Freshwater Dive Sites
There aren't too many options for freshwater diving around here. That's not to say that you can't try jumping into any body of water you find, but most of them are likely to be pretty awful, and a few could get you arrested. Two good freshwater dives in the region are Round Valley Reservoir and the Delaware River Water Gap. Some diving is also done in Lake Hopatcong, although access is a problem.
Note: In 2020 Round Valley began a period of maintenance which is expected to last several years. During this time, the water volume is reduced by a third. My completely offhand guess is that this will reduce the water level by around ten feet. In the shallow areas where diving is practical, this will significantly alter the shoreline.
- Type:
- freshwater artificial reservoir
- Depth:
180 ft , but less than 60 ft in the usual area
More: Round Valley ...
Don't know how I missed this, but back in August, Stu retired and sold Dutch Springs to a developer who plans to put two warehouses on the property:
As you can see, one warehouse fills the small wooded area (lower-left) that was basically unused, while the other obliterates the entire area between the quarry and the road. This leaves no room for parking or facilities. The property is approximately 95 acres, but more than half of that is water.
Sad, but Stu built the place and ran it for 40 years, and he has a right to retire. As we all know, anything having to do with diving brings insurance into the mix, and thus far no other solution has been found.
The quarry will be fenced-off, and Dutch Springs will enter the history books.
More: Dutch Springs - The End of an Era ...
