Coastal ponds
Coastal ponds
November 26, 2015
Estuaries Project Nears End, Work Begins to Protect Ponds
The Massachusetts Estuary Project, which studied 12 Island bodies of water, has raised awareness of growing nitrogen problems and spurred action at several levels.
November 12, 2015
Success on the Half Shell; Aquaculture Boosts Pond Health
A Sengekontacket oyster project has been such a success that the shellfish department will ask selectmen to open the pond to commercial oystering.
October 29, 2015
Breaches Carve a Path for Pond Management
Man-made breaches at Island ponds help maintain salinity for shellfish and eelgrass and flush out nitrogen that accumulates mostly from septic tanks and runoff.
October 22, 2015
Sewering Can Help Save Ponds, But at a Cost
Without wastewater treatment facilities, Island ponds could be in worse shape. Estuaries suffer from nitrogen overload, coming mostly from septic systems that remove bacteria but not nitrogen.
September 17, 2015
Wastewater: Plumbing All the Alternatives
A few hundred alternative systems are installed on Martha's Vineyard, mostly in Edgartown and Oak Bluffs. The technology could help achieve nitrogen mitigation in Island coastal ponds.
August 27, 2015
Hard Science, Hard Truths About Pond Pollution
All the saltwater ponds on the Vineyard are impaired to some degree, and each one faces a unique set of conditions. Public interest has reached a tipping point.
August 14, 2015
Sengekontacket Pond Closed to Shellfishing After Rainfall
Sengekontacket Pond has been closed to shellfishing because of rainfall received earlier this week.
The town of Oak Bluffs has advised that the pond will be closed until at least Monday, August 17.
The state mandates pond closures after heavy rainfall because of run-off from waterfowl and other sources. Red flags fly at both bridges on the pond when it is closed to shellfishing.
August 13, 2015
Once a Duck Hunting Club, Still a Paradise Thanks to Generosity
The draw began with duck hunting in the early 1900s. Tisbury Great Pond was a haven for waterfowl, and wealthy Boston gentlemen took notice.
August 13, 2015
For Islanders, Ties to Coastal Ponds Run Deep
While the Vineyard is perhaps best known for the ocean, Vineyarders have deep ties to the ponds that were carved into the Island landscape some 20,000 years ago.
August 6, 2015
Coastal Ponds Under Pressure: Balancing People and the Environment
Island ponds are a connection to cultural heritage and a livelihood for fishermen. But housing booms and land-use changes threaten to undo a delicate balance.
