The Water Resources Development Act of 2020, directed the Secretary of the Army to implement a demonstration program to determine the causes of, and implement measures to effectively detect, prevent, treat, and eliminate harmful algal blooms (HAB). The purpose of this project is to evaluate innovative HAB treatments using a combination of non-pesticidal products and early season benthic applications of algicides to control near-shore HABs. The benefits of this HAB demonstration project are expected to include reduced HABs and phosphorus levels at near-shore areas of Lake Hopatcong.

Lake Hopatcong is a highly valued resource for the state of New Jersey and has a substantial impact on the local economy. The lake has been documented to experience impacts to water quality conditions such as cyanobacteria blooms and nuisance growth of submerged aquatic vegetation. These prominent poor water quality conditions have been attributed to elevated watershed-based pollutant loads from total phosphorus as well as an elevated internal phosphorus load from lake bottom sediments. 

• The proposed demonstration project includes a combination of three treatment periods at six different lake coves within Lake Hopatcong during early spring, early summer, and mid-late summer of 2025. The Northern Cove and the Landing Channel sites will be treated in early summer, while the Great Cove and the Van Every Cove sites will be treated in mid-late summer.  Access to treatment areas may experience short term, minor and temporary impacts in the form of increased boat traffic and activity, including docks and residential properties that reside near the coves.