LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Warren County) — The algae bloom in Mountain Lake remains active, according to the Mountain Lake Community Association, which issued an update following its latest round of biweekly monitoring on June 9.
Officials reported that although no new water sample was sent for laboratory analysis, high readings on algae meters continue to indicate the presence of a significant bloom. Water clarity was measured at just three feet, a level consistent with an ongoing bloom and below typical seasonal averages.
As a result, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) continues to classify Mountain Lake under an Advisory status. Under this designation, swimming and other forms of primary contact recreation, as well as ingestion of lake water by pets and consumption of fish from the lake, are strongly discouraged.
“We’ve been comparing data including temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, chlorophyll, and phycocyanin from throughout the water column every two weeks since early April,” the association noted. “There are some significant differences compared to previous years. These changes, which may be weather-related, could help explain the bloom’s persistence this season.”
