Orleans Pond Coalition

Orleans, Massachusetts

Dedicated to the health of Orleans waterways for over 20 years.

  • Home
  • About
    • Overview
    • Mission/Vision
    • Board of Directors
    • Meet the New 2025 OPC Directors
  • Our Waters
    • Orleans’ Watersheds
    • Freshwater Ponds
      • Baker’s Pond
      • Boland Pond
      • Cedar Pond
      • Crystal Lake
      • Deep Pond
      • Gould Pond
      • Icehouse Pond
      • Kettle Pond
      • Meadow Bog Pond
      • Pilgrim Lake
      • Reuben’s 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 in Orleans
    • Wastewater Challenges
    • Cape Cod Land Owner Resources
    • The Orleans Blue Pages — A Guide to Protecting Cape Cod Waters
  • Programs
    • Overview
    • Cyanobacteria Monitoring Program
    • The H2Orleans Pond Pledge
    • OPC’s Compost Spreader Loan Program
    • Oxygenation Demonstration Project
    • 2024 Earth Day Clean-Up: Thank you and Pictures
    • The Orleans Blue Pages
    • Fertilizer
    • Mutt Mitts
    • Oysters
    • Water Sampling
    • Member Photo Submissions
  • Celebrate Our Waters
    • 2025 Celebrate Our Waters: Save the Dates
    • 2025 Celebrate Our Waters Summer Edition
    • 2025 Celebrate Our Waters – Earth Day Event in Pictures
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
    • Subscribe
    • Join/Renew
    • Contact Us
    • Submit Photos
  • News
    • 2025 May Town Election
    • 📌 Bulletin
    • Ponderings  
    • Water, Water, Everywhere
    • Ask the Osprey
    • Hugel Terracing report and pictures
  • Join OPC Today

CORRECTION – Orleans Town Meeting – Tuesday, May 20th

May 19, 2025 By John Smith

CORRECTION-Orleans-Annual-Town-Election-Tuesday-May-20thDownload … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

May 2025 – Thank You for Your Support at Town Meeting

May 17, 2025 By John Smith

OPC-Bulletin_-Thank-You-for-your-votes-and-support-at-the-Orleans-Annual-Town-Meeting_Download … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

Algal Bloom Warning Lifted – Pilgrim Lake

May 6, 2025 By John Smith

The previous warning due to the presence of an algal bloom at Pilgrim Lake has been lifted. As a friendly reminder, “When in Doubt, Stay Out”. If you notice pond water is scummy, discolored, or has a strong odor, avoid contact with the water. Please read this CDC document for more information! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

April 2025 – Spring is here!

April 27, 2025 By John Smith

OPC-Bulletin_-April-2025-Newsletter-Join-us-for-Celebrate-Our-Waters-Earth-Day-Programs-and-as-we-prepare-for-the-Orleans-May-Town-MeetingDownload … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

Welcome to Snowy Orleans

February 17, 2025 By John Smith

snowy-orleans

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Filed Under: Bulletin

Welcome to Winter in Orleans

February 1, 2025 By John Smith

frozen-water-orleans

OPC_Bulletin_January2025Download … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

Giving Thanks This November

November 26, 2024 By John Smith

give-thanks-orleans

OPC-Bulletin_-Giving-Thanks-This-November-1Download … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

October 2024 – It’s Time for Fall Town Meeting!

October 25, 2024 By John Smith

OPC-Bulletin_-October-2024-Its-Time-for-Fall-Town-MeetingDownload … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

August 2024 – No better place than Cape Cod in the Summer

August 12, 2024 By John Smith

bridge-marsh

OPC-Bulletin_-August-2024-No-better-place-than-Cape-Cod-in-the-SummerDownload … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

The OPC H2Orleans Pond Pledge

July 24, 2024 By John Smith

pond-pledge

OPC-Bulletin_-New-Program-The-OPC-H2Orleans-Pond-PledgeDownload … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC Bulletin: July 2024 – Enjoy Summer in Orleans

July 11, 2024 By John Smith

OPC-Bulletin_-July-2024-Time-to-get-out-and-enjoy-the-beauty-that-is-OrleansDownload … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC Bulletin: June 2024 – Summer Fun and Water Programs

June 10, 2024 By John Smith

2024-June-Bulletin-Summer-Fun-and-Water-ProgramsDownload … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC Bulletin: March 2024 – Planning for Spring Events and Workshops

March 20, 2024 By John Smith

OPC-Bulletin-March-2024-Planning-for-Spring-Events-and-WorkshopsDownload … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC Bulletin: Happy New Year from the Orleans Pond Coalition

January 8, 2024 By John Smith

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Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC Bulletin: Happy Holidays and Year End Appeal

January 2, 2024 By John Smith

OPC-Bulletin-December-2023Download … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC Bulletin: Thank You’s and New Programs for November

December 5, 2023 By John Smith

November-BulletinDownload … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC Letter to the Editor

October 3, 2023 By John Smith

Published in the September 21st, 2023 edition of the Cape Cod Chronicle … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC Bulletin: After-Hurricane Update for Celebrate Our Waters

September 16, 2023 By John Smith

OPC-Bulletin-After-Hurricane-Update-for-Celebrate-Our-WatersDownload … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC Bulletin: Hurricane Update for Celebrate Our Waters and Upcoming Programs

September 16, 2023 By John Smith

OPC-Bulletin-Hurricane-Update-for-Celebrate-Our-Waters-and-Upcoming-ProgramsDownload … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC Update: Celebrate Our Waters and Our 20th Anniversary

September 13, 2023 By John Smith

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Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC Bulletin – Celebrate Our Waters Registrations now OPEN

August 29, 2023 By John Smith

Time to Register! Celebrate Our Waters - Sept 15-17, 2023 Registration for events with limited spaces now open for Members on August 29th, 10AM. This year we are offering advanced registration opportunities to OPC members a week prior to the general public. Mark your calendars for Celebrate Our Waters, OPC’s signature event of the year, now bigger and better than ever! We’re offering dozens of events around Orleans to celebrate the beauty of our environment and our waters. Events requiring registration: Arey’s Pond … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC Bulletin – Save the Date: Celebrate Our Waters

August 29, 2023 By John Smith

OPC-Bulletin-Celebrate-Our-Waters-Save-the-Date-and-Cyanobacteria-Alert-at-Pilgrim-LakeDownload … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC Bulletin – Summer is Here!

July 12, 2023 By John Smith

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Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC Bulletin – Welcoming June, the start of Summer Season

June 5, 2023 By John Smith

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Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC Bulletin – Thank You and Reminder

May 11, 2023 By John Smith

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Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC May 2023 Bulletin

May 3, 2023 By John Smith

OPC-Bulletin-Register-now-for-Composting-Workshops-in-MayDownload … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC Spring 2023 Bulletin

March 27, 2023 By John Smith

OPC Bulletin_ Spring 2023 - Upcoming Events and WorkshopsDownload … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC March 2023 Bulletin

March 16, 2023 By John Smith

OPC-Bulletin-March-2023-Things-to-do-this-SpringDownload … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC February 2023 Bulletin

February 20, 2023 By John Smith

To Celebrate our 20th Anniversary, we’ve created a new logo. We hope you enjoy it! Moreover, we hope you can join the Orleans Pond Coalition during this special 20th anniversary year by becoming a member, volunteering, participating in our events, and helping to spread the word by telling your friends. With your help, we will safeguard Orleans’s most precious resource: our waters. Orleans Blue Pages are being updated The Orleans Blue Pages is our compendium of what Orleans citizens and Cape Codders can do to help clean up our local … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC November 2022 Bulletin

October 31, 2022 By John Smith

Orleans Pond Coalition Annual Meeting Recap and Thank You We think autumn is such a beautiful time for reflection. Crystal Lake is so extraordinary this time of year. Annual Meeting Recap This past Sunday we celebrated our 19th annual meeting. Thank you to all the brave souls who ventured out last Sunday in the heavy rain. For those of you who were unable to attend, you missed a good one! So let’s recap. First, welcome to our new directors: Ginny Farber, Clint Kaiser and Rich Levy. Great additions to our Board of Directors! Second, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌2022 OPC Annual Meeting – October 23rd

October 1, 2022 By John Smith

PLEASE SAVE THE DATE: Orleans Pond Coalition Annual Meeting October 23rd at 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. After two years of meeting remotely via zoom, we are delighted to announce this year’s annual meeting will be in person. Please join us to celebrate this year’s success’s and learn more about what’s going on at OPC. We are also fortunate to have the inventor of the technology we are using in our Oxygen Demonstration Research Program – Dr. Paul Gantzer as our keynote speaker. You will not want to miss this exciting review of this … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC June 2022 Bulletin

June 23, 2022 By John Smith

Upcoming Events and Activities SAVE the Date The Family Fun Tent, Beach Yoga, Tour d’Orleans, bird and nature walks and all varieties of water sports including paddleboarding, kayaking and sailing are back for another fun-filled weekend. This year the Paul Fulcher Memorial Bonfire on Saturday night will be celebrating Orleans’ many water volunteers. So all you herring counters, water samplers, members of Boards and Committees, come out to be recognized for your service. We will also have new events including a kayak paddle and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC Reminder: Please Vote Today – Tuesday, May 17th, 2022

May 16, 2022 By John Smith

We’re almost there! Let’s not lose momentum. Please vote Tuesday May17th Thank you to all OPC members who were able to attend last Monday’s Annual Town Meeting and vote yes for the 3 key wastewater articles. There is just one final step to get the job done. Please mark your calendar and vote yes on Tuesday for Ballot Question #2 – Fund Meetinghouse Pond Area Sewer Collection System Construction. A yes vote is needed for construction to be approved. Importantly, waiting will forfeit our favorable top of the list position to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC April Bulletin

April 24, 2022 By John Smith

It's almost time for the Orleans Town Meeting May 9th - 6:00 p.m. - NRMS Gym In preparation for this community event the Orleans Pond Coalition would like to bring the following items to your attention. A Town Meeting review letter from Orleans Select Person, Andrea Reed Andrea Reed on Environmental Progress:…. ‘I strongly support (the articles for wastewater and budget question) and hope we pass.’ Wastewater Progress: Articles 18 & 19/Ballot Question 2 Article 18 Sewer Assessment General Bylaw defines how we measure, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin, Uncategorized

📌 Pointer to Town of Orleans Sewer System FAQs

April 18, 2022 By John Smith

Town of Orleans Sewer System FAQs … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌 2022 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Schedule

March 31, 2022 By John Smith

From: Kalliope Chute <Kalliope.Chute@barnstablecounty.org>Subject: Eastham/Orleans HHW e-docsDate: March 30, 2022 at 8:40:49 AM EDT Good morning, Enclosed, find e-docs for Eastham & Orleans household & sm. business hazardous waste collection events. 2022 Household Hazardous Waste Collection_Eastham Orleans (PDF)Download 2022 HHW-Brochure_ Eastham Orleans (PDF)Download 2022 Small-Business-HHwaste-flyer (PDF)Download 2022 All_Cape_Small Business (DOC)Download 2022_Visitor_authorization_form (DOC)Download … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC March 2022 Bulletin

March 31, 2022 By John Smith

Connecting to Our Clean Water Future Dear Friends, As Phase I of the Orleans Wastewater Infrastructure Project nears completion later this year, we thought that the attached notice from Tom Daley, Director of the Orleans Department of Public Works and Natural Resources, would be of interest to our community, and particularly helpful to those who work and reside in the downtown area. It provides timely information and advice about when and how to arrange your connection to the first leg of the town’s advanced new wastewater system. Your … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC February 2022 Bulletin

March 31, 2022 By John Smith

Do You Love our Waters??? It’s Time to Dive In and Get Your Feet Wet We’re recruiting for multiple water-related volunteer activities. Make new friends, help watch over our waters, learn more about how your actions can make a difference to water quality. It’s fascinating…. And fun! Cyanobacteria Monitors. OPC in conjunction with APCC is monitoring Crystal and Pilgrim Lakes, Uncle Harvey’s, Icehouse, and (starting this year) Cedar Ponds. Help us track this threat to our ponds and provide safety warnings to humans and pets. For more … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌OPC January 2022 Bulletin

January 16, 2022 By John Smith

Special Reports from OPC and APCC on two major Fresh Water programs in Orleans Your Voice is Needed to Help Secure Funds to Improve Water Quality on Cape Cod! You may have seen Legislation in the news this month outlining approval of a new bill called the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) providing Barnstable County with $41.3 million in grant federal funds. “Cape Cod has a tremendous opportunity to utilize (these) American Rescue Plan Act funds to make progress in key areas for our region, including protecting our water, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

📌 OPC is Looking for a Few Good People…

June 20, 2018 By Orleans Pond Coalition

Water Samplers, Mutt Mitt Stockers, and Celebrate our Waters Volunteers Needed. Do You Love Our Waters? We Need Water Samplers... Every summer since 2000, citizens of all ages from teens to nineties have volunteered a few hours to collect scientific data on estuary waters of Orleans. This summer more volunteers are needed sample Town Cove, Nauset Estuary, and Little Pleasant Bay on five mornings. We will teach you the skills for collecting water samples and taking measurements of temperature and dissolved oxygen. Please volunteer and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bulletin

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

info@orleanspondcoalition.org

OPC is a volunteer organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing the saltwater estuaries and freshwater ponds and lakes of Orleans, MA.

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