Lake Musconetcong Water Lowering Begins Tomorrow (Oct. 25)

Published on October 24, 2017

(JPG, 12KB) Lake Musconetcong

The New Jersey State Park Service has been issued a permit to lower the water level in Lake Musconetcong in Netcong and Stanhope starting tomorrow, Oct.25.

The reason for lowering the water level is to allow servicing of the Lake Musconetcong swirl chamber, which traps and retains trash, debris, sediment, and hydrocarbons from stormwater runoff.

The swirl chamber is in place to prevent silting of Lake Musconetcong from running off onto nearby roads.

The lowering permit is valid for one month. State officials said work should be completed within that time frame. The drawdown has to begin by Oct. 25 to meet New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife regulations, which do not allow lake lowering after Nov. 1. By that date, the lake level should be sufficiently low to remove the swirl chamber sediments. (JPG, 7KB)

State officials expect to start refilling the lake no later than Nov. 25, with water levels restored by early December. Notification on the progress of the project will be sent out by the Park Service.

Lake Musconetcong is part of Hopatcong State Park, which is administered by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The Musconetcong River flows through Lake Musconetcong.

During the mid-1800s, the Morris Canal and Banking Company created Lake Musconetcong as an additional water source for the Morris Canal. This lake, which is located four miles west of Lake Hopatcong, was deeded to the State of New Jersey with the other parts of the Morris Canal System in 1924. Today boating, fishing and ice fishing are popular recreational activities on this lake.

Both Lake Hopatcong and Lake Musconetcong offer excellent year-round fishing. During the spring the Division of Fish and Wildlife stocks both lakes with brown, rainbow and brook trout. Warm water species commonly caught are large mouth bass, sunfish, catfish, perch and pickerel.

During the winter months, both lakes provide excellent ice fishing for perch and pickerel. Fishing is subject to Division of Fish and Wildlife regulations.