The closed beaches as of June 2 are in Ashby, Dartmouth, Natick, Plymouth, and Shutesbury.
As temperatures are expected to climb throughout the week, six beaches across five Massachusetts towns were closed Tuesday.
Two beaches in Dartmouth were closed due to a CSO/SSO event, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s beach water quality dashboard. Such events occur when heavy rain overwhelms combined sewage systems, causing a mixture of wastewater and stormwater to discharge into bodies of water.
In Natick, one beach was closed due to a harmful bloom of cyanobacteria, the portal shows.
Ingesting cyanobacteria bloom, which turns water bright green and creates a surface scum, can result in gastrointestinal symptoms or, in larger quantities, liver or neurological damage, according to DPH’s information page on cyanobacteria. Physical contact with the bacteria may irritate the eyes or skin, while inhaling spray from affected water can trigger asthma-like symptoms.
Specific reasons for closures in Ashby, Plymouth, and Shutesbury were not provided.
According to DPH’s “Frequently Asked Questions” site on water-quality testing, other reasons for beach closures include high bacteria levels, riptides, heavy rainfall, and poor underwater visibility.
While DPH did not provide reopening dates, closures generally last one to two days to facilitate lab testing and allow bacteria levels to subdue, the department noted.
State law requires local health officials monitor bacteria levels at more than 1,100 public and semi-public beaches, with testing frequency determined by each location’s vulnerability to water quality issues.
Tuesday’s midday highs reached the 70s, with 60-degree temperatures anticipated through midnight. Meteorologists expect a return to summer-like heat later this week, with highs of 84 degrees on Thursday and 87 degrees on Friday.
Mass. beach closures as of Tuesday, June 2, 2026
Ashby:
- Damon Pond Beach
Dartmouth:
- Jones Town Beach North
- Jones Town Beach South
Natick:
- Cochituate State Park Beach
Plymouth:
- Fearings Pond @ Beach 2
Shutesbury:
- Lake Wyola (DCR)
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