Our PFAS Survey of Dane Co Waters Found Elevated PFAS Levels Below Dane Co Airport

In fall 2024 Friends of Starkweather Creek volunteers surveyed twenty waterbodies in Dane Co to measure levels of PFAS chemicals. We wanted to find out if PFAS were still flowing into Starkweather Creek and the downstream Yahara Lakes from longstanding fire-fighting foam used at the Dane Co Airport. We also sampled several other waters around Dane County for comparison.

PFAS showed up at levels over 200 times above state limits (for PFOS) in Starkweather Creek just below the Airport, and above state limits in downstream Lakes Monona, Waubesa and Kegonsa. 

Water flowing into Badfish Creek and Badger Mill Creek from the two Madison Metropolitan Sewage District outfalls and water in the Wisconsin River indicated elevated levels but were below state standards.

Other locations sampled revealed very low PFAS levels, including  Lake Mendota, Starkweather Creek above the Airport and East Branch, Nine Springs Creek, Black Earth Creek, Indian Lake, Fireman’s Park Beach in Verona, and Stewart Lake Beach in Mt Horeb. 

Of course, these results can only display a limited, one-time look at PFAS pollution in Dane Co waters. Only long-term, repeated sampling could show how the pollution levels are changing.

You can read our detailed report on the sampling method, complete results, background, state and federal PFAS standards. You can view an interactive map of our sampling sites and the DNR sampling sites as well as as tables of the detailed PFAS levels we found at each site and data from DNR PFAS sampling.

Friends of Starkweather Creek calls for immediate and effective efforts to reduce the sources of this ongoing PFAS pollution and for regular monitoring of the PFAS levels in Dane Co surface waters.
For more information, please contact:

Lance Green. Co-Chair, Friends of Starkweather Creek. 608-249-5979