Ashumet Pond

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Ashumet Pond

Town(s): Falmouth MA, Mashpee MA
County: Barnstable

Size: 203 acres
Average Depth: 23 feet
Maximum Depth: 65 feet

Boating Allowed: Kayaks, Canoes, Sail Boats, Electric Motor Boats, Power Boats, State & Local Rules & Regulations Apply, Horsepower or Speed Restrictions
Swimming: Swimming Allowed, Some Restrictions

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Ashumet Pond is a 203-acre natural kettlehole pond with an average depth of 23 feet and a maximum depth of 65 feet. The ponds water sources are groundwater and an inlet from an abandoned cranberry bog. Transparency is good, averaging about 12 feet, but aquatic vegetation is sparse. The water color is generally clear, like most Cape Cod Ponds, but algae blooms in the summer may give the water a greenish tint. The pond is located just south of the Massachusetts Military Reservation (Otis Air National Guard Base) and is divided by the town line between Mashpee and Falmouth. The 2.5 miles of shoreline are heavily developed with year round homes. At low water levels, there is an island in the southern end of the pond. In 1863, the East Falmouth Herring River Company was formed to open a herring run to Ashumet Pond from Bournes Pond in Falmouth. Due to a lack of gradient, the attempt was not successful, although traces of the ditch can still be seen. Ashumet Pond was treated with alum in September 2001 to control algae blooms caused by phosphorus input from the former Otis Air Force Base sewage treatment plant. The combination of high shoreline residential development, annual trout stocking, a paved public boat access ramp with an associated paved parking area and a private association beach on the southernmost shore contribute to Ashumet’s high primary and secondary recreational usage. An additional magnet for visitors is the Audubon Societies Ashumet Holly Reservation, a 45 plus acre Holly Plantation originally started by horticulturist Wilfred Wheeler in 1925. The reservation lies just south of the pond.

Water Quality: Town/State Monitoring
Vegetation Growth: Minimal
Non-native Species: Unknown

Fishing Comments: Ashumet Pond has been stocked with a wide variety of fish species over the years, starting with smallmouth bass in 1919 as well as Chinook salmon between 1924 and 1939. It was reclaimed three times during the 1960s to improve conditions for trout. The pond was stocked with smallmouth bass in 1978 and 1979 to re-establish a reproducing population. Ashumet Pond is stocked in the spring and fall with rainbow and brook trout and is also a good smallmouth bass pond. Trout fishing is good in the spring and fall with holdover trout taken during the summer. Springs are concentrated in the northern end of the pond and should hold trout during the warmer months. Concerns over potential pollution from the Massachusetts Military Reservation (former Otis Air Force Base Base) have led to extensive sampling (www.mmr.org) for possible contamination and trace levels of solvents have been detected in groundwater flowing into the pond. Brown bullheads in the pond are known to suffer lip growths (papillomas) of an unknown cause. Other nearby ponds are Johns Pond, Coonamessett Pond and Mashpee-Wakeby Ponds.
Fish Species: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown Bullhead, Golden Shiner

Boat Access: Access for Power and Non-power Boats
Ramp Comments: See directions.
Parking Spaces: 11-20

Directions: To get to Ashumet Pond from the Bourne Bridge, take Route 28 south to Route 151 east, then take a left onto Sandwich Road. The ramp is on the east side of the road near the intersection of Currier Road and Sandwich Road. A paved boat ramp with ample parking is provided by the Public Access Board and maintained by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Shoreline Development: 75-100%