“When in doubt, stay out,” is the motto that the Massachusetts government reports when it comes to swimming in freshwater ponds with the risk of harmful cyanobacterial blooms.
July is the worst time of the year for these blue-green, potentially harmful algae blooms on the Vineyard, according to Tisbury Health Agent Drew Belsky.
Currently, extreme advisories against swimming are in order for four freshwater ponds across the Island: Chilmark Pond, Mink Meadows Pond in Tisbury, James Pond in Tisbury, and Squibnocket Pond in Chilmark.
Advisories are administered by the town, and range from yellow to red risk factor, yellow being somewhat of a risk and red being most extreme.
Although algal blooms are now expected in July, Emily Reddington, executive director at the Great Pond Foundation, said she and her team saw blooms as early as May of this year, which she said was unusual.
And what’s also unusual this year, she said, was the number of ponds receiving advisories, which has been more this summer than in previous years.
MV Cyano is a non-profit collaboration between the Island Boards of Health and scientists at the Great Pond Foundation, to monitor cyanobacteria — one type of potentially harmful algae — across the Island.
With an increase in advisories and earlier sightings of algal blooms, they’re working to utilize improved lab testing which could enable a quicker pond evaluation process. This could also mean a quicker turn around when it comes to informing the public.
Cyanobacteria can be identified most commonly as a blue-green colored algae, and while not all species of the bacteria are toxic, some species do produce toxins, called cyanotoxins. These toxins can be dangerous, and if ingested by humans or animals, it’s possible they’ll cause serious health issues. Pets are more likely to ingest water when swimming than humans, and therefore are at increased risk.
According to Reddington, MV Cyano completes cyanobacteria testing in ponds across the Island once a week for most ponds, and in some cases every other week. The testing involves collecting field samples, and then sending those samples to a lab.
For field samples, Reddington described a process where staff or health agents collect surface water in a “specially cleaned, light safe” container. Once samples are back in the lab, they are tested to determine what kind of, and how much, phytoplankton is present.
Cyanobacteria is a kind of phytoplankton, as some species of algae are. If cyanobacteria levels appear toxic from testing, Reddington said, then the Boards of Health can request a “toxin analysis,” done off-Island.
Belsky and the Tisbury Board of Health have assisted in improving this toxin analysis process for this summer.
“We just recently helped them get in touch with the EPA Lab in Chelmsford to send off toxin samples that come back quicker and cheaper,” said Belsky.
Previously, according to Reddington, toxin tests were done in a lab in Long Island, New York, and it could take two weeks or more to receive data. But now, with this new lab, information can be received in 24 hours.
This more rapid turnaround can potentially enable MV Cyano to take results and relay advisories to the public more efficiently. And, with a growing number of ponds at risk for harmful cyanobacterial blooms, it will be important to inform the public as quickly as possible. It’s the job of MV Cyano, Reddington said, to help the public.
As to the rise in more cyanobacteria blooms in local ponds, Belsky said that rising temperatures could have a direct correlation.
“It’s just kind of a perfect cocktail of water temperature and ambient temperature which creates the bacteria,” said Belsky. Ambient temperature refers to the temperature of the air. “And if it’s sitting in brackish or freshwater,” he said about bacteria, “then it kind of has a good base to start blooming.”
Reddington said MV Cyano continues to work toward figuring out how to keep ponds healthy.
“Folks love to be in and around water, and MV Cyano exists so we know if it’s safe to go in the water,” she said.
Dangerous algae blooms caused by the earth 🌍 warming from burning fossil fuels.
I’m voting against the conservative oil barons.
It’s sad to think that even her savior warn does in these last days and said the waters would be made bitter a.k.a. toxic and that will kill 1/3. Are we not paying attention? Do you not realize that? The oceans are dying just like Revelations 16 says and we are doing nothing to stop it. Breaks my heart.
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