$1.75 million awarded for water quality improvement projects around Lake Hopatcong

December 09, 2022| Advocacy, Environment

By: Holly Odgers

New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection announced yesterday that $9.95 million in grants have been awarded to fund projects that will improve water quality and reduce the impacts of nonpoint source pollution from stormwater on publicly accessible lakes throughout New Jersey. We are thrilled to share that more than $1.75 million was awarded to projects around Lake Hopatcong.

The Lake Hopatcong Foundation has been a strong advocate for funding for Lake Hopatcong and public lakes throughout New Jersey. This $10 million in lakes funding was an important step towards maintaining and protecting our public waters and we continue to advocate for additional support and permanent funding for New Jersey’s public lakes.

The following water quality improvement projects around Lake Hopatcong received funding.

The Lake Hopatcong Commission was awarded $1M to work with the four surrounding municipalities (Jefferson Township, Roxbury, Hopatcong, and Mount Arlington) to install and remove biochar sleeves in two stormwater ponds and in a series of stormwater structures, manufactured treatment devices, and inlets into Lake Hopatcong to reduce phosphorus loading to minimize the magnitude, duration, and occurrence of HABs. The project will also include the removal of sediment that has accumulated immediately in front of or adjacent to stormwater pipes or outfalls that discharge directly into the lake.

The Morris County Park Commission was awarded $722k for green stormwater infrastructure such as permeable pavement systems to intercept on-site runoff, allowing for structured parking areas while reducing stormwater nutrient loads entering Lake Hopatcong.

Mount Arlington was awarded $36k to construct five rain gardens across the borough in critical runoff areas and measure the impact of the gardens and mitigation of stormwater runoff. Residents will be able to use a how-to guide on the borough’s website to learn how to plant their own rain garden and track the borough’s progress via social media.

For a full list of funded projects, click HERE.