Gulf Dead Zone Smaller Than Predicted
FROM THE DOPPLER 10 FORECAST CENTER… A HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES UNTIL 7 PM FRIDAY… McLENNAN, WILLIAMSON, AND SAN SABA…AFTERNOON HEAT INDEX VALUES TODAY AND FRIDAY WILL RISE TO BETWEEN 105 AND 110 DEGREES...WHILE OVERNIGHT LOWS TONIGHT WILL STRUGGLE TO FALL BELOW 80 DEGREES…PERSONS INVOLVED IN VIGOROUS OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES ARE URGED TO TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER…
Gulf Dead Zone Smaller Than Predicted Save Email Print
1 comments
A | A | A

(July 28, 2008)—Hurricane Dolly stirred up the water in the Gulf of Mexico, and as a result, the Gulf’s dead zone is smaller that predicted, scientists say.

Scientists had predicted that flood runoff would bring so much fertilizer and other nutrients into the Gulf that the area of low oxygen would be a record 8,300 to 8,800 square miles.

The Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium's research vessel Pelican finished its annual survey on Monday, and LUMCON director Nancy Rabalais says the low-oxygen area covers about 8,000 square miles, which is barely behind the 8,006 square miles recorded in 2001.

Rabalais says that Dolly's winds and waves stirred oxygen into the water, especially along the western and shoreward areas.
More Stories
Study: Southeast Texas Air Quality Improves

Hail Storm Leaves Damage Behind In Wichita

Stormy Weather Could Delay Shuttle Launch

Rain Moves Out, Hot Dry Conditions Move Back In

 Satellite Shows Thinning Of Arctic Sea Ice

Drought Reaches Critical Stages In Parts Of Texas

Nut Growers Could Get Some Help From Space

Floods Force Evacuation Of 700,000
Post Your Comments
First Name:
Location:
Enter Comments: characters left
Email (optional):
By posting this comment I have read and agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy:
You must agree to the Terms of Service to continue.
Read Comments
Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.
Posted by: William Location: Salado on Jul 29, 2008 at 05:39 AM
Well why don't we try and oxygenate the water there the same way, stir it up, I saw an article in Popular Science that stated that you could use large tubes that use thermal transition to move the water from the middle to the top that would have enough force to allow the water to oxygenate naturally at the cost of a couple hundred dollars a tube.