Monitoring Water Quality
Protecting Healthy Habitat
Protecting Healthy Habitat
Home 1

Misty Stillness. Photo by Vineyard Colors

A Restoration
Success Story
Home 1 - copy

Ripples in the Pond. Photo by Emily Reddington

Monitoring
Water Quality
Home 1 - copy - copy
Protecting
Healthy Habitat
Otter
Preserving
Pond Ecology

Photo by Anne Mazar

previous arrow
next arrow

Mission Statement

To cultivate the resilience of our coastal pond ecosystems through science, collaboration, and education.

section-c1
section-c2
section-d1
section-d2

About Us

Established in 1998, Great Pond Foundation leads in estuary science and restoration, using data generated by our programs for informed pond management. Our team builds strong partnerships with neighbors; fostering learning and expertise; and sharing tools and techniques. The coastal ponds of Martha’s Vineyard are globally rare, ecologically fragile, treasures whose preservation and restoration are fundamental to the Island’s long-term sustainability. The Island depends on clean and healthy coastal waters to feed families and support the local economy. These living waters define both the spirit and the character of our community.

Learn More

Latest News

Sneak Peek Of The Off-Season

Sneak Peek Of The Off-Season The Great Pond Foundation team ...

2024 Grants

2024 Grants As a non-profit organization, Great Pond Foundation relies ...

Off-Season Nutrient Sampling

Off-Season Nutrient Sampling Every year, the Great Pond Foundation collects ...

Instagram

🧰TOOLS OF THE TRADE: TOOL #5: DROP CAMERA

Have you ever wondered how we monitor the benthic zone of our ponds? Our science team uses a device called a DROP CAMERA which allows us to take benthic images and videos. This is a non-destructive and effective way of observing, monitoring and studying the diverse habitats that exists on the pond floor. These images are crucial in monitoring benthic changes in our ponds. 
Stay tuned for our next tool of the trade!
#dropcam #greatpondfoundation #marthasvineyard #water #science #capeandislands #benthic #waterquality #pond #pondhealth
🧰TOOLS OF THE TRADE: TOOL #5: DROP CAMERA Have you ever wondered how we monitor the benthic zone of our ponds? Our science team uses a device called a DROP CAMERA which allows us to take benthic images and videos. This is a non-destructive and effective way of observing, monitoring and studying the diverse habitats that exists on the pond floor. These images are crucial in monitoring benthic changes in our ponds. Stay tuned for our next tool of the trade! #dropcam #greatpondfoundation #marthasvineyard #water #science #capeandislands #benthic #waterquality #pond #pondhealth
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
1/8
🧰TOOLS OF THE TRADE: TOOL #4: SEINE NET

It’s important for us to know what lives 🐠 in our ponds to determine how water quality can affect these biological resources 🦪. To do this we use a SEINE NET. This 30-foot net is attached to two dowels and is stretched across the running tides 🌊. It captures animals 🦀🐟🦐 in shallow waters before being slowly brought back to shore for identification. 

⭐️Join us for our annual seine net event in July (dates TBD)! 

➡️Stay tuned for our next tool of the trade! 
#seinenet #greatpondfoundation #marthasvineyard #water #science #capeandislands #summer #biodiversity #fish #crabs #livingwaters
🧰TOOLS OF THE TRADE: TOOL #4: SEINE NET It’s important for us to know what lives 🐠 in our ponds to determine how water quality can affect these biological resources 🦪. To do this we use a SEINE NET. This 30-foot net is attached to two dowels and is stretched across the running tides 🌊. It captures animals 🦀🐟🦐 in shallow waters before being slowly brought back to shore for identification. ⭐️Join us for our annual seine net event in July (dates TBD)! ➡️Stay tuned for our next tool of the trade! #seinenet #greatpondfoundation #marthasvineyard #water #science #capeandislands #summer #biodiversity #fish #crabs #livingwaters
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
2/8
The ☀️ sun setting on a very high #EdgartownGreatPond, on Wednesday, January 29th. The Pond is ~3.95 feet above Local Mean Sea Level. The main body of the pond is ice 🧊 free, but some marshes and coves have thin layers of ice. Today is the new 🌚 moon. #edgartown #greatpondfoundation #newmoon #sunset #winter #water #ice #sun #marsh #marthasvineyard #islandlife #capeandislands #january #elevation #massachusettsoutdoors #massachusetts #afternoonwalk #getoutside
The ☀️ sun setting on a very high #EdgartownGreatPond, on Wednesday, January 29th. The Pond is ~3.95 feet above Local Mean Sea Level. The main body of the pond is ice 🧊 free, but some marshes and coves have thin layers of ice. Today is the new 🌚 moon. #edgartown #greatpondfoundation #newmoon #sunset #winter #water #ice #sun #marsh #marthasvineyard #islandlife #capeandislands #january #elevation #massachusettsoutdoors #massachusetts #afternoonwalk #getoutside
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
3/8
🧰TOOLS OF THE TRADE: TOOL #3: VAN DORN 

During the field season our science team 👨‍🔬 collects nutrient samples once a month🗓️. Nutrient samples need to be collected at mid-depth. To do this we use a VAN DORN. This device is essentially a glass tube that gets lowered into the water 🌊column while in the “open” position. When at the desired depth a weighted messenger is deployed which travels down the rope and triggers the sampling tube to close, capturing water💧. After being pulled up, the water is then put into a sampling bottle🫙. 

➡️Stay tuned for our next tool of the trade! 

#toolsofthetrade #vandorn #greatpondfoundation #marthasvineyard #water #science #capeandislands #waterquality #samples #nutrients
🧰TOOLS OF THE TRADE: TOOL #3: VAN DORN During the field season our science team 👨‍🔬 collects nutrient samples once a month🗓️. Nutrient samples need to be collected at mid-depth. To do this we use a VAN DORN. This device is essentially a glass tube that gets lowered into the water 🌊column while in the “open” position. When at the desired depth a weighted messenger is deployed which travels down the rope and triggers the sampling tube to close, capturing water💧. After being pulled up, the water is then put into a sampling bottle🫙. ➡️Stay tuned for our next tool of the trade! #toolsofthetrade #vandorn #greatpondfoundation #marthasvineyard #water #science #capeandislands #waterquality #samples #nutrients
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
4/8
🧰TOOLS OF THE TRADE: TOOL #2: SECCHI DISK

Our science team is out sampling daily during our field season. Another tool that we use at each station for our Ecosystem Monitoring Program is a SECCHI DISK. This is a standardized black ⚫️ and white ⚪️ disk connected to a tape measure 📏 that is used for measuring water clarity 💧and light penetration ☀️. Although there are higher-tech methods of measuring water clarity and light penetration Secchi disk measurements are universal and have been used for many years. Due to the long-term use, it is useful for historic comparisons. 

➡️Stay tuned for our next tool of the trade! 

⭐️Visit our website for more information on water quality parameters. Link in bio👆
#toolsofthetrade #greatpondfoundation #marthasvineyard #water #science #waterquality #secchidisk
🧰TOOLS OF THE TRADE: TOOL #2: SECCHI DISK Our science team is out sampling daily during our field season. Another tool that we use at each station for our Ecosystem Monitoring Program is a SECCHI DISK. This is a standardized black ⚫️ and white ⚪️ disk connected to a tape measure 📏 that is used for measuring water clarity 💧and light penetration ☀️. Although there are higher-tech methods of measuring water clarity and light penetration Secchi disk measurements are universal and have been used for many years. Due to the long-term use, it is useful for historic comparisons. ➡️Stay tuned for our next tool of the trade! ⭐️Visit our website for more information on water quality parameters. Link in bio👆 #toolsofthetrade #greatpondfoundation #marthasvineyard #water #science #waterquality #secchidisk
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
5/8
🧰 TOOLS OF THE TRADE: TOOL #1: HANDHELD WATER QUALITY METER 

The most utilized tool for our Ecosystem Monitoring  Program is our HANDHELD WATER QUALITY METER. We use a YSI Pro DSS. This device has a multi-parameter probe which measures💧water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity. The probe is attached to a cable which allows us to lower it into the water 🌊 and measure 📏 these parameters throughout the water column to determine if they change with depth. 

⭐️Stay tuned for our next tool of the trade! 

➡️Visit our website for more information on water quality parameters. Link in bio
#toolsofthetrade #ysi #greatpondfoundation #marthasvineyard #water #science #capeandislands #data #datacollection #pondhealth #coastalponds
🧰 TOOLS OF THE TRADE: TOOL #1: HANDHELD WATER QUALITY METER The most utilized tool for our Ecosystem Monitoring Program is our HANDHELD WATER QUALITY METER. We use a YSI Pro DSS. This device has a multi-parameter probe which measures💧water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity. The probe is attached to a cable which allows us to lower it into the water 🌊 and measure 📏 these parameters throughout the water column to determine if they change with depth. ⭐️Stay tuned for our next tool of the trade! ➡️Visit our website for more information on water quality parameters. Link in bio #toolsofthetrade #ysi #greatpondfoundation #marthasvineyard #water #science #capeandislands #data #datacollection #pondhealth #coastalponds
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
6/8
The Island’s great ponds are precious ecological resources that with scientifically informed 👩‍🔬 and data-driven management 📈 can be restored and protected. GPF’s science team works hard to assess pond 💧health and collect quality data. Our water quality data collection would not be possible without our science equipment 🔬. This week we will be starting a series called “Tools of the trade” with pictures, videos, and information about our most used tools 🧰 so you can learn more about the equipment needed to collect water quality data that in turn helps inform recommendations for management practices. 
➡️Stay tuned for our first tool of the trade! 

#toolsofthetrade #greatpondfoundation #scienceequipment #waterquality #data #science #coastalponds #marthasvineyard #capeandislands #datacollection #scientists
The Island’s great ponds are precious ecological resources that with scientifically informed 👩‍🔬 and data-driven management 📈 can be restored and protected. GPF’s science team works hard to assess pond 💧health and collect quality data. Our water quality data collection would not be possible without our science equipment 🔬. This week we will be starting a series called “Tools of the trade” with pictures, videos, and information about our most used tools 🧰 so you can learn more about the equipment needed to collect water quality data that in turn helps inform recommendations for management practices. 
➡️Stay tuned for our first tool of the trade! 

#toolsofthetrade #greatpondfoundation #scienceequipment #waterquality #data #science #coastalponds #marthasvineyard #capeandislands #datacollection #scientists
The Island’s great ponds are precious ecological resources that with scientifically informed 👩‍🔬 and data-driven management 📈 can be restored and protected. GPF’s science team works hard to assess pond 💧health and collect quality data. Our water quality data collection would not be possible without our science equipment 🔬. This week we will be starting a series called “Tools of the trade” with pictures, videos, and information about our most used tools 🧰 so you can learn more about the equipment needed to collect water quality data that in turn helps inform recommendations for management practices. 
➡️Stay tuned for our first tool of the trade! 

#toolsofthetrade #greatpondfoundation #scienceequipment #waterquality #data #science #coastalponds #marthasvineyard #capeandislands #datacollection #scientists
The Island’s great ponds are precious ecological resources that with scientifically informed 👩‍🔬 and data-driven management 📈 can be restored and protected. GPF’s science team works hard to assess pond 💧health and collect quality data. Our water quality data collection would not be possible without our science equipment 🔬. This week we will be starting a series called “Tools of the trade” with pictures, videos, and information about our most used tools 🧰 so you can learn more about the equipment needed to collect water quality data that in turn helps inform recommendations for management practices. ➡️Stay tuned for our first tool of the trade! #toolsofthetrade #greatpondfoundation #scienceequipment #waterquality #data #science #coastalponds #marthasvineyard #capeandislands #datacollection #scientists
3 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
7/8
We hope everyone is staying warm and cozy on these cold 🥶 January days. Although the surface of the ponds are frozen ❄️, that’s not stopping us from offloading our loggers and collecting water quality data! 

⭐️First Image: Edgartown Great Pond 
⭐️Second Image: Chilmark Pond

#greatpondfoundation #winter #ponds #frozen #logger #data #ice #science #january #coastalponds #marthasvineyard #edgartowngreatpond #chilmarkpond
We hope everyone is staying warm and cozy on these cold 🥶 January days. Although the surface of the ponds are frozen ❄️, that’s not stopping us from offloading our loggers and collecting water quality data! 

⭐️First Image: Edgartown Great Pond 
⭐️Second Image: Chilmark Pond

#greatpondfoundation #winter #ponds #frozen #logger #data #ice #science #january #coastalponds #marthasvineyard #edgartowngreatpond #chilmarkpond
We hope everyone is staying warm and cozy on these cold 🥶 January days. Although the surface of the ponds are frozen ❄️, that’s not stopping us from offloading our loggers and collecting water quality data! ⭐️First Image: Edgartown Great Pond ⭐️Second Image: Chilmark Pond #greatpondfoundation #winter #ponds #frozen #logger #data #ice #science #january #coastalponds #marthasvineyard #edgartowngreatpond #chilmarkpond
3 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
8/8
bg-video

Eelgrass in Edgartown Great Pond

play