Orleans Pond Coalition

Orleans, Massachusetts

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  • Home
  • About
    • Overview
    • Mission/Vision
    • Board of Directors
    • Business and Community Members
  • Our Waters
    • Orleans’ Watersheds
    • Freshwater Ponds
      • Baker’s Pond
      • Boland Pond
      • Cedar Pond
      • Crystal Lake
      • Deep Pond
      • Gould Pond
      • Icehouse Pond
      • Meadow Bog
      • Pilgrim Lake
      • Reubens Pond
      • Sarah’s Pond
      • Shoal Pond
      • Twinings Pond
      • Uncle Harvey’s Pond
      • Uncle Israel’s
      • Uncle Seth’s
    • Estuaries
      • Cape Cod Bay
      • Nauset
      • Pleasant Bay
        • Lonnie’s (aka Kescayogansett) Pond
    • Drinking Water
    • Wastewater Challenges
    • The Orleans Blue Pages — A Guide to Protecting Cape Cod Waters
  • Programs
    • Overview
    • Oxygenation Demonstration Project
    • Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program
    • The Orleans Blue Pages
    • Fertilizer
    • Mutt Mitts
    • Oysters
    • Our Upweller
    • Plastics
    • Water Sampling
    • Member Photo Submissions
  • Celebrate Our Waters
    • 2022 Celebrate Our Waters – A Look Back
    • 2022 Celebrate Our Waters Event Activities
    • 2022 Celebrate Our Waters Event Schedule
    • 2022 Celebrate Our Waters Event Locations
  • Get Involved
    • 2022 OPC Annual Meeting Recap and Thank You
    • Submit Photos
    • Volunteer
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    • Contact Us
  • News
    • 📌 Bulletin
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    • Ponderings  
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Estuaries

Orleans is fortunate to have three major estuary systems: a set of three marshes off of Cape Cod Bay, Pleasant Bay – the largest estuary on Cape Cod, and Nauset Harbor/Nauset Bay/Town Cove.

Our estuaries provide nurseries and habitats for a large number of organisms, including fish, shellfish, terrapins, and eel-grass. They are highly productive growth environments.  Migratory bird populations also make essential use of estuaries.

Estuaries form transition zones between river and saltwater environments. The waters are tidal, brackish or slightly salty, and high in sediments. The mixing of sea water and fresh water provide high levels of nutrients both in the water column and in sediment making estuaries among the most productive natural habitats in the world.

The banks of many estuaries are among the most heavily populated areas of the world, with about 60% of the world’s population living along estuaries and the coast. As a result, many estuaries suffer degradation from a variety of factors including: sedimentation from soil erosion; overfishing; drainage and filling of wetlands; eutrophication due to excessive nutrients from sewage and animal wastes; pollutants from sewage inputs; and diking or damming for flood control or water diversion.

 

 

About Orleans Pond Coalition

Orleans Pond Coalition, Inc. is a volunteer organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing the saltwater estuaries and freshwater ponds and lakes of Orleans. Our work includes offering educational programs to encourage mindful land use practices, sponsoring water quality research, working with community, regional and state organizations to formulate constructive policies to protect our … Learn More

Our Mission

Orleans Pond Coalition is dedicated to the protection and health of our shared watersheds, estuaries, ponds and lakes.

Orleans   Pond   Coalition

PO  Box  2485

Orleans,   MA   02653

OrleansPondCoalition@gmail.com

Copyright © 2023 Orleans Pond Coalition. All Rights Reserved. · Website By: A. Piper Creative