Boston's lesser known great pond no longer a menace to dogs and other small creatures

The Boston Public Health Commission reports the bloom is off Sprague Pond on the Readville/Dedham line: Water samples taken Nov. 20 and 26 show that the toxic levels of cyanobacteria reported earlier this month have dropped back to safe numbers.

Analysis of testing samples taken in the area on November 20 and 26 demonstrated cyanobacteria levels below the state’s safe limit of 70,000 cells/milliliters (mL) of water.

In high levels, toxins produced by the microorganisms, also known as blue-green algae, can kill dogs.

Sprague Pond, off Sprague Street at the Dedham line, is one of Boston's two designated "great" ponds; the other being Jamaica Pond.