Townwide Data Collection and Analysis
Water Quality Monitoring
Water is one of our community’s most valuable natural resources — shaping our landscapes, supporting local marine and wildlife, and enhancing our quality of life. From our freshwater ponds and lakes to the coastal estuaries that connect us to the sea, these ecosystems are vital to the environment, public health, and the local economy.
Explore the Town of Barnstable’s dedicated water quality monitoring programs for freshwater and saltwater ecosystems, below.
Embayment Monitoring
Barnstable’s seven (7) embayments – Barnstable Harbor, Centerville Harbor, Halls Creek, Lewis Bay, Popponessett Bay, Rushy Marsh, and Three Bays – are sampled four times annually throughout July and September. A total of 70 sentinel stations are sampled as part of a collaborative effort involving Town staff (DPW, MEA, and Health), Citizen volunteers, Barnstable Clean Water Coalition, Adjacent Towns, and UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST).
Measurements are taken for dissolved oxygen, water clarity, nutrients (i.e. nitrogen), chlorophyll, and salinity. Ultimately, our Embayment Monitoring Program provides critical baseline data for our estuaries along with the ability to track nitrogen improvements as we implement the CWMP.
Freshwater Ponds & Lakes
There are 163 ponds in Barnstable — 27 ponds greater than 10-acres, 17 public and semi-public freshwater beaches, 12 Town Way to Water locations, 6 boat ramps, and 4 ponds stocked with trout.
The Town employs a number of monitoring initiatives to track the health of our freshwater ponds and lakes, including: Ponds and Lakes Snapshot Monitoring (PALS); Cyanobacteria Monitoring; Pond and Lake Management Program; and Rivers and Streams Monitoring and Restoration Projects.
Water quality sampling at our freshwater locations looks for excess nutrients, particularly phosphorus, while also testing for low dissolved oxygen, poor water clarity, and algae/cyanobacteria.