Madison’s Starkweather Creek may hold the dubious distinction as the most polluted waterbody in Wisconsin.  On the Wisconsin DNR’s impaired waterbody list since 1998, the urban creek has suffered the loss of wetlands and springs, runoff from surrounding pavement, unsafe levels of sediment, toxic metals, chloride, e coli bacteria and lately, the forever chemical PFAS.

The City of Madison, Dane County and the State of Wisconsin have spent millions restoring Starkweather’s riparian areas, but water pollution, low oxygen and toxic algae blooms continue to plague the creek.  Now, the nonprofit Myco Rising is trying a new approach:  growing mushrooms to clean the water.  Joining us now in the studio is Aaron Cutler from Myco Rising.

Image by Mike Goad from Pixabay

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