Freshwater Initiative: Developing a regional pond water quality monitoring program

Cape Cod is home to 890 ponds and lakes, each a vital resource supporting the region’s environment and economy. Properly functioning ponds and lakes playn an essential role in preserving and restoring coastal water quality. Yet, more data is needed to gather a clear understanding of pond health.

As part of the Freshwater Initiative, the Commission is partnering with the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC) to develop a pond water quality monitoring program.

APCC will develop and implement a comprehensive approach to expanding and enhancing the monitoring of ponds on Cape Cod. This program will ensure consistent and consecutive data collection necessary to inform pond management and improvement strategies.

Independent pond groups collect water quality data, but the ponds monitored often change from year to year, and many are sampled without a quality assurance project plan.

Seeking to create a statistically valued, scientifically appropriate monitoring method, APCC will lead the development of a pond water quality monitoring program that aligns with current data collection, interpretation, and reporting needs and capabilities.

APCC is hoping to have staff in the field as early as April 2023 to gather baseline monitoring data before the start of the summer season.