It's important to remember that these numbers are not a definitive profile of the ponds- sample results vary over time and place on a pond due to both natural and anthropogenic influences.  It is best to have multiple readings that can be compared and monitored over time. If volunteer involvement can be maintained and funding is available (Town Meeting), additional testing would help to better characterize the health of your pond. 

Refer to Six Ponds summary of historical results to show potential variability of test results

Phosphates

Pond

Oct '02

Sept '02

2001

2000

Bloody -

.040

.009

.039

.003

Gallows -

.009

.014

.057

.020

Halfway -

.084

.043

.052

.010

Long -     

.030

.012

.027

.003

Little Long

.107

.077

.047

.003

Round

.032

.012

.003

.010

Excess phosphorus has often been shown an indicator of the early stages of fresh water ecosystem eutrophication.  Later stages of the eutrophication process can result in unwanted algae blooms, weed growth, high turbidity and decline of native flora and fauna.  Therefore, total phosphorus is closely monitored.  E-coli, a bacterial indicator of fecal contamination from warm blooded animals, has also been locally shown to be a problem as well. Pesticides, herbicides, road salt and gasoline additives are other pollutants that we could test.  They are expensive though, so more targeted testing for these parameters would be required if you suspect there might be problems with these.  For examples, if your pond has cranberry agriculture, silviculture activities, intensive lawn cultivation, obvious runoff from developed areas, shoreside erosion, or has a developed shoreline with potentially failing septic systems, you might wish to help organize the testing of additional parameters at additional times and places on your pond.

The good news/bad news is that only six of nineteen samples exceed 0.03 mg/L

Total Phosphorus which is the generally accepted level indicating possible eutrophication .   Ponds with high nutrient numbers might have lesser readings next time - those with low readings can't be assured that they will remain so.

Total Phosphorus

Billington

.216

White Island

.060

Halfway

.043

Great South

.144

Little Long

.077

Little Herring

.059

pH numbers are all on the acidic side (7 is neutral) with four below six.  This is not unnatural for our region.  Values below approximately 5.0 would indicate a potenial problem and perhaps cause for further testing.

pH

Gallows 

5.86

Triangle 

5.72

White Island

5.99

Jakes 

5.68

Gallows 

5.86

Alkalinity is an indicator of the pond's ability to absorb acidic inputs such as rainfall and groundwater. Ranges around 20 are good for our region, levels below 10 are poor. Levels below 6 offer little buffering capacity leaving the ponds susceptible to a host of problems commonly associated with ÒAcid RainÓ. Billington(16.2) and Jennys (17) have the highest levels. The lower levels are 2.6 at Triangle and Savery and 2.2 at Jakes and Gallows. 
The ponds with past algae problems could be expected to have phosphate levels over .03. They did; Billington .216, Halfway .043, Little Long .077 and White Island .06.