70 Massachusetts Beaches Closed Due To Dangerous Bacteria
Massachusetts beaches closed?
Hold on to your swimsuits, folks—because you might not need them! A whopping 70 Massachusetts beaches are closed for swimming as of Monday. Yup, you read that right.
Seventy Massachusetts beaches closed.
And the reason? High bacteria levels, according to the state’s Department of Public Health. It’s the peak number for the season, and it’s definitely not the summer vibe we were hoping for.
Back when summer kicked off and the Department of Conservation and Recreation opened up 81 beaches, things were pretty chill.
Only about 20 beaches were off-limits at any given time.
But as June melted into July, and July into August, the closures started stacking up. Now, we’re at a new high, with a whopping 69 Massachusetts beaches closed just last Friday, and another 70 following suit this Monday.
Why Are Massachusetts Beaches Closed?
Now, let’s talk about how this happens. Water at these beaches is tested for bacteria on a regular basis, but it’s not the same schedule everywhere. Some beaches get tested every day, others once a month. It all depends on how likely the beach is to have water quality issues. If a test shows bacteria levels are too high, the beach gets shut down until further testing shows the coast is clear—literally.
So, where are these bacteria-busting closures happening?
- Amherst, MA
- Puffers Pond (AKA Factory Hollow Pond)
- Stanley Street swimming hole at Cushman Bridge
- Ashby, MA
- Damon Pond Beach
- Ashland, MA
- Ashland Reservoir-Main Beach
- Beverly, MA
- Dane Street
- Mingo
- Boston, MA
- Constitution
- Malibu
- Savin Hill
- Tenean
- Braintree, MA
- Smith Beach
- Danvers, MA
- Sandy Beach
- Dartmouth, MA
- Moses Smith Creek
- Framingham, MA
- Learned Pond Beach
- Haverhill, MA
- Plugs Pond
- Hingham, MA
- Hingham Town Beach
- Holland, MA
- Collette Town Beach
- Lowell, MA
- Merrimack River – Bath House
- Lynn, MA
- Kings
- Lynn Shore Beach
- Nahant, MA
- Nahant Beach
- North Andover, MA
- Stevens Pond – Center
- Northampton, MA
- Musante Beach
- Plymouth, MA
- Nelson Pond
- Quincy, MA
- Wollaston @ Channing Street
- Wollaston @ Milton Street
- Wollaston @ Rice Road
- Wollaston @ Sachem Street
- Salem, MA
- Children’s Island – Back
- Children’s Island – Dock
- Children’s Island – Wally
- Collins Cove
- Juniper Point
- Ocean Avenue
- Osgood
- Willow Avenue
- Saugus, MA
- Pearce Lake at Breakheart Reservation
- Shutesbury, MA
- Lake Wyola
- Swampscott, MA
- Fisherman’s
- Kings
- Taunton, MA
- Watsons Pond
- Templeton, MA
- Beamans Pond-Campground
- Beamans Pond-Day Use
- Townsend, MA
- Pearl Hill Pond Beach
- West Stockbridge, MA
- Card Pond Beach
- West Tisbury, MA
- Seth’s Pond
- Williamstown, MA
- Margaret Lindley Park
- Winchendon, MA
- Lake Dennison State Park
- Winchester, MA
- Shannon Beach at Upper Mystic
- Winthrop, MA
- Halford
- Winthrop Beach
- Worcester, MA
- Lake Quinsigamond-Regatta Point Beach
- Lake Quinsigamond-Lake Park Beach
- The following beaches are closed for swimming due to harmful cyanobacteria bloom:
- Brewster, MA
- Upper Mill Pond
- Harwich, MA
- Sand Pond
- Nantucket, MA
- Sesachacha Pond
- Natick, MA
- Cochituate State Park Beach (also closed due to bacteria exceedance)
- Oxford, MA
- Carbuncle Pond
- Springfield, MA
- Bass Pond
- Wayland, MA
- Wayland Town Beach
- Westborough, MA
- Lake Chauncy Beach
- Worcester, MA
- Indian Lake Public Beach (Sherburne Avenue)
- Shore Park
- And these beaches are closed for a reason not listed:
- Concord, MA
- Walden Pond – Red Cross
- Dartmouth, MA
- Hidden Bay
- Jones Town Beach North
- Jones Town Beach South
- Grafton, MA
- Silver Lake Beach
- Salem, MA
- Camp Naumkeag
- Truro, MA
- Longnook
But wait, it gets worse. Some Massachusetts beaches aren’t just dealing with high bacteria—they’ve got harmful cyanobacteria blooms too. Beaches like Upper Mill Pond in Brewster and Sand Pond in Harwich are closed because of this nasty stuff.
Oh, and there are a few beaches closed for reasons nobody’s really talking about.
Walden Pond in Concord, Hidden Bay in Dartmouth, and a few others are off-limits for mysterious reasons.
Now, if you’re wondering why this is happening, here’s the scoop: It’s usually after a big rainstorm.
All that water washes bacteria and nutrients from the land into our lovely swimming spots.
Those nutrients then act like a buffet for bacteria, helping them multiply to levels that are anything but safe.
Swimming in these contaminated waters?
Not a good idea. You could end up with a whole buffet of unpleasant symptoms—everything from nausea and diarrhea to skin rashes and earaches. While most of these symptoms are minor, they’re still enough to ruin your day at the beach. And if you’re a kid, elderly, or have a weakened immune system, the risks are even higher.
So, what’s the takeaway here? As frustrating as it is that so many beaches are off-limits, it’s all about keeping us safe. But come on, Massachusetts—we deserve some clean, swim-worthy beaches this summer! Keep an eye on beach reports, and let’s hope the tide turns.
