40+ MA Beaches Closed Ahead Of Super Sunny Summer Weekend: See Latest Additions

SALEM, MA — More than 40 Massachusetts beaches were off limits to swimming heading into what is expected to be one of the best beach weekends of the summer, with sunny skies and temperatures holding in the high 70s and low 80s and drier air adding to the comfort level.

Most of the 42 beaches were closed because of high bacteria levels caused by storm runoff and other means of fecal contamination, while a small number of the ponds are suffering from a harmful algae bloom. Water quality at public beaches in Massachusetts is required to be monitored by local public health departments.

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When the water quality is unsafe, the beach must be "posted" with a sign indicating that swimming is unsafe and may cause illness. The main beach at Walden Pond in Concord is closed for the season because of safety concerns associated with the construction of a new bathhouse.

Massachusetts beaches closed as of 10 a.m. on Tuesday include:

• Amherst Puffers Pond
• Ashland Hopkinton Reservoir Upper Beach
• Boston Constitution Beach (3 locations)
• Brewster Upper Mill Pond
• Chatham Bucks Creek
• Chelmsford Freeman Lake
• Clarksburg Mauserts Pond
• Concord Walden Pond Main DCR Beach
• Danvers Sandy Beach
• Dartmouth Moses Smith Creek
• Framingham Learned Pond
• Framingham Waushakum Beach
• Harwich Seymour Pond
• Ipswich Sandy Point - Plum Island
• Lancaster Town Beach
• Mashpee Bryant's Neck
• Mashpee Town Landing
• Methuen Forest Lake Swimming Beach
• Middleborough Camp Yomechas
• North Attleborough Falls Pond
• Oxford Carbuncle Beach
• Pittsfield Lulu Pond Beach (DCR)
• Provincetown Winston Ave Beach
• Salem Children's Children's Island
• Salem Ocean Avenue
• Southwick South Pond Beach
• Springfield Camp Wilder
• Swampscott King's Beach
• Templeton Beamans Pond (2 sites)
• Townsend Pearl Hill Pond Beach
• Upton Town Beach
• Wareham Shangri-La
• Westfield Kingsley Beach
• Westfield Lamberts Beach
• Wilmington Town Beach (2 locations)
• Winchendon Lake Dennison North Camp Beach
• Winchendon Lake Dennison Day Use Beach
• Winthrop Donovan's Pond
• Winthrop Halford Beach

The bacteria used as indicator organisms to test the waters at beaches are Enterococci and E. coli. Marine beaches are tested for the presence of Enterococci. Freshwater beaches are tested either for the presence of E. coli or Enterococci. Enteric bacteria are indicator organisms found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals and humans, often associated with fecal contamination.

An elevated presence of these organisms indicates the water may not be safe for human or animal consumption or contact, and cause symptoms ranging from gastrointestinal pain to eye and ear discomfort to flu-like symptoms.

Most of these symptoms are minor, but occasionally a more serious illness may occur. Children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of developing serious symptoms.

Some beach areas may remain open for recreational activities, though any contact with the water is strongly discouraged.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)