Wake restriction lifted on Lake Hopatcong

As of 8 a.m. on Friday, Lake Hopatcong dropped below the 9.5-foot mark at the dam, lifting the N.J. State Police High-Water, No-Wake restriction for the first time since September 5. Thanks to a particularly rainy August, the lake went above the high-water mark for a short period on August 16, but quickly dropped back below the restriction line. Hurricane Irene, however, suddenly pushed the lake back over the 9.5-foot mark on August 28, where it remained until the evening of Sunday, September 4 after cresting at 10.49 feet. For about 24 hours, boaters could make a wake, but the remnants of Hurricane Lee brought enough rain to push the lake to a new high—10.72 feet. Twelve days later, the lake is finally below the high-water mark, and boaters are once again permitted to make a wake. The ground remains saturated, though, so any rainfall poses the risk of pushing the lake back into restricted status; to see the current water level, click here.