Resources

Cape Cod Commission, Ponds and Lakes website at: https://www.capecodcommission.org/our-work/ponds-and-lakes/

Center for Coastal Studies website on water quality monitoring program, at: https://coastalstudies.org/cape-cod-bay-monitoring-program/

Massachusetts Estuaries Project. See state website at: https://www.mass.gov/guides/the-massachusetts-estuaries-project-and-reports

Massachusetts Estuaries Project, University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and Technology (SMAST) website at: http://www.smast.umassd.edu/Coastal/research/estuaries/estuaries.html

Geist, G. September 14, 2023. Phosphorus and nitrogen together are impacting freshwater ponds in Falmouth. Reporting on a workshop by Dr. Chris Neill, Woodwell Climate Research Center. Falmouth Enterprise, https://www.capenews.net/falmouth/news/phosphorus-and-nitrogen-together-are-impacting-freshwater-ponds-in-falmouth/article_28110baf-74f6-5dca-950b-cacea6170fe3.html

Kniffin, M., C. Neill, R. McHorney, and G. Gregory. 2009. “Nutrient limitation of periphyton and phytoplankton in Cape Cod coastal plain ponds.” Northeastern Naturalist 16(3), 395-408. Abstract posted at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/27744576

Mischler, J.A., P.G. Taylor, and A.R. Townsend. 2014. Nitrogen limitation of pond ecosystems on the plains of eastern Colorado. Published online: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4019484/

Other Coastal Monitoring Programs:

Beach water quality monitoring: Barnstable County webpage on bathing beach water quality at https://www.barnstablecountyhealth.org/health-topics/recreational-water-quality

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries webpage on shellfish sanitation and management, at: https://www.mass.gov/shellfish-sanitation-and-management

Freshwater Initiative and Pond Monitoring Program:

Cape Cod Commission, Freshwater Initiative: https://capecodcommission.org/our-work/cape-cod-freshwater-initiative/. Authorized by Barnstable County in 2022, the Freshwater Initiative is a science-based, information-driven planning process to engage stakeholders and enable action to protect and restore Cape Cod’s freshwater resources. The project includes: a Ponds and Lakes Atlas, monitoring program, remote sensing, data management and analysis, physical characteristics, strategies database, engagement and outreach, economic analysis, and legal and jurisdictional analysis. Progress report: https://capecodcommission.org/about-us/newsroom/advancing-a-freshwater-strategy-for-cape-cod/.

Cape Cod Pond Monitoring Program: https://apcc.org/our-work/education/freshwater-ponds/cape-cod-pond-monitoring-program/

Cyanobacteria:

Association to Preserve Cape Cod, Cyanobacteria monitoring program webpage at: https://apcc.org/our-work/science/community-science/cyanobacteria/

Commonwealth of Massachusetts webpage on cyanobacteria: https://www.mass.gov/guides/cyanobacterial-harmful-algal-blooms-cyanohabs-water.

Centers for Disease Control (CDC).Harmful algal blooms and the environment. Webpage: https://www.cdc.gov/habs/environment.html. Cites increasing frequency of HABs.

Leland, N.J., J.F. Haney, K. Conte, K. Malkus-Benjamin and B. Horseley. 2019. Evaluation of size structure in freshwater cyanobacteria populations: methods to quantify risk associated with changes in biomass and Microcystin concentrations. Journal of Water Research and Protection, 2019, 11, 810-829. Hyperlink: Leland, Haney, Conte, Malkus-Benjamin and Horseley, 2019

Leland, N.J., R. A. Landon, and J.F. Haney. September 2020. Trophic interactions between anadromous juvenile Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and cyanobacterial populations in a shallow mesotrophic pond. Natural Resources, 2020, 11, 394-419. Hyperlink: Leland, Landon, and Haney, 2020

Leland, N.J. and Haney, J.F., 2018. Alternative Methods for Analysis of Cyanobacterial Populations in Drinking Water Supplies: Fluorometric and Toxicological Applications Using Phycocyanin. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 10, 740-761. Hyperlink: Leland and Haney, 2018

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2017, updated 2021. Cyanobacteria Monitoring Collaborative Program (CMC). 2017. Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) for the Cyanobacteria Monitoring Collaborative Program. Rev: 0, April 26, 2017: Posted at: https://cyanos.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cmc-qapp_2023-07-31.pdf.

U.S. EPA webpage on Harmful Algal Blooms, at https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/harmful-algal-blooms

U.S. EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water webpage. Managing Cyanotoxins in Public Drinking Water Systems. https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/managing-cyanotoxins-public-drinking-water-systems

Sylvain Merel, David Walker, Ruth Chicana, Shane Snydera, Estelle Baurès, Olivier Thomas. State of knowledge and concerns on cyanobacterial blooms and cyanotoxins. Environment International 59 (2013) 303–327, at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412013001311.

Buzzards Bay Eutrophic Index for evaluating coastal eutrophication:

Costa, J. E., B. L. Howes, A. Giblin, and I. Valiela. 1992. Monitoring Nitrogen and indicators of nitrogen to support management action in Buzzards Bay, p. 497-529. In McKenzie et al.(eds) Ecological Indicators, Elsevier, London.

Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program webpage on the Buzzards Bay Eutrophic Index, at http://buzzardsbay.org/technical-data/status-trends/citizen-wq-monitoring/eutroindex/

Gunn, E., D.S. Janik and J.E. Costa. 1994. Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for the Buzzards Bay Project. https://buzzardsbay.org/download/qappcitz1994.pdf.)

Buzzards Bay Coalition website on Bay Health Index, at: https://www.savebuzzardsbay.org/bay-health/

Carlson Trophic Index for evaluating freshwater eutrophication:

Carlson, R.E. 1977. A trophic state index for lakes. Limnology and Oceanography Vol. 22, pp. 361-369. Posted at: https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.4319/lo.1977.22.2.0361

Carlson, R.E. and J. Simpson. 1996. A Coordinator’s Guide to Volunteer Lake Monitoring Methods. North American Lake Management Society. 96 pp. Posted at: https://www.nalms.org/secchidipin/monitoring-methods/trophic-state-equations/

Grading drinking water: 

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). 2003. What’s on Tap: Grading Drinking Water in U.S. Cities. Posted at: https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/whatsontap.pdf

Fish consumption advisories in ponds:

Mercury in ponds and lakes: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/eating-fish-safely-in-massachusetts

Emerging contaminants and pharmaceutical compounds:

Silent Spring Institute website at https://silentspring.org/news/contaminants-pervasive-cape-cods-drinking-water-supply/faqs-emerging-contaminants-cape-cod

Center for Coastal Studies webpage on pharmaceuticals in marine waters, at: https://coastalstudies.org/our-work/cape-cod-bay-water-quality-monitoring-program/monitoring-projects/contaminants-of-emerging-concern/pharmaceuticals-in-the-waters-of-cape-cod-bay-and-nantucket-sound/

PFAS:

Commonwealth of Massachusetts website on PFAS, at: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/per-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas and MassDEP PFAS Drinking Water Regulation Quick Reference Guide

U.S. EPA website on PFAS, at: https://www.epa.gov/pfas

PFAS Primer on APCC’s State of the Waters: Cape Cod website.

Protecting Cape Cod’s Priority Natural Resource Areas: Association to Preserve Cape Cod, “Hanging in the Balance” report, 2023. Posted at: https://apcc.org/resources/reports/natural-resource-assessment/