On July 6, the Department of Conservation and Recreation closed Upper Beach at Hopkinton State Park due to high Entercocci results in their latest water quality sample. The results came back at 126 MPN in 100 mL of water. The state limit is 61 MPN for freshwater bodies.
MPN stands for “Most Probable Number”, which is a statistical estimate of the number of organisms per unit volume of sample water. MPN is expressed as a density or population of organisms per 100 mL of sample water.
Enterococci are known to be harmful to humans and can cause UTIs, bacteremia, meningitis, intra-abdominal infections, and wound infections. Treatment requires prolonged courses of antibiotics for some strains.
The DCR will continue to monitor Hopkinton State Park and closures will continue until levels drop to safe recreational water standards.
What causes this? Pooping in the water perhaps? Serious question
I loved that place when I was a child. I have fond memories. We had family picnics and swam all day. We took away all the trash we brought in and we’re taught to respect nature leave it as we found it. The place has become a cesspool. To many humans in a small area. Please limit parking and make it a special place again.
I believe the high Enterococci count is due to the torrential downpours that we have had and the runoff of the water into the streams and then the lake. Runoff includes all the chemicals and fertilizer that are put on lawns, and these chemicals make things grow, including microorganisms like Enterococci.
If you can go to either Hopkinton or Ashland, State Parks, during the Week IMO, it is a much better experience, and one may find it more palatable.
I am surprised with all the very High Property Taxes “Stone Throwers” pay the Town it does not have it’s own Town Pool, or a State Pool like Milford?
We use to go to the Cape on Summer Vacation, we now rent on small Lakes in NH, or Maine, VT, so much more enjoyable, ”Less expensive, and No Bridge Traffic.” But plan early this is catching on to many MA residents, IMO.
1) I would like to learn how much of this problem is due to runoff vs goose poop vs swimmers.
2) I think state parks should be as inexpensive as possible, providing recreational opportunities for state residents who cannot afford country clubs, summer houses, and the like. The parking fee is already a deterrent to many folks of modest income. And yet I hear too many complaints from Hopkintonians about others who “don’t belong here.” It’s not our town park; folks from elsewhere in MA have the same right to be there as we do!
I was not a resident of the town when I went to the park as a child. I was one child of a working class family of 7 kids. I want it to be affordable and I want families to use the park. I just want limit the numbers to make it more enjoyable for the lucky soles that get in the park that day. Just as I want Disney to limit greed of selling to many admissions in a day and spoiling the experience.
Thanks for clarifying. But the State Park already turns lots of people away on peak days, based on the parking filling up, I believe. I don’t think that any stricter criterion should be used unless it’s based on some objective public health consideration.
I would be in favor of expanding the swimming area to reduce crowding in the water, if such could be done safely.
I know a lot of people are hurting financially in the “Biden Economy”, when my Children were small we had the small portable pool’s, and my husband built a Shade Port over it. Then as they were older we had a Modest above ground pool with a deck. In ground Pools were like $30-$40,000 dollars. They must be close to a $100,000 dollars now? Or more?
It was convenient in many aspects, for those that are stuck ‘Financially’, I agree on the Dogs not being leashed, and the Dog feces is not a good experience in General. In Taxachusetts where are the DCR Park Officials, and the Environmental Police for Enforcement on this? ZZZZ?
Buckle up we may all be in for a ‘Bumpy Ride’ with the Economy?
“Recession: It’s Already Here!”?
https://citizenwatchreport.com/recession-its-already-here-us-household-net-worth-growth-goes-negative-for-3-consecutive-quarters-worse-growth-since-the-great-recession-and-financial-crisis/
Basically it is because of Goose Poop (other reasons but mainly Geese). When it rains it helps to run this into the lakes and also stir up the lakes. Simple as that. The people who keep saying that I grew up swimming in these lakes and they never closed them then. That is because they did not test (or care) back then. I also grew up swimming in these lakes. And this is a level deemed not to be safe by a Governmental agency (and I do not mean that it is wrong). As an example, the PFAs in our water are at a level that the STATE says is bad (over 20PPT). In 2016 The same Massachusetts Agency deemed 70 PPT to be safe. So in 2016 our water was fine according to the Mass EPA. Now they deem our water to be bad (if I recall we are in the 20’s). People are still going in the water at Hopkinton State Park. Swimming at the boat docks. Same water. btw. The main beach is still open. This was only the upper beach (where the boat docks are). So you can still go swimming with their permission in the Main Beach.
When I said cesspool I was not only referring to the water itself. I was also referring to trash and dog excrement. I am speaking of the total lack of respect for the natural environment. When the crowd is to big we as humans get the crowd mentality. Meaning we just don’t take responsibility “somebody else will get that”