In the summer of 2019 Easthampton Board of Health sent pictures of the pond to the Massachusetts Board of Health and they beleived it was a visual indication of cyanobacteria. Per state guidlines, the pond was posted, not to be used. This was the first visual indication of cyanobacteria on the pond. In 2020 the Easthampton Board of Health had anohter visual indication and as an accpeted protocol with the BOH, the Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee took samples and sent them to Northeast Laboratory for testing. They were positive.
To deter cyanobacteria a deployment of barley straw bags was started in 2022.
How does Barley straw work? As barley straw slowly decomposes under aerobic conditions it releases a steady flow of molecules that prevent the growth/ division of single cell photosynthetic organisms including many types of Cyanobacteria as well as some green algae. The main pathway identified is decomposition of lignin to hydrogen peroxide . Very low concentrations ( about 2 ppm) are effective at suppressing Cyanobacteria growth and have no known effects on any higher organisms such as green plants or any animals.
See process below for Barley straw deployment, from stuffing bags to putting in pond, testing and removal.
Barley straw deployment has been done in 2022, 2023 and 4/20/2024, 4/19/2025 and no idications of cyanobacteria since.
To deter cyanobacteria a deployment of barley straw bags was started in 2022.
How does Barley straw work? As barley straw slowly decomposes under aerobic conditions it releases a steady flow of molecules that prevent the growth/ division of single cell photosynthetic organisms including many types of Cyanobacteria as well as some green algae. The main pathway identified is decomposition of lignin to hydrogen peroxide . Very low concentrations ( about 2 ppm) are effective at suppressing Cyanobacteria growth and have no known effects on any higher organisms such as green plants or any animals.
See process below for Barley straw deployment, from stuffing bags to putting in pond, testing and removal.
Barley straw deployment has been done in 2022, 2023 and 4/20/2024, 4/19/2025 and no idications of cyanobacteria since.
Connecticut River Conservancy - Click here - Cyanobacteria monitoring report includes Nashawannuck Pond
December 11, 2023 Aliki Fornier
December 11, 2023 Aliki Fornier
Easthampton, MA - Spectrum News 1 - click here - Connecticut River Conservancy taking a new approach to monitoring the spread of Cyanobacteria
July 28, 2023 Richard Damas
July 28, 2023 Richard Damas
Blue-Green Planet: It’s a cyanobacterial world, and we just live on it. - Science in the News
September 26, 2019 by Olivia Foster Rhoades
September 26, 2019 by Olivia Foster Rhoades
Pond and Lake Management Part VI: Using Barley Straw to /control Algae (Rutgers NJAES)
December 2011 Rutgers fact sheet
December 2011 Rutgers fact sheet
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City of Easthampton Board of Health & Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee Cyanobacteria testing protocol
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Thank you Connecticut River Conservancy Stephanie Perkins and Melissa Langley for your continued support. Cyanobacteria tests were done every 2 weeks from 6/10/24 - 10/22/2024 and have shown no cyanobacteria blooms in Nashawannuck pond and only one in Rubber Thread Pond.
With a team of volunteers the bags were removed 10/23/24. 
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