Our Purpose
About Us
Protecting Swartswood Lake and Little Swartswood Lake for future generations.
Our Purpose
Protect
The Swartswood Lakes Watershed Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the water quality and natural resources of Swartswood Lake and Little Swartswood Lake in Sussex County, New Jersey.
Through community engagement, scientific monitoring, and advocacy, we work to ensure these glacier-formed lakes remain healthy, vibrant, and accessible for generations to come.
Protect · Preserve · Enjoy
Preserve
Swartswood Lake (520 acres) and Little Swartswood Lake (84 acres) are glacier-formed lakes located in Stillwater and Hampton Townships in Sussex County, New Jersey.
Lake Facts
- Swartswood Lake covers approximately 520 acres and reaches depths of over 45 feet.
- Little Swartswood Lake covers approximately 84 acres and is no longer directly connected by water to the bigger lake, but does feed into it.
- Both lakes were formed by glacial activity during the last Ice Age, giving them their distinctive depth and clarity.
- It is the centerpiece of Swartswood State Park, New Jersey's first state park, which protects more than 3,400 acres of forests, wetlands, and open space.
- The Watershed covers roughly 12,000 acres stretching from the lake shoreline to the surrounding Kittatinny Mountains. Rain and snow that fall anywhere in this landscape eventually flow downhill through streams, across the land after storms, or through underground springs until they reach the lakes.
- The lake is fed primarily by Neldon’s Brook and Indian Creek, which carries water from nearby Little Swartswood Lake, along with runoff from the surrounding mountains. Water leaving the lake flows into Pond Brook then meets the tributary Trout Brook and continues into the Paulinskill River which then continues to the Delaware River.
Our History
Enjoy
Our goal is simple: protect and preserve the lakes so everyone can enjoy them. Clean water supports recreation, wildlife habitat, environmental education, and the sense of peace people find along the shoreline. The work of the SLWA is made possible by dedicated volunteers and community members who help monitor water quality, educate the public, apply for grants, and protect the Watershed.
Since 1993, volunteers with the Swartswood Lakes and Watershed Association have dedicated thousands of hours to protecting and improving the health of Swartswood Lake and Little Swartswood Lake. Through grants, partnerships, and community support, SLWA has led and supported a range of important initiatives, including installation of a lake aeration system (1993), introduction of milfoil-eating weevils (1999–2000) to help control invasive aquatic plants, purchase of a lake weed harvester (1995), stormwater studies and grants (2000 and 2003), and ongoing water-quality monitoring since 1993.
Over the decades we have led water quality monitoring programs, coordinated invasive species removal, partnered with state and local agencies, and engaged thousands of community members in protecting this irreplaceable watershed.
Join Us and Help Protect the Lakes
Whether you volunteer, donate, or become a member, your support makes a real difference for Swartswood Lake and the community that depends on it.