Cape Cod Pond and Lake Stewardship (PALS) Program

According to the Cape Cod Pond and Lake Atlas, there are over 900 freshwater ponds on Cape Cod. These water resources are used for a variety of activities and support a variety of different types of ecosystems. Within the larger aquifer system, these ponds also cleanse the groundwater of many contaminants, including nutrients. These resources are threatened by surrounding land development, wastewater impacts, fertilizer runoff, stormwater runoff, metals, pesticides, and herbicides.

Recognizing the vital importance of ponds and lakes to the region, the Cape Cod Pond and Lake Stewardship (PALS) Program was developed to coordinate pond-related activities among citizen groups and a variety of organizations, including the Association to Preserve Cape Cod, the Cape Cod Commission, the Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts, the Community Foundation of Cape Cod, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, the National Park Service-Cape Cod National Seashore, and the School of Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth.

The PALS Program was initiated in 2001 and began with the distribution of Secchi disks to prospective water quality monitoring volunteers and the first "Ponds in Peril" workshop. Volunteers collected Secchi clarity measures and this data was incorporated into the Great North American Secchi Dip-In. These volunteers then took on more complicated sampling by participating in the first PALS Water Quality Snapshot. The Snapshot included sampling of 195 ponds and was coordinated by the Cape Cod Commission and collected dissolved oxygen and temperature profiles, Secchi depth readings, and water samples from various depths; samples were analyzed by the SMAST lab for total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll a, pH, and alkalinity.

The Snapshot was a springboard for a regional assessment of water quality that is contained in the Cape Cod Pond and Lake Atlas (2003). The Atlas contains a review of the 2001 Snapshot data, including preliminary Cape Cod pond nutrient limits, an identification of all Cape Cod ponds, review of beach and fish testing, water level monitoring, and more refined overviews of individual ponds within each of the 15 towns on Cape Cod.

The PALS Program has held five "Ponds in Peril" workshops. These workshops have provided PALS members with opportunities to share stewardship experiences in various towns and to interact with many pond experts with specialties in management, remediation, and water quality. The latest workshop, held in November 2003, provided an opportunity to town PALS monitoring or advocacy groups to present their accomplishments.

As a result of the PALS program, pond groups in many towns have developed water quality data and raised the visibility of pond issues in community discussions. Two additional regional water quality Snapshots have been completed and summer-long sampling programs have been developed in five towns. The Snapshots have led to the creation of citizen pond monitoring coordinators and a network of monitors often helping with sampling outside of their town. Individual pond groups have begun discussing the use of the monitoring data for developing management strategies.

The enhanced level of concern for Cape Cod's ponds has created a more active citizenry that is involved in a variety of aspects of pond stewardship. Folks are collecting water quality samples, establishing pond associations, and discussing steps to better protect these resources.

If you have concerns or would like to become more involved, please contact the Water Resources Office of the Cape Cod Commission (phone 508-362-3828 or send e-mail to water@capecodcommission.org.