(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.
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