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Cape Cod remains in a Level 2 (Significant) drought, according to the most recent designation from the state’s drought management task force. The declaration, issued in April based on March data, reflects ongoing conditions across the region and much of Massachusetts. Residents are encouraged to conserve water during this period of drought.

The Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund continues to support critical clean water infrastructure across the region. On April 29, 2026, the Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund Management Board voted to award $53,107,500 in subsidies to support ten wastewater projects in five Cape Cod towns.

The Commonwealth has launched the next review of the Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan, an important step in guiding the responsible use of ocean waters that are vital to Cape Cod’s identity, economy, and environment. Established under the 2008 Oceans Act, the Plan was the nation’s first comprehensive, enforceable marine spatial plan, balancing uses like fishing, shipping, recreation, renewable energy, and conservation through a science-based approach. The required five-year review will assess current conditions and, if needed, develop updates to reflect new science, ocean uses, and priorities.

In 2022, the Cape Cod Commission debuted the High Groundwater Levels Data Viewer, providing a more accessible, up-to-date way to estimate seasonal high groundwater levels anywhere on Cape Cod. Recently refreshed with visual and usability updates, the Viewer continues to serve as an essential resource for engineers, surveyors, septic professionals, and local officials.

Cape Cod’s groundwater depends on precipitation to recharge. When rainfall is significantly lower than average, as it has been this summer, the region can slip into drought. Additionally, growing plants take up most of the water that falls during spring and summer. Although sunny days are great for beaches and outdoor activities, less rainfall means our aquifer isn’t being replenished. 

In early August, Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper declared that Cape Cod had been upgraded to a Level 2 Significant Drought from Level 1 last month. 

The Cape Cod Commission is pleased to announce the release of the final Freshwater Strategy, a comprehensive, data-driven plan that defines a path forward for Cape Cod to support healthy, functioning ponds and lakes.  

The Cape Cod Commission launched the Freshwater Initiative in 2022, responding to growing concerns about the health of the region's 890 ponds and lakes. Cape Cod's freshwater resources are dynamic natural systems that contribute to the region's identity. A strategy to support protection and restoration of Cape Cod’s ponds is nearly complete. It includes data, research, and re

The Cape Cod Freshwater Initiative is a science-based, information-driven planning process that engages stakeholders and enables action to protect and restore Cape Cod’s freshwater resources. It began in 2021 with an update to the Cape Cod Ponds Atlas. Since then, the team has been working to collect the data needed to make informed management decisions in our ponds and to better understand how they are changing from season to season and year to year.

The Cape Cod Commission and Association to Preserve Cape Cod convened the first meeting of the Cape Cod Ponds Network, held virtually on June 8, 2022.

Online viewer offers up-to-date and accessible data   Although the Cape Cod Aquifer is considered a sole-source aquifer, it is made up of six distinct groundwater lenses.