Drones Spotted Over NJ’s Largest Reservoir Worrying Local Officials

There have been confirmed mysterious drone sightings near Round Valley Reservoir and the Hunterdon County 911 Center in Flemington, county officials told residents this week.

It is unclear why the drones were flying near the large reservoir in Clinton and other county buildings, or if they are related to the other mysterious drone sightings that have been reported around the state this month. But county officials said the sightings are troubling.

“We take these sightings seriously and are working closely with federal authorities to investigate and address any concerns,” Brayden Fahey, Hunterdon County’s director of public safety and Office of Emergency Management coordinator, said in a notice on the county’s website.

Round Valley is the largest reservoir in the state and New Jersey’s second deepest lake, according to state data. It covers 2,350 acres and holds up to 55 billion gallons of water when at full capacity.

Hunterdon County Sheriff Fred Brown urged residents to report drone sightings to the FBI.

FBI officials told NJ Advance Media they had no updates Friday.

MORE: The FBI is seeking NJ residents’ help in solving the drone mystery

For weeks, New Jersey residents have seen mysterious drones hovering over their homes and neighborhoods at night. The drones, which sometimes travel in groups, have been seen nightly in some areas.

The FBI is leading the investigation and has asked for tips from the public to determine if the drones pose a threat to residents.

On Thursday, Gov. Phil Murphy tweeted that the drones do not pose a known threat to the public. Law enforcement officials in Morris and Somerset counties said the same thing earlier this week.

Local police are pressing state and local officials for answers about nighttime drone sightings, a Morris County police chief told residents earlier this week.

MORE: More Mysterious Drones Seen Over NJ Here’s What We Know.

Florham Park Police Chief Joseph Orlando sent one notice to residents On Wednesday, it said drones “have been reported over critical infrastructure such as water reservoirs, electrical transmission lines, railway stations, police departments and military installations.”

He did not respond to a request to detail which reservoirs and locations the drones were seen near.

“While we currently have no evidence or information to indicate that these drones pose an imminent threat at this time, their presence appears to be malevolent in nature,” Orlando’s message said.

Point Pleasant Beach police said three drones were seen Thursday night, mostly hovering along the shoreline and train tracks near the southern end of the Ocean County borough. Local police notified state and federal authorities.

“We will continue to monitor and notify the appropriate agencies of any and all drone activity,” Point Pleasant Beach Chief Robert J. Kowalewski said in a Facebook post Friday.

The FAA has closed the airspace to drones over Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster and Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, which reported unauthorized overflights last month.

Staten Island residents also reported seeing drones, including near the Howland Hook Marine Terminal on flight route to Newark Liberty International Airport, according to SILive.com.

Officials with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees the airport, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Vito Fossella, borough president for Staten Island, wrote to the FAA and FBI on Thursday asking them to expand their investigation to the airspace above his district. His office reported drone “hotspots” near the Corporate Commons on South Avenue and the Howland Hook Marine Terminal, with sightings inland as far as New Springville.

“It is strange and quite bizarre that no one can figure out who flies these drones, where they come from and their purpose,” he wrote.