Another section of Lake Hopatcong open for swimming
HOPATCONG — Another section of Lake Hopatcong has been reopened for swimming by the DEP.
New Jersey's largest freshwater lake has been under an advisory all summer as levels of the harmful algal bloom continues to test at the state's threshold of 20,000 cells per milliliter.
Henderson Cove in the northwestern part of the lake fell below the threshold and was available for normal on Friday. Indian Harbor reopened last week.
"The dedicated work of DEP staff—who are continuously monitoring Lake Hopatcong—is giving us the necessary data to make science-based decisions,” DEP Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe said in a statement.
In an advisory issued on Tuesday, the DEP said testing indicated "the phycocyanin levels seem to have decreased in intensity and spatial coverage."
Elsewhere in the state, Greenwood Lake in West Milford, Rosedale Lake at Mercer Meadows in Pennington and the Spruce Run Recreation Area in Hunterdon County continue to be under swimming advisories for HAB.
All the lakes are open for recreational activities such as boating and jet skiing. The beaches also are open. But direct contact with HAB may cause allergy-like reactions, flu-like symptoms, gastroenteritis, respiratory irritation and eye irritation.
Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ
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