What beaches are closed in Massachusetts today? Check the closings list.
BOSTON - Looking to head to the water and cool off this July 4th holiday weekend? First, make sure to check the list of Massachusetts beaches that are closed to swimming.
The Department of Public Health publishes a daily water quality dashboard to let residents know which beaches are closed for the day due to bacteria or other reasons. It is updated at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. every day during beach season.
"If a beach is closed, do not swim or enter the water at that location to avoid risk of illness," the department says.
Beach closings in Massachusetts
Here are the latest beach closures, as of Saturday.
- Ashby - Damon Pond Beach (bacterial exceedance)
- Ashland - Hopkinton Reservoir-Main Beach (bacterial exceedance)
- Boston - Tenean Beach (bacterial exceedance)
- Boston - Constitution Beach (bacterial exceedance)
- Boston - Malibu (bacterial exceedance)
- Braintree - Smith Beach (bacterial exceedance)
- Charlemont - Cold River Pool (bacterial exceedance)
- Clarksburg - Mauserts Pond (bacterial exceedance)
- Concord - Walden Pond (other)
- Dennis - Clipper Lane (bacterial exceedance), Follins Pond (other)
- Framingham - Waushakum Beach (bacterial exceedance)
- Gardner - Dunn Pond (bacterial exceedance)
- Great Barrington - Lake Mansfield (other)
- Nahant - Black Rock (bacterial exceedance)
- North Andover - Berry Pond Beach (bacterial exceedance)
- Pittsfield - Lulu Pond Beach (bacterial exceedance)
- Quincy - Rhoda Beach (bacterial exceedance)
- Rutland - Whitehall Pond Beach (bacterial exceedance)
- Salem - Camp Naumkeag (other), Children's Island - Back (bacterial exceedance), Ocean Avenue (bacterial exceedance)
- Scituate - Bassings Beach (bacterial exceedance)
- Swampscott - Kings Beach (other)
- Swansea - Leeside Beach (other)
- Templeton - Beamans Pond (bacterial exceedance)
- Truro - Longnook Beach (other)
- West Tisbury - Long Cove (fresh) (bacterial exceedance)
- Williamstown - Margaret Lindley Park (bacterial exceedance)
- Winchester - Shannon Beach at Upper Mystic (bacterial exceedance)
- Yarmouth - Colonial Acres West (bacterial exceedance) Windmill (bacterial exceedance)
Why are beaches closed in Massachusetts?
"Bacterial exceedance" is the most commonly listed reason for closure. Experts say this is caused by runoff pollution or sewage overflows following heavy rain.
Sometimes beaches are closed because of a "harmful cyanobacteria bloom," also known as blue-green algae.
Swimming in water with excessive bacteria can caused gastrointestinal and respiratory issues, as well as skin rashes, itching and earaches.