From the Commonwealth of Massachusetts · September 16, 2026
State officials marked the completion of a stormwater retrofit at the public boat ramp on Mashpee-Wakeby Pond, a 729-acre great pond the state describes as impaired by septic systems and runoff, with increasingly frequent cyanobacteria blooms. Runoff from the rebuilt site now flows into five rain gardens planted with native species and two underground infiltration chambers, and the parking lot was rebuilt with accessibility upgrades. The roughly $820,000 project was paid for by the Department of Fish and Game’s Office of Fishing and Boating Access; the Office of Coastal Zone Management, which contributed more than $300,000 in Coastal Habitat and Water Quality grants; the Town of Mashpee; and the Association to Preserve Cape Cod.
Because the pond is the headwaters of the Mashpee River, a river herring run that flows to Popponesset Bay, the state said cleaner runoff should also benefit those downstream coastal waters. The release also cited $15 million in Mass Ready Act funds for boating-access projects statewide.
This is CPWB’s summary of an official announcement. The full text is published by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Drafted with AI assistance from the linked source.
