Mass. beach closures: Over 30 beaches are closed on Monday, Aug. 11
With a heat wave starting the new work week, a chance to cool down depends on where Massachusetts beaches are closed on Monday.
For Monday, 34 beaches across the state are closed, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). This is mostly due to high bacteria levels in the water that can be unsafe to people and animals entering the water.
Several other beaches are closed due to harmful cyanobacteria, or algae, blooms that produce toxins in the water, DPH stated. These toxins can also be harmful to people and animals, as cyanobacteria can multiply quickly under certain conditions in freshwater.
Finally, one ongoing closure continues to be at Walden Pond State Reservation, where construction continues on a new, state-of-the-art $6.1 million bathhouse . Red Cross Beach at Walden Pond will remain open with no lifeguards.
34
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Chelmsford: Freeman Lake — bacterial exceedance/harmful cyanobacteria bloom
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Concord: main beach at Walden Pond — bathhouse construction
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Danvers: Sandy Beach — bacterial exceedance
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Dartmouth: Moses Smith Creek — bacterial exceedance
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Georgetown:American Legion Park — bacterial exceedance
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Framingham: Waushakum Beach — bacterial exceedance
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Harwich: Seymour Pond — harmful cyanobacteria bloom
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Holden: Eagle Lake — bacterial exceedance
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Ipswich: Plum Island at Sandy Point — bacterial exceedance
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Mashpee: Santuit Pond at Bryants Neck and Town Landing — harmful cyanobacteria bloom
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Methuen: Forest Lake's swimming beach — bacterial exceedance
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Middleborough: Camp Yomechas — bacterial exceedance
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Nantucket: Sesachacha Pond — bacterial exceedance
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Natick: Memorial Beach at Dug Pond — bacterial exceedance
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Newton: Crystal Lake — harmful cyanobacteria bloom
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North Andover: Frye Pond Beach — bacterial exceedance
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Oxford: Carbuncle Pond — harmful cyanobacteria bloom
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Pittsfield: Lulu Pond Beach — bacterial exceedance
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Salem: Wally, back end of Children's Island; Ocean Avenue — bacterial exceedance
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Southwick: South Pond Beach — bacterial exceedance
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Springfield: Camp Wilder Beach, right side — bacterial exceedance
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Right sides of Bass Pond and Paddle Club — harmful cyanobacteria bloom
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Swampscott: Kings Beach — bacterial exceedance
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Templeton: Beamans Pond, campground and day use — bacterial exceedance
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Townsend: Pearl Hill Bond Beach — bacterial exceedance
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Wareham: Shangri-La — harmful cyanobacteria bloom
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Westfield: Hampton Ponds at Kingsley Beach and Lamberts Beach — harmful cyanobacteria bloom
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Williamstown: Margaret Lindley Park — bacterial exceedance
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Winchendon: North Camp Beach and day use beach at Lake Dennison State Park — bacterial exceedance
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Winthrop:Donovans Beach, Halford Beach — bacterial exceedance
What are the risks?
Swimming in beach water that has high levels of bacteria can be risky and can result in illnesses, including:
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Gastrointestinal symptoms- nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain
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Respiratory symptoms- sore throat, cough, runny nose and sneezing
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Dermatological symptoms- skin rash and itching
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Eye and ear symptoms- irritation, earache, itching
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Flu-like symptoms- fever and chills
Stay aware of any warnings or beach closures that indicate that the water is not safe. Check the weather forecast, avoid swimming after heavy rain, watch for signs of water pollution like discolored, fast flowing and strong smelling water, do not swim near trash or litter floating in the water, avoid swallowing the water and swim in areas designated as "swim beaches."
Although a beach could be posted, the public can still visit the location and take part in other activities that do not involve contact with the water. This can include anything from playing sports like volleyball or frisbee to sunbathing or collecting seashells or sea glass, DPH stated.
The public can also help to reduce contamination and pollution at the beach by:
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Cleaning up after pets
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Not feeding the birds as it encourages them to hang around the beaches, which increases fecal matter
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Using public restrooms
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Picking up and throwing away trash using public restrooms or properly disposing of it at home
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Not entering the water when sick or feeling unwell
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Changing diapers and putting plastic or rubber pants, known as swim diapers, on diapered children before they enter the water
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Not dumping anything down storm drains, as water moving through these drains does not get treated at a wastewater facility and flows directly into lakes and streams
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Avoiding the use of fertilizers and pesticides in yards since these chemicals can easily carry into the surface of waters during rain events and snowmelt
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Use walkways and avoid walking on dunes to prevent erosion and preserve vegetation that filters out pollutants from runoff before they reach the beach
More details from the DPH can be found here .
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Read the original article on MassLive .
