Toxic algae is threatening a pond on Martha's Vineyard. A new tool could change that.
A beloved pond on Martha's Vineyard is being choked by toxic algae, but a new piece of technology could help save it.
Every year tens of thousands of people flock to Martha's Vineyard for the sun, the sand and the scenery. But in order to keep this special sanctuary safe, unique solutions are needed to fight our changing climate. High above the southern part of the Massachusetts island, the Atlantic Ocean collides with the shore.
Just beyond that sits 200 acres of brackish water that makes up Chilmark Pond. It looks inviting, but a danger lurks in these waters. Over the last several years, toxic blooms of cyanobacteria have taken over.
Arnie Spevack and Sharon Siegel live on Chilmark Pond. They remember a time when the pond was a place for play, a passageway to the beach, and the wonders of summer.
"Martha's Vineyard generally is just paradise," Arnie Speevak said.
"My grandchildren used to swim in this pond. And they can't anymore," added Sharon Seagull.
What is toxic algae?
Cyanobacteria, sometimes called blue-green algae, are microscopic organisms that thrive in warm, nutrient-rich water.
They feed on nitrogen and phosphorus. In summer, they can multiply fast enough to choke a pond and produce toxins that can make people and pets sick.
"This pond is really delicate," Emily Reddington said.
Reddington leads the Great Pond Foundation. She said the challenge was finding a fix that wouldn't hurt the ecosystem they're trying to save.
Buoy preventing algae on Martha's Vineyard
They turned to the LG Sonic MPC-Buoy, a solar-powered piece of technology that they hope can save Chilmark Pond.
"Instead of adding a chemical or disturbing the environment, it uses sonic pulses targeting specifically cyanobacteria to keep from growing out of control or blooming," Reddington said.
Every 30 minutes, the device checks the water's vital signs and sends out sound waves that block algae from the sunlight it needs to grow. Without it, the blooms can surface, spread and release dangerous toxins.
The buoy is treating the symptoms — the blooms you can see. But to find the source of the problem, you have to look beneath the surface, into the soil and aging septic systems around the pond.
The issue is not specific to Chilmark Pond, Martha's Vineyard, or even Massachusetts. It's a worldwide issue.
"100 percent, this is a global challenge that we're having to deal with across the world. Temperatures are increasing, precipitation is changing, and pressures on the environment are increasing over time," Reddington said.
At any given time, dozens of cities and towns in Massachusetts have closed beaches because of cyanobacteria. And it's not just small bodies of water, for example, these algae blooms are also a common occurrence in three of the Great Lakes - Erie, Michigan, and Superior.
That's why Reddington's team heads out daily to gather water for testing.
"The more data the better," Reddington said.
Testing water for toxic algae
Once the water's back at the Vineyard Haven Lab, it's analyzed sample by sample.
"This machine is telling us specifically what phytoplankton or what combination of phytoplankton is growing and giving the water that hue," Owen Porterfield said. "What we are registering is a moderate to high concentration of cyanobacteria."
All this data goes straight to the Board of Health, the people who make the call on public safety
"The signs were ready to go. The maps went up the same day, and we kind of have a weekly workflow, but if it's a bloom, those are posted the same day," Reddington said.
Back on the pond, those who live along the water like the president of Chilmark Pond Foundation Amy Salzman, say the new sonic buoy is bringing a new sense of hope. Chilmark Pond Foundation is the entity that sourced, vetted, purchased and will maintain the buoy.
"If it works, it could be a game changer for the island, for the Cape," Salzman said.
She believes people and nature share a symbiotic relationship and losing something like the pond to climate change would be unimaginable.
"We've gotten so enclosed in our urban world and one of the most important things we can do for nature is to get people out in it," Salzman said. "And restoring this pond is such an opportunity to reconnect people to it."
Please visit Chilmark Pond Foundation's website for updates on the buoy in Chilmark Pond.