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. 

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/2017/04/cmc_qapp_final.pdf . Hyperlink: CMC 2017

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

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:

-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/