Isn’t this a beautiful drone shot of the fall colors looking down onto Santuit Pond in Masphee? But take a closer look! A cyanobacteria bloom clouds the water and has been making the water murky for several weeks.
While cyanobacteria are a part of a pond ecosystem, these thick blooms that can appear as pea soup, snotty scum and look like someone spilled blue-green paint on the surface of the water signify a problem. Certain cyanobacteria always indicate toxic conditions and pose health problems for wildlife, pets and people.
Avoid contact and certainly don’t let your dog swim here. If your dog does come in contact with the pond scum, wash thoroughly with clean water and call your vet immediately if your dog experiences vomiting, drooling, or other illness. Town of Mashpee has posted a cyanobacteria advisory.
We saw several blooms this past summer because warm temperatures also help stimulate growth. Daily temperatures in October were mostly all above average, so apparently we’re not out of the woods yet and it’s November!
For more information on cyanobacteria monitoring on the Cape, visit: