In 2005, DNR Fisheries Biologists first reported thousands of gobies, an invasive freshwater fish species, huddling together in huge masses in the waters of Green Bay. The fish, as it turns out, were searching for oxygen, which was suddenly in short supply in the southern portion of the Bay. This hypoxic dead zone has expanded since then, and despite improvements to factories and other point sources of pollution, pollutants like phosphorus continue to run into Green Bay and the larger Lake Michigan. The culprit is not the concentrated pipes coming out of factories and sewer treatment plants, but from everywhere else in the landscape, particularly from agricultural runoff. Kate Golden has been reporting on water quality issues for the Center for Investigative Journalism.

Kate also spoke to the Buzz about the Center for Investigative Journalism’s work to educate people about the frac sand industry.