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Lake Hopatcong presentation flags safety risks from continuous ice-retardant devices, commission seeks uniform ordinance
Summary
At the Dec. 4 Hopatcong council meeting, Dan McCarthy of the Lake Commission warned that continuously run propeller-driven ice‑retardant devices create open‑water hazards and urged a coordinated ordinance across lake municipalities; he emphasized education first, enforcement as last resort.
Dan McCarthy, representing the Lake Commission, told the Hopatcong Borough Council on Dec. 4 that residents and officials should “assume that the ice is never safe” and take steps to reduce winter hazards on Lake Hopatcong. McCarthy walked councilmembers through ice‑thickness guidance, testing methods and equipment and then described how some ice‑retardant systems can create unexpected open‑water areas.
“New ice is usually stronger than old ice… If it's less than 4 inches, keep off it,” McCarthy said, and urged multiple tests of thickness with a spud bar and tape measure. He described how propeller‑driven devices and aeration systems, when run continuously or when wind acts on opened areas, can “unzip” adjacent ice fields and form pockets of thin or open water that are dangerous to skaters and fishermen.
McCarthy showed photos of installations at Bass Rock, Elba Point and other lake locations and said some devices run year‑round, “plugged in in October and don't unplug them,” which can leave open water late into the season. He described a model ordinance drafted by an ice‑retardant systems committee and said the Lake Commission and OPACON have updated model language; the goal is a uniform approach across the watershed to reduce rogue installations and public confusion.
Councilmembers asked whether local aeration systems in places such as Crescent Cove were still running; McCarthy replied they “should be turned off now” and said the commission prefers public education over immediate enforcement, though enforcement remains an option when owners leave devices running and create public hazards.
McCarthy also cited New Jersey statute 13:12‑5 as the state law authorizing lake recreational uses and explained basic safety practices — wearing flotation devices where required, carrying cell phones and dock numbers, avoiding solitary trips on the ice and carrying ice picks — to reduce risk. The presentation closed with a request that Hopatcong officials review the commission’s model ordinance and coordinate with neighboring towns.
The council took no formal vote on the ordinance during the meeting; McCarthy and councilmembers agreed to pursue outreach and potential regulatory steps next season.
