Cyanobacteria Advisory Issued For Queen Sewell Pond In Bourne
The Association To Preserve Cape Cod announced an advisory on Wednesday for a potentially toxic cyanobacteria bloom in Queen Sewell Pond in Bourne. People are encouraged to avoid any contact with the pond; incidental ingestion of the water can be harmful, particularly for children and dogs, both of which are especially susceptible to cyanotoxins through ingestion.
The Association sent an advisory email on Wednesday morning, October 4. According to the organization’s cyanobacteria monitoring program, a water sample from the pond dated Tuesday, October 3, identified the presence of a cyanobacteria bloom. The alert reports the pond as having dark green floating clumps near the shore, lighter green lines on top of water, small floating pieces and chunks of green, and a green dust-like covering over the water’s surface. Tests confirmed this material to be cyanobacteria, and the pond has since been placed under a use-restriction by the Association.
The water sample taken from Queen Sewell Pond, according to the APCC’s website, showed a dominant presence of Dolichospermum, a genus of cyanobacteria that is very common in Cape Cod’s ponds and can produce hepatotoxins, dermatoxins, neurotoxins and low levels of Microcystin.
Cape Cod’s water bodies have seen an increasing number of cyanobacteria blooms in recent years due to a number of factors including, but not limited to, rising global temperatures and excessive nutrient deposits in local waters. Cyanobacteria are some of the earliest known life forms on the planet and are commonly found in the phytoplankton community of freshwater, brackish and coastal environments. These microorganisms occur naturally and play a critical role in our ecosystems, including serving as an essential source of atmospheric oxygen; under certain conditions, however, cyanobacteria grow quickly and become toxic in large quantities.
Blooms occur when cyanobacteria multiply quickly in a pond or lake. A cyanobacteria bloom may occur below the pond’s surface, or it may be visible on the pond surface as floating scum, foam or a mat. Cyanobacteria blooms often occur when the water is warm, stagnant and rich in nutrients from sources such as septic systems or storm water.
Currently, there is no commonly utilized set of guidelines in use by health agents across the Cape that provides consistency in posting criteria. Ponds are put under a use restriction advisory if water samples exceed state standards for cyanobacteria, defined as either more than eight parts per billion of microcystin, the presence of a significant cyanobacterial bloom or less than four feet visibility.
Cyanobacteria blooms can look different depending on the environment: some blooms float to the top and are easy to spot, while others rest below the surface, just out of sight; sometimes blooms have a foamy or slimy appearance or they may look like mats of harmless algae. Community members are advised by the APCC to be cautious if a body of water appears scummy or discolored and/or has a strong odor.
The APCC asks that anyone who sees what might be a suspicious cyanobacteria bloom notify the local health department and send a photo to cyano@apcc.org with the location, date and time. For updates on cyanobacteria advisories, check the APCC’s interactive map at www.apcc.org/our-work/science/community-science/cyanobacteria. The map is updated after 7 PM each night.