Report: Lake Hopatcong Water Clean & Clear

Lake Hopatcong has been relatively clean and clear throughout the summer, according to a water quality monitoring report from Princeton Hydro, LLC presented at the Lake Hopatcong Commission meeting earlier this week.

The report said that the water at 11 different monitoring stations around the lake had a Secchi depth of between 1.0 and 2.7 meters. According to the report, water is seen by a layperson as being “dirty” or “scummy” when the Secchi depth is less than 1.0 meters.

The entire lake was in measured for pH in the mid 7.0s, which is within the acceptable limits of 6.0 – 8.5, according to the report.

The report also discussed the TSS measurement, which is a measurement of particulate matter or “dirt” in the water. TSS concentrations of more than 25 mg/L make the water appear dirty or muddy to a layperson. The June TSS concentrations were relatively low, according to the report, measuring between 2 and 4 mg/L.

Chlorophyll measurement is a way of measuring algal biomass. When chlorophyll a  concentrations measure more than 30 mg/m3, the water appears to be dirty or murky to a layperson. However, the lake’s chlorophyll measured between 2.3 and 8.6 mg/m3.

“Overall, the water clarity of the lake was very good,” said Fred Lubnow of Princeton Hydro. “There was an improvement over last year during the same period.”

A full copy of the report may be viewed at http://www.lakehopatcong.org/Monitoring/2011MidyrReport.pdf.