WolfeNotes.com

NJ needs a visit from Guy Noir to look into all this. You’d think NJ would have better environmental standards since Lisa Jackson came out of the Garden State.

This is a ridiculous diatribe. After wading through the irrelevant inuendoes, it just seems that you want to paint the picture you want to paint, regardless of the facts.
The reason for the high weed and the low water and the lack of boating is simple – the DEP pissed away 1.4 billion gallons they weren’t supposed to this winter, and Mother Nature didn’t cover up their mistake with alot of rainfall this spring. Just go to http://www.savelakehopatcong.com and you can see the actual facts.
I am glad to see that you noticed though, that sewers are indeed flushing away even more water from the area, but that is not the major issue right now. If the lake had the 1.4billion gallons that were erroneously dumped by the DEP between December 15-January 8th (just go to the USGS outflow gauge on the internet, sited at savelakehopatcong.com and see for yourself), that would have the gallonage that matches when the lake is almost at the top of the dam. That’s all there is to it.
This is not about the economy hurting the lake, it is about the DEP and subsequently the low level of the lake hurting the economy. I for one would be employed right now solely if not for the low lake level.
Even sailboats can’t be used in most typical areas right now, since the lake is 3′ deep instead of 5′ deep and the ocassional rocks are horrendous. And because the DEP cancelled funding for the cleanup this winter that much of the drawdown supposedly was for (before their 1.4billion gallon mistake), and cancelled funding for the harvesting operation that removes biomass from the lake, and helps keep the lake oxygen from being consumed, many part of the lake are unnavigable by jetskis and even typical boats. And note that even if some boats can operate, they can’t be ‘docked’, since most shoreline slips are too shallow to be reached.
So nice try at confusing cause and effect. Notice that the weeds and lack of boating is because of the lake level. Remember also that Lake Hopatcong is certified as “Trout Maintenance”, as is the stream below it, but only when it gets to the Musconetcong River, at Lake Musconetcong, does the ranking get lowered to “Non-Trout” (unable to support Trout life). So stop just trying to make Lake Hopatcong appear to be the problem about water quality.
And as I noted to your earlier article, the fecal coliform issue spikes after rainfall, even after dry periods. That shows that the issue is related to ground pollution, such as ducks/geese poop, maybe dogs and other animals, and NOT septic systems. But being the nature lovers that we are, the ducks and geese are still very prevalent, but unfortunately hurts the coliform readings after storms. So stop maniupulating that data too. You don’t want septics, you say the sewers pump the water away, I suppose you just want everyone to leave, and then blame the economy for that too, when most of the lake’s problems come down to something very simple –
That the state didn’t close the dam to 12cfs when the Level management Plan said they were supposed to, and let out an extra 1.4 Billion Gallons (about 20 inches of level), and then, when notified of their error in March, and could have taken corrective action of cutting outflow to the stream, especially in consideration of Lake Musconetcong overflowing (and supplying downstream plenty of water), the state decided that .7 miles of stream was more important than all of lake hopatcong, causing many of the scenarios you show in the pictures above.
Thank you for your support.

Oh, and look at your pictures at the bottom carefully. You note that they are about pollution, but notice that the ramps end BEFORE the lake water reaches them! That is why we are indicating that the lake is too low for boats. The boats have to be able to be launched and docked. Your pictures also show the dirt where water should be.
You even show a restaurant that obviously can’t support the boaters because its slips are too low. And a gas pump that can’t be reached either.
Taking pictures like that, and then blaming the economy, makes no sense at all, when the economic issues at Lake Hopatcong right now are BECAUSE of the scenes depicted in those pictures.
I actually do believe that the lake level is due to the economy: The state did open bidding for seawall construction in Roxbury, and required bidders knew that the lake level would rise starting December 15th. But after the bid was awarded, the construction method and materials were changed by the state, and lo and behold, ‘their contractor’ didn’t have to deal with rising waters, because the state decided to delay the refill. No coffer dams necessary, no pumping necessary. Nice, if you’re the contractor.
The state even FOUGHT the Lake Hopatcong Commission, with the state wanting to delay the refill by two weeks, the LHC wanting the Water Level Management plan followed, and finally settling on one week. (at which time the DEP opened the dam triply, dumping 150cfs instead of the 50cfs they were dumping, and the 12cfs they were supposed to be dumping. And then went to 55cfs instead of 12cfs the next few weeks, causing the total 20 inches/1.4Billion gallon deviation). You think the state fought the official voice of the lake to help a few unnamed homeowners? The lake level problems are indeed due to economic decisions. Someone got ‘helped’, and the whole lake economy sufferered. In 1988, same thing, the state admitted they left the dam open for their contract at the Marine Police seawall. The low lake level was caused by economic decisions that were very shortsighted, but the economy is not causing the boating and swimming and dead fish problem, the low lake level is, 100% because of past DEP decisions or deliberate lack of decisions.

Dear dionc9:
Love it!
Yes, maybe Mr. Keillor can do a show and report from Lake Hopatcong (or Lake Pompton!) – lovely contrast with lake Wobgon.
Dear lkhopatcong –
glad to see you’ve finally put your cards on the table with this comment:
“I for one would be employed right now solely if not for the low lake level.”
Right.
But did you read any of the links I provided about the economics of boating and marina’s? Have you read Ibsen?.
Are you folks out in Hopatcong immune from this economic downturn?

I think the comment “Are you folks out in Hopatcong immune from this economic downturn?” cuts to the heart of the concerns that you and some others have about Lake Hopatcong.
Its not environmental concern for the .7 miles of stream potentially effected by a dam closure, its not the rainbows or the bait store, or the other pictures you provided of places far from Lake Hopatcong that are below the overflowing Lake Musconetcong (and not effected by Lake Hopatcong trying to be rescued).
Its that you seem to mind that Lake Hopatcong isn’t suffering enough. That not having water reach the boat ramps (right in your pictures!) isn’t the problem, but its the economy. Sure the economy is causing pressure, but that’s all the more reason that the DEP should be making sure that people could spend money at the lake, not the opposite.
Don’t you realize that if people cut more spending, more people lose jobs, more companies lose money, more people lose jobs, more companies lose money, stocks go down and people have less money to spend, companies default, more people have money to spend? you should not be upset that there still might be some people around who would be spending money at Lake Hopatcong, spending helps the area and the economy, lets people get their jobs back, lets those people spend money, maybe some of them would even be buying fishing supplies at the store in your picture downstream.
If you’re upset about the economy, you should really wonder why the DEP is sacrificing the whole lake, using ridiculous statistics like how long the lake would take to fill if no rainfall for the next two years (during a month that rained 4 inches and raised the lake 1′ as it should), and is hurting the whole economy.
Your pictures in this posting say it all. The economy is hurting, the water level is down to the normal top of the weeds, so now we don’t have the 1-2′ buffer of water above them, fish are dying from lack of oxygen in the dense weed beds, people are losing their jobs and maybe their homes (I guess that’s why you posted those pictures), etc.
Doesn’t it make you angry that the State would rather forego all the benefits to humans, help the environment at Lake HOpatcong, etc, but instead chooses to save 7/10th of one mile of stream that wouldn’t even exist if not for the dam in the first place?
And that the water coming out of Lake hopatcong is hotter than the water joining the stream in 7/10ths of a mile (halfway to Lake Musconetcong), potentially hurting rather than helping the fish in that 2nd 7/10ths of a mile? The DEP is CAUSING an environmental issue in the lake as you’ve shown as well.
And by the way, rumor has it that the state opened the dam yesterday (from 12:45-3:45PM according to the level gauge), dropped the lake and let out about 30 million gallons over 3 hours, supposedly to flush some debris into the stream. That’s a whole month worth of the difference of 3mgd and 4mgd that we’ve been arguing about with the DEP!! But of course, it again only hurt the lake, and didn’t really help the stream to just flood it in one burst like that, in fact it might have caused some fish to become trapped and then be in your next set of pictures, as you blame lake Hopatcong again for what actually is 100% DEP actions.

Just to correct my last post, I meant to write
“Don’t you realize that if people cut more spending, more people lose jobs, more companies lose money, more people lose jobs, more companies lose money, stocks go down and people have less money to spend, companies default, LESS people have money to spend? ”
As for your likening the Lake Hopatcong economy to being like an economy based on poison, thank you for showing how far out there you are.
I think your pictures are accurate, but are a reflection of the low lake levels, and are not like the pictures from prior years when the lake was at appropriate levels and had funding to address removal of the weeds that come from the 100 year supply of naturally occurring phosphorous that is in the lake bottom. (as well as some small areas that may have malfunctioning septics, much geese excrement, etc).
If you want to read about economics regarding trout though, and how DEP concern about fish is about selling fishing licenses, just go to http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2005/trout_proposal.pdf
The people suffering at Lake Hopatcong are not just about the economy, there are swim teams that can’t participate in the lake, kids whose recreation for the whole summer centered on the lake, people who enjoyed relaxing on a raft without the stench of dead fish floating around them, people who would sail if not for rudders tangling in the weeds or hitting bottom, people who want to get in boats and go from one fishing spot to another to see how many fish they can catch (the DEP likes that!), people who would like to waterski but would possibly die or be crippled when they land in 3′ depth of water, boats that would hit rocks that are 1-2′ closer to the surface than normal, etc.
And of course, nature at Lake Hopatcong is suffering as well. The Bird Sanctuary is a mud flat; fish are dying in weed beds that don’t even have water above them since the water is 1-2′ low; mussel shells are cracking in the dirt; new species of weeds are growing in the dirt where water used to be; biomass not being removed; etc.
That is not because the people who use lake hopatcong are poisoning the lake, it is all because of the DEP actions this winter, lack of action this spring, and mother nature not jumping in to make up for their 20″ deviation from the plan.

Dear Mr Wolfe. Your pictures do indeed confirml Lk Hopatcong concerns. Look how low the water is compared to the dock height. The docks you show are at a local restaurant very few people would be willing or are able to climb from thier boats onto this dock and risk injury. The dead fish are because the water is so low the weeds have grown quicker and stronger this year thanks to water mismanagement. The lake could be a trophy fishing lake if cleaned up. Yes the economy will have an effect on the number of boats in this year but combine that with this enviromental disaster and it is a double whammy. You obviously care abot the enviroment so why can we not protect both the musconetcong and the lake. This is a state lake for the use of all residents. We all pay taxes is it not too much to ask that the state uses some of that money to protect a valuable resource. If that means passing stricter polution rules, limiting boat and engine sizes so be it. Please stop trying to kill the lake and community and help us protect it and the musconetcong equally.

Dear Mr Wolfe, Your images do indeed support Lk Hopatcong’s concerns. Notice the water level at the docks. The picture is of docks at a locl restaurant. Many people will not or are not able to climb from a boat at these low levels to do so could risk injury. The dead fish are due to the weeds growing faster and stronger this year. This is a direct result of water mismanagement by the state. Yes the economic downturn will result in fewer boats being in but couple that with the impending enviromental disater you have a double whammy. I pay taxes you pay taxes so why can the state not manage both the lake and river. The lake is their for all people to enjoy not just local residents. If the state needs to pass stricter polution laws and limit the size of boats and engines to clean the lake up so be it. This lake cleaned up could be a trophy fishing lake. What do you have against the lake. If you care about the enviroment you will stop attacking the lake and help us protect both waterways so we can all enjoy.