BOSTON – I’d like to go to the water and cool off. July 4th vacation week? First, check the list of beaches in Massachusetts where swimming is prohibited.
The Department of Public Health publishes a daily water quality dashboard to let residents know which beaches are closed for bacteria or other reasons that day. It is updated daily at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. during beach season.
“If a beach is closed, you should not swim or enter the water there to prevent the risk of disease,” the department said.
Beach Closures in Massachusetts
Below you will find the latest beach closures up to and including Wednesday.
- Damon Pond Beach, Ashby (bacterial excess)
- Hopkinton Reservoir – Main Beach, Ashland (bacterial excess)
- Tenean Beach, Boston (bacterial excess)
- Smith Beach, Braintree (bacterial excess)
- Cold River Pool, Charlemont (bacterial excess)
- Bucks Creek, Chatham (bacterial excess)
- Oyster Pond, Chatham (bacterial excess)
- Mauserts Pond, Clarksburg (bacterial excess)
- Walden Pond, Concord (bacterial excess)
- Hidden Bay, Dartmouth (bacterial excess)
- Clipper Lane, Dennis (Bacterial Crossing)
- Follins Pond, Dennis (Other)
- Waushakum Beach, Framingham (bacterial excess)
- Dunn Pond, Gardner (bacterial overshoot)
- Lake Mansfield, Great Barrington (Other)
- Hickory Hills, Lunenberg (bacterial overshoot)
- Kings Beach, Lynn (bacterial excess)
- Houghton’s Pond, Milton (bacterial excess)
- Black Rock, Nahant (bacterial overshoot)
- Miacomet Pond, Nantucket (bloom of harmful cyanobacteria)
- Washington Street, Nantucket (bacterial excess)
- Berry Pond Beach, North Andover (bacterial excess)
- Stevens Pond – Center, North Andover (bacterial excess)
- Pilgrim Lake, Orleans (bloom of harmful cyanobacteria)
- Lulu Pond Beach, Pittsfield (bacterial excess)
- Whitehall Pond Beach, Rutland (bacterial excess)
- Camp Naumkeag, Salem (Other)
- Children’s Island, Salem (bacterial excess)
- Ocean Avenue, Salem (bacterial excess)
- Kings Beach, Swampscott (Other)
- Leeside, Swansea (Other)
- Beamans Pond, Templeton (bacterial excess)
- Pearl Hill Pond Beach, Townsend (bacterial excess)
- Longnook, Truro (Other)
- Long Cove (fresh), West Tisbury (bacterial excess)
- Margaret Lindley Park, Williamstown (bacterial excess)
- Sharon Beach @ Upper Mystic, Winchester (bacterial excess)
- Donovan, Winthrop (Bacterial Crossing)
- Pico, Winthrop (Bacterial Crossing)
- Lake Quinsigamond – Regatta Point Beach, Worcester (bacterial excess)
Why are the beaches in Massachusetts closed?
“Bacterial Crossing” is the most frequently cited reason for closure. According to experts, this is due to pollution from runoff water or sewage overflows after heavy rainfall.
Some beaches are closed due to a ‘harmful bloom of cyanobacteria’, also known as blue-green algae.
Swimming in water with many bacteria can cause gastrointestinal complaints, respiratory complaints, skin rashes, itching and earache.
