Sengekontacket Pond and other Vineyard shellfishing areas reopened this week to shellfishing after a five-day closure following heavy rainfall last Friday.

The state mandates shellfishing closures after heaving rainfall because of concerns about water quality because pollutants can be washed into the pond from roads and other sources, like waterfowl.

Shellfishing areas in all six Island towns were closed for about four days, beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 19. The town of Edgartown sent out an alert Wednesday that all areas had been reopened except for Sengekontacket Pond, which opened on Thursday morning.

An overnight storm on Friday, August 18 brought heavy rainfall to the Island. The National Weather Service cooperative station in Edgartown recorded 2.68 inches overnight.