Massachusetts
More than 50 beaches closed across Massachusetts Friday
(*This story was updated at 11:14 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024 to reflect the most current beach closing data.)
Bay Staters looking for a place to cool off this weekend may have to travel a few extra miles since more than 50 beaches across the state are closed Friday, Aug. 16.
In all, 55 beaches from as far west as North Hampton and as far east as Barnstable, will not be open to the public primarily due to bacteria in the water, according to the state’s publicly available water quality dashboard.
While a majority were closed due to an excess of bacteria, the remaining closures were attributed to harmful cyanobacteria blooms and “other” reasons.
Cyanobacteria blooms, also known as blue-green algae, can be harmful to people and animals, according to Mass.gov.
Naturally occurring in fresh water, cyanobacteria blooms can multiple quickly under certain conditions and breed toxins. According to Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine, blue-green algae poisoning can be fatal for pets, potentially causing shock, liver failure and respiratory arrest.
In humans, WebMD reports side effects like nausea, vomitting, diarrhea, headache and diarrhea. In more extreme cases when blue-green algae is contaminated, responses can be more intense with rapid heartbeat, shock, and death, according to WebMD.
Some beaches closed as a result of cyanobacteria blooms include Springfield’s Bass Pond, Worcester’s Shore Park and Barnstable’s Wequaquet Lake Town and Wequaquet Lake Yacht Club.
The dashboard warns that “if a beach is closed, do not swim or enter the water at that location to avoid risk of illness.”