LAKE HOPATCONG, NJ – The Lake Hopatcong Foundation and the Lake Hopatcong Commission are gearing up for their quinquennial Lake-Wide Community Cleanup.
Scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 4, from 9:00 am to 12:00 p.m., this event coincides with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s routine 5-foot drawdown of New Jersey’s largest lake.
The drawdown, occurring every five years, grants lake-front homeowners and business owners the opportunity to inspect and repair shoreline structures.
“We are seeking the assistance of hundreds of volunteers to join us in exploring the exposed sections of shoreline and helping us clear away debris that has accumulated over the years,” said Lake Hopatcong Foundation Executive Director Kyle Richter. “It’s a remarkable clean-water initiative!”
During the last 60-inch drawdown in 2018, over 400 volunteers converged at nearly 40 locations around the lake, collectively extracting more than 23,000 pounds of debris from the lakebed.
“The lake-wide cleanup is a testament to our community’s dedication to the health of Lake Hopatcong,” said Lake Hopatcong Foundation Grants and Program Director Donna Macalle-Holly. “We hope to see the community come together once again this fall, as they have in the past, for this fun and gratifying day.”
To maximize the coverage of the lake’s 45 miles of shoreline, numerous access points will be established for volunteers to enter the exposed lakebed. The event calls for not only hundreds of volunteers but also 40-50 team leaders. Local groups and organizations are encouraged to assemble teams for participation.
For additional information or to sign up, visit lakehopatcongfoundation.org/cleanup2023. Lakefront homeowners or business proprietors interested in providing an access point for volunteers can reach out to Donna at donna@lakehopatcongfoundation.org. For any inquiries, contact the Lake Hopatcong Foundation at 973-663-2500.
