Earlier this spring, the Chilmark Pond Foundation held a community briefing and presentation to discuss the results of the 2025 LG Sonic MPC-Buoy launch, dredging efforts, and a preview of its 2025 Chilmark Pond Ecosystem Monitoring report.
The MV Times covered the first launch of the LG Sonic MPC-Buoy, which took place in July 2025. In that article, LG Sonic Buoy biologist Jacob Yodzis explained that the buoy monitors and predicts pond health in real time: “In the monitoring phase, our buoys capture data every 30 minutes on key water quality factors, such as temperature and pH. This helps us understand in real time what is going on throughout that body of water. In the predicting phase, that data is then remotely sent to our software, MPC-View, to assess against years’ worth of global data to recognize patterns and aid in forecasting algal blooms.”
The buoy’s job is to reduce the growth of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). It was installed in the middle of Chilmark Pond, as this area is often where Dolichospermum, a genus of cyanobacteria, blooms. The buoy hunkered down in the pond for about three months before being removed for the winter season. The results from the buoy were mixed.
“It seemed to work in the beginning, and then not so well,” president of Chilmark Pond Association and ex officio of the Chilmark Pond Foundation Amy Salzman says.
Salzman says that Emily Reddington, executive director of the Great Pond Foundation, checked in with the manufacturer to ask if the sensors needed cleaning. “They said you don’t need to clean them — that they have wipers — but when the levels got lower and they checked the sensors, they were completely mucked up. Two days later it was dead. Had we been cleaning them all summer long it would have made a huge difference,” Salzman continues.
While comparing the data taken since 2022, the results showed that the Dolichospermum bloom was present for 14 more days in 2025 than it was in 2024. After cleaning the sensors, though, the buoy began to function properly. It appeared that it likely caused a faster dissipation of the bloom compared with previous years.
˜Getting the buoy in before the blooms will be one step in the right direction. “Bloom season is normally May to October, but it varies from pond to pond,” says Reddington. “Chilmark Pond has not yet bloomed this season. If the buoy works as we hope, either it won’t bloom, or the bloom will be greatly reduced in intensity and duration.”
In the briefing it states that due to the modifications and adjustments, the 2026 season should show much better results. “We have a new protocol — clean the sensors and it will work as it’s supposed to. We’re very optimistic,” Salzman continues.
Reddington adds that the Chilmark Pond Foundation (CPF) is committed to transparent and clear communication of data. “The Island community is especially interested to see if the LG Sonic Buoy is a viable solution not just in Chilmark Pond, but in other bodies of water that are faced with cyanobacteria blooms.”
“We can benefit from the collective experiences and knowledge of our sister ponds,” she continues. “Chilmark Pond Foundation, Association, and the town of Chilmark are cooperating to restore a treasured ecosystem, and they are deploying innovative solutions such as the LG Sonic Buoy to combat toxic cyanobacteria blooms. Tisbury Great Pond has a long and storied legacy of stewardship, and is an exemplary model for passing on traditions and generational knowledge. Watcha Pond, a near pristine freshwater pond ecosystem, is demonstrating its natural resilience as its ecosystem restabilizes following multiple extreme overwash events that caused salt shock and disturbed its delicate balance.”
To read the full summary, visit chilmarkpondfoundation.org. To see the most recent community briefing of the first partial season visit, go to youtube.com/watch?v=k7ru3FTYqas.