, the lake is allowed to rise but not higher than the 26 inches below the spillway elevation.
The water level determines when there is a "no-wake" speed restriction on the Lake. The gage height of the crest of the dam/spillway at Lake Hopatcong is 9.0 feet. The high-water level is 9.5 feet. At lake levels above the high-water level, boat speeds are greatly restricted and no wakes are allowed. The New Jersey State Police enforce all Lake Hopatcong boating regulations.
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Crest of Dam/Spillway at Hopatcong State Park flowing into Musconetcong River - Fall, 2003 (60 inch drawdown) Lake level reading of 9.00 feet on the Lake Hopatcong gage is 923.70 feet above mean sea level or the top of the spillway. |
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Crest of Dam/Spillway at Hopatcong State Park from Lake Hopatcong - Fall, 2003 (60 inch drawdown) |
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