Dozens of beaches in Massachusetts are closed on Thursday, just as brutal heat and stifling humidity grip the region.
As of Thursday morning, there were 49 beaches closed across the Bay State, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s interactive beach water quality dashboard.
Nearly all of those bodies of water are closed due to harmful bacteria or algae levels, the dashboard indicated.
The dashboard provides updates on an hourly basis throughout the beach season.
Bacterial Exceedance
- Amherst: Puffers Pond (AKA Factory Hollow Pond) @ Mill St.
- Amherst: Puffers Pond (AKA Factory Hollow Pond) @ State St.
- Ashland: Hopkinton Reservoir Main Beach (DCR)
- Ashland: Hopkinton Reservoir Upper Beach (DCR)
- Barnstable: Keyes Beach (Sea Street)
- Beverly: West Beach
- Chatham: Bucks Creek
- Danvers: Sandy Beach
- Dartmouth: Moses Smith Creek
- Dudley: Merino Pond
- Freetown: Freetown Town Beach
- Holden: Eagle Lake
- Lanesborough: Sunrise Beach
- Middleborough: Camp Yomechas
- North Andover: Frye Pond Beach (DCR)
- North Attleborough: Falls Pond
- North Attleborough: Whitings Pond
- Quincy: Wollaston Beach @ Channing Street (DCR)
- Quincy: Wollaston Beach @ Milton Street (DCR)
- Quincy: Wollaston Beach @ Rice Road (DCR)
- Quincy: Wollaston Beach @ Sachem Street (DCR)
- Salem: Children’s Island Back Beach
- Salem: Children’s Island Wally Beach
- Salem: Forest River Pioneer Beach
- Salem: Ocean Avenue Beach
- Salem: Osgood Beach
- Salem: Steps Beach
- Salem: Willow Avenue Beach
- Saugus: Peckham Pond @ Camp Nihan (DCR)
- Taunton: Watsons Pond (DCR)
- Templeton: Beamans Pond Campground Beach (DCR)
- Templeton: Beamans Pond Day Use Beach (DCR)
- Townsend: Pearl Hill Pond Beach (DCR)
- Winchester: Shannon Beach @ Upper Mystic (DCR)
- Winthrop: Donovans Beach
- Winthrop: Pico Beach
- Worcester: Lake Quinsigamond Regatta Point Beach (DCR)
- Worcester: Smith Pond
Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom
- Brewster: Cliff Pond (DCR) @ DYS
- Brewster: Cliff Pond (DCR) @ Main
- Chicopee: Chicopee Beach (DCR)
- Oxford: Carbuncle Pond
- Upton: Upton Town Beach
- Worcester: Indian Lake Public Beach (Sherburne Ave)
- Worcester: Shore Park
Other Reasons
- Ashby: Damon Pond Beach (DCR)
- Rutland: Whitehall Pond Beach (DCR)
- Tisbury: Tashmoo Beach
- Tisbury: Tashmoo Cut
Bacteria levels can rise for several reasons, including heavy rainfall, algae blooms, and sewer overflows.
If a beach is closed, health officials urge people to stay out of the water to avoid potential illness, as swimming in unsafe waters can result in gastrointestinal and respiratory health issues.
The state conducts water quality testing from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Most closures last one to two days, as laboratory testing of water samples typically takes about 24 hours.
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