A five-week cyanobacteria advisory covering the Charles River in Needham and Dedham has been lifted.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) ended the warning Wednesday, Aug. 26, reopening access to Millennium Park, Cutler Park Reservation and other stretches of the river. The advisory, issued July 21, covered the Charles River between Kendrick Street and Nahanton Street in Needham and Newton, extending to Bridge Street and Spring Street in Dedham and West Roxbury.
MDPH did not explain what test results or conditions prompted the decision to lift it, according to a Town of Needham civic alert posted Wednesday, Aug. 26.
The original warning was triggered after a West Roxbury family's dog died following contact with water at Millennium Park, according to the Needham Observer. The Charles River Watershed Association alerted public health officials, and MDPH issued the precautionary advisory the same day.
On Aug. 3, state health officials confirmed benthic cyanobacteria mats around Millennium Park and floating chunks of cyanobacteria on the water's surface. As of Aug. 7, Charles River Watershed Association staff still observed signs of contamination, and the advisory remained in place, according to a Dedham town notice.
Julie Wood, director of Climate Resilience at the Charles River Watershed Association, told the Needham Observer in an Aug. 12 article about the same outbreak that roughly 15.5 miles of the Charles borders Needham and forms most of the town's boundary. "Plants and natural algae like really hot, really stagnant water," Wood said. "That's when the cyanobacteria can just outcompete everybody."
Rosemary Lake warning remains active
While the Charles River advisory is over, a separate concern has surfaced at Rosemary Lake. MDPH is testing water there for a possible cyanobacteria harmful algal bloom, the town announced Wednesday, Aug. 26.
As we reported Thursday, Aug. 27, residents should avoid contact with the water at Rosemary Lake, keep pets away and refrain from fishing until further notice. Anyone who touches the water should rinse off immediately.
The town said it will share updates as more information becomes available. No timeline for test results has been announced.
Residents with questions can contact the Needham Public Health Division at 781-455-7940 or [email protected].
