Neponset River Watershed Association (NepRWA) New for 2022, NepRWA will add a Lake Massapoag site to its Community Water Monitoring Network (CWMN). The new site will be at the main inflow into the lake, Sucker Brook. Volunteers will collect monthly water samples May-October for analysis of E. coli, total phosphorus, dissolved oxygen, pH, chlorophyll-a, and water temperature. NepRWA will also do a hot spot analysis of Sucker Brook, testing for phosphorus and potential sources of pollution, as this brook enters the lake near the Community Center Beach, which has been the most problematic site for high E. coli and cyanobacteria blooms. For data on all of NepRWA's CWMN sites, click on the interactive map here.
Comprehensive Professional Lake Water Quality Testing We will use a professional environmental services firm to obtain a snapshot of multiple lake water quality parameters in the deep hole of the lake, monitoring the entire water column from the surface to the lake bottom, during the late spring, mid summer, and early fall. We will do similar testing in the south and west coves.
Nutrient testing at multiple inlets to the lakes, including storm drains Cyanobacteria blooms are often fed by excess phosphorus in fresh water. We plan to add testing of phosphorus levels at inflow and upstream sites, on a monthly basis from June through September. Samples will be collected by town staff and volunteers, and phosphorus analysis performed by a professional lab. Because some of the inlets into the lake only flow with heavy rains, volunteers will also collect water samples for testing during the early stages of heavy rainstorms, to capture the impact of flooding and runoff.
Cyanobacteria Testing Lake water samples will be collected during cyanobacteria blooms and sent to a professional lab for detailed analysis of the species of cyanobacteria that are prevalent during the bloom. This is important because it will tell us what toxins may be present. We will also purchase equipment to allow on-site and rapid analysis of cyanobacteria blooms. A fluoroscope will allow us to determine the level of cyanobacteria in lake water, which in consultation with EPA biologists, will tell us whether the bloom could produce a problematic level of toxin. A microscope will allow us to identify the cyanobacteria species present in each bloom, and thus which toxins may be present. Learn more about cyanobacteria here.