Environmental News

Upcoming and Recent Events:

Monday, October 26, 2026 through Friday, October 30, 2026, Ashumet Pond and Ashumet State Boat Ramp CLOSED – Between Monday, October 26th and Friday, October 30th, Ashumet Pond and the State Boat Ramp will be closed to the public due to a scheduled alum application being conducted by Solitude Lake Management in coordination with the School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST). During this 5-day period, all recreational boating and watercraft activities on Ashumet Pond are prohibited, as well as the launching and hauling of boats at the Ashumet State Boat Ramp. The full announcement on the Town of Mashpee website may be found here.

Monday, October 26, 2026 through late November/early December, Attaquin Park CLOSED, Lake Avenue, Mashpee – This closure is due to a stormwater improvement project, scheduled to begin on October 26th. Additional details can be accessed here.

Wednesday, November 4, 2026 – 1pm to 6:30pm, Joint Base Cape Cod Small Arms Range Public Meeting (In-Person or Online), Iris Hotel, 291 Jones Road, Falmouth (For the In-Person Meeting) – The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has been commissioned to undertake a study to determine if, in their opinion, the proposed gun range could jeopardize Cape Cod’s sole source aquifer. This 3rd information gathering session will take place from 1pm to 5pm, with a period for 3-minute public comments from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. Registration is required here, both to attend the meeting and to make a public comment. The dedicated website explaining this study is available here, where you will also be able to read the committee’s final report.

Earlier this year:

Saturday, August 22, 2026, 9am to 1pm, Upper Cape Hazard Waste Collection, Textile Recycling, and Secure Shredding Event, Mashpee Middle-High School, 500 Old Barnstable Road, Mashpee – This combined event will provide a convenient way for residents to keep harmful household hazardous products out of our waters and, at the same time, keep textiles out of our landfills. In addition, a secure shredding company will be on-site. Information regarding the county’s Household Hazardous Waste program may be found here. The full list of textiles that can and cannot be recycled is available here.  All textiles, in any condition, must be clean, dry, and placed in a bag. Additional questions may be emailed to [email protected]. NOTE: This FREE Event is co-sponsored by Barnstable County, Mashpee DPW, and Mashpee Environmental Coalition (MEC). However, while textile recycling and secure shredding are FREE for everyone, non-Upper Cape residents will be charged a fee for hazardous items as outlined here.

Let’s Take a Hike:

Weekly Guided Nature Tours, Weekend Mornings Throughout the Month – Each month, the Mashpee Conservation Department sponsors guided, weekly walking tours, which are free of charge and weather dependent.  For directions and information about these walks, click on the “Guided Nature Tours” link along the left-hand margin at the department’s main website.  Walks have included Childs River, Lowell Holly Reservation, Mashpee River Woodlands, Pickerel Cove, Santuit Pond Preserve and many more.  This is a great way to explore Mashpee’s wonderful array of conservation lands.

Information Items:

Waterways in the News

– Based on water sampling by the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC) on 10/19/26, Santuit Pond is still listed with a cyanobacteria “Potential for Concern” advisory. Please be safe and avoid contact with the water!

– On the good news front, a new Santuit Pond Group was recently formed by residents, for residents, called the Santuit Pond Watershed Association. Any/all residents who live on or near the pond are urged to join their email list at https://santuitpond.org. Their website is already filled with great information, so please check it out – and spread the word!

– In addition to the Ashumet Pond alum treatment (see the “Events” section above), planning continues with regard to improvements to the Ashumet Pond State Boat Ramp. The 75% design plan may be viewed here.

– At the October 19th Mashpee Town Meeting, funding for the Johns Pond and Moody Pond Diagnostic Study was overwhelmingly approved.

Joint Base Cape Cod (JBCC) Cleanup Update – At the JBCC Clean-up Team/Restoration Advisory Board Public Meeting on September 16th, it was reported that 7 new extraction wells and 3 new reinjection wells are in the review/permitting stage for the Sandwich Road Treatment Facility. Also under review are 2 new reinjection wells and the restart/refurbishment of 3 existing extraction wells at the Ashumet Valley Plant. At both sites, the aim is to prevent additional PFAS from entering our waters. The anticipated start date for construction is February/March of 2027, pending approval. Updates will be shared as they become available.

Ballot Question 6 – Please Vote YES – The MEC Board has unanimously endorsed a “Yes” vote for State Ballot Question 6, which would create a “Nature For All Fund” to be used in support of natural resource conservation. Revenues would come from a portion of state taxes already collected on the sale and use of sporting goods and recreation vehicles, and the use of golf courses. Additional information may be found here.

Mashpee Septic System Regulation Changes Approved – At the October 7th meeting of the Mashpee Board of Health, changes to the Innovative/Alternative On-site Septic Systems Regulations were approved for all Zone II area properties as well as properties within 500′ from surface waters. The approved regulation outlined on the meeting agenda may be read here, with a scheduled effective date of December 1, 2026.

Santuit Pond Town Landing Update – Details and photos of the Santuit Pond Town Landing improvements were presented to the Select Board at its July 13th meeting. Although an official grand opening will be coming soon, many new features are already available for public use. To get a sneak preview, the presentation is available here, starting at minute 22.

The Mashpee River now has a Real-Time Monitoring System, thanks to partners which include the Town of Mashpee, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, APCC, and funding support from the NOAA Restoration Center. This exciting project is described in the May 27, 2026 APCC e-Newsletter which may be read here.

Upper Cape Regional Composting Facility in the Works – As reported in the Mashpee Enterprise on July 24, 2026, Barnstable County is continuing plans for the development of a regional composting facility at Joint Base Cape Cod. According to Kari Parcell, the county’s Regional Waste Program Manager, compostable materials such as food and yard waste “make up 30% to 36% of our waste stream.” The ultimate goal would be for compost to be processed on Cape, which could then be used to enrich public spaces.

Visitor’s Center a Possibility for the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge – At long last, the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge is one step closer to having a Nature and Education Center to help residents and visitors alike explore this incredible asset within our community. At the October 2026 Town Meeting, Mashpee voters approved the funding request for this Center which would occupy three of four units within the town-owned building at 475 Nathan Ellis Highway, right along the Johns Pond southern shore.

Cape Cod’s Drought is Still at Level 2 – As of October 9, 2026, Cape Cod remains at a Level 2 “Significant Drought” status. Residents are urged to continue conserving water, both indoors and outside. Latest drought updates may be found at the MA Drought Status website.

Reminders:

MEC’s Chemical-Free Cape Cod Yard Sign Campaign: In April 2025, MEC launched its new “Chemical-Free Cape Cod Yard” sign campaign – aimed at promoting Chemical-Free Yards that are safe for our Children, Pets, Waters – and Nature as a whole.  Already, our signs are proudly being displayed in yards across Cape Cod, including Dennis, Falmouth, Mashpee, Pocasset, and Sandwich.  For a donation of just $10, Cape Cod residents who care about the environment can show their support by displaying one of our signs in their yard, setting an example for family, friends, and neighbors. Additional information is available here.  Thanks to all who are helping to save our environment – one yard at a time!

Cape-Wide “Perpetual” Conservation Calendar:  The Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts and its nonprofit members currently maintain a Regional Calendar of Events, that is updated on a continual basis.  This Conservation Calendar includes programs from villages and towns across Cape Cod, encouraging both visitors and residents to take part in nature and environmental events. The wide list of current programs may be accessed at: www.blt.org/capeconservationcalendar.

Textile Recycling is Now the Law!  As of November 2022, in Massachusetts it is now illegal to discard any clothing or other textile items in the trash, even if stained, ripped, threadbare, or filled with holes.  The full list of items that must now be recycled may be accessed at the link provided, courtesy of Bay State Textiles.  MEC is currently holding textile drives twice each year — in April as an Earth Day event, and in August alongside the Hazardous Waste Dropoff.  Exact dates and times each year will be posted above under “Upcoming Events”.  More information may be found at: List of Clothing and Textiles that must now be Recycled.

Like Ospreys?  Thanks to the Friends of the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge and Comcast, you can now watch – and listen to – the osprey nest of Rachel and Carson and their two new babies located at the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.  To access this live feed, click on the link below, then “Osprey Cam” at: https://www.friendsofmashpeenationalwildliferefuge.org/

Important Fertilizer Reminder:  Mashpee regulates the application of fertilizer as follows:

1.  No application of nitrogen is permitted between October 30 and April 14 — or at any time within 100′ of specified waterways

2.  No application of phosphorus is permitted between December 1 and March 1 — or at any time within 20′ of specified waterways

Even during acceptable dates, no application is permitted before or during a heavy rainfall or when the ground is saturated.  These regulations are detailed in the Nitrogen Control Bylaw, amended 2017, available at www.mashpeema.gov, under Town Clerk.  However, please note that Mashpee Town Manager, Rodney C. Collins, has also issued a Special Water Quality Alert to all property owners asking them to discontinue the use of fertilizers on lawns and landscaped areas. Thank you for helping to keep Mashpee’s waterways clean!

In Case You Missed It:

State of the Ponds Presentation – Recording now available: Learn about the current state of Mashpee’s four major ponds, as presented on July 21, 2026, sponsored by the Mashpee Freshwater Ponds Committee. Speakers include Town Officials Ashley Fisher and Dan Kent, along with Julie Hambrook from APCC, Ed Eichner from SMAST and TMDL Solutions, and Danica Belknap, the Mashpee Wampanoag Liaison from SNEP (Southeast New England Program). The recording is available here.

APCC’s State of the Waters: Cape Cod 2025 Report:  In December 2025, the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC) released its latest data regarding Cape Cod’s State of the Waters in our estuaries, ponds, and municipal water supplies. Details may be found at: https://capecodwaters.org/.

Cape Cod Freshwater Strategy Report – Ponds and Lakes:  As part of their Freshwater Ponds Initiative, the Cape Cod Commission released its final Cape Cod Freshwater Strategy Report last summer. This guide outlines a data-driven approach to evaluating, protecting, and restoring Cape Cod’s ponds and lakes, and a framework for improving their overall health. Additional information about the initiative and the report itself may be found here.

Mashpee’s Stormwater Management Program Update – The Town’s ongoing Stormwater Management Program was highlighted at the June 1, 2026 Select Board Meeting by DPW Director Catherine Laurent and a consultant from Tighe & Bond. Current stormwater projects at Mashpee-Wakeby Pond and Santuit Pond were reviewed, and next steps were discussed. The recording of this 35-minute presentation is available here, starting just past minute 45.

Cape Cod Groundwater Presentation – As part of Groundwater Awareness Week this past March, MASSTC (The Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Technology Center) hosted a talk on Groundwater’s Role in Cape Cod’s Freshwater Resources. The video of this informative program may be viewed here.

Source to Sea Restoration Projects – The Town of Mashpee is currently working with the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC), Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (WBNERR), and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe on the restoration of the Mashpee River, Quashnet River, and Red Brook.  This project is funded in part by a grant from NOAA.  Community Partners for all three projects are still being sought.  For additional information about these projects and/or to become a community partner, go to:  https://waquoitbayreserve.org/coastal-training-programs/source-to-sea.

Pond Oxygenation Workshop – A Special “Shout Out” to the Waquoit Bay Reserve for their informative, full-day workshop in November 2023 on how to manage healthy ponds by using oxygenation – and no chemicals.  This technique has proven successful in lakes and ponds across the US, as well as right here on Cape Cod with Sarah’s Pond in Orleans – thanks to an initiative undertaken by the Orleans Pond Coalition.  The full-day program, including agenda, presenter information, and PowerPoints may be found at the link below.  For anyone interested in learning more about a fully natural way to help manage our freshwater ponds, this approach is well worth exploring:  https://waquoitbayreserve.org/pond-oxygenation-workshop-learning-through-case-studies/