Updated Information from the Chilmark Board of Health re Island Pond Cyanobacteria
UPDATE: July 26, 2023
Cyanobacteria sampling, collected on the Chilmark side of the Tisbury Great Pond on 07/20/23, indicates that cyanobacteria bloom is not present. For more information, go to: https://greatpondfoundation.org/mvcyano/
Please note that there is a cyanobacteria bloom on the West Tisbury side of Tisbury Great Pond - Tiah’s Cove. Cyanobacteria concentrations in Tiah’s Cove are indicative of a growing cyanobacteria population that is at bloom concentration and could pose adverse health risks based on samples taken on July 19th, 2023. This puts all Tiah’s Cove in the red, “ADVISORY” risk level, and triggers more frequent sampling and also cyanotoxin analysis. A sample has been submitted for cyanotoxin analysis. We will provide the update once the analysis is complete.
The Boards of Health have designated highly conservative risk levels: red means that levels of the algal species capable of causing toxic blooms are above the EPA Drinking Water standard. (In other words, just under these levels of toxin could be found in your tap water and you could safely drink it in your morning coffee.) The red risk level also means that, in addition to not letting your dog and/or toddler play in the water and possibly ingest it, (which is generally advised against at any time during the season when blooms are possible), the West Tisbury and Chilmark Health Departments advise against fishing (crabs, fish, shellfish) and/or eating catch from, or wading or swimming in Tiah’s Cove until conditions change for the better.
The Chilmark Board of Health is working on coordinating the cyanobacteria sampling on the Chilmark side of the Tisbury Great Pond. The testing results will be posted on the website as soon as they become available.
More information about cyanobacteria may be found here: https://greatpondfoundation.org/mvcyano/
