(05/05/06) JEFFERSON ? Low water levels at Lake Hopatcong in Jefferson Township are causing massive headaches for boaters in the region.

A dry winter, combined with sparse spring rains, have lowered water levels in the lake by about 90 percent. The owners of a boat rental business say they are not renting any of their vessels due to potential damage. According to the boat rental owners, inexperienced boaters could easily run aground with the current state of the lake.

Even experienced boaters are finding the lake difficult to navigate. One resident destroyed his propeller due to the shallow waters and ended up dropping hundreds of dollars for a replacement. The town?s mayor wants the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to adjust a nearby dam in order to fix the problem. It is not known if the DEP will take that course of action.