Aug. 2 (UPI) — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a positive finding on Wednesday, revealing that the “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico, an area of water with critically low oxygen levels that can endanger wildlife, is smaller than anticipated.
NOAA-supported scientists from Louisiana State University and the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium conducted a survey and determined that the area of the dead zone measures 3,058 square miles, as reported in a NOAA news release.
The observed dead zone is smaller than the agency’s prediction of 4,155 square miles for this year.
Also known as a hypoxic zone, the dead zone can disrupt the natural life cycles of fish and other marine creatures.
Dead zones are a result of excessive nutrient runoff into waterways, which stimulates the growth of algae. As the algae die, aerobic bacteria consume oxygen during decomposition, causing oxygen depletion in the affected area.
The five-year average size of the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is 4,347 square miles.
In 2017, the largest dead zone ever recorded measured 8,776 square miles.
This year’s dead zone ranks as the seventh smallest since recording began in 1985.
“Given the increasing frequency and severity of weather events in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere, it is crucial that we continue to monitor hypoxia in this region as an indicator of ocean health and progress towards management goals,” emphasized Nichole LeBoeuf, director of NOAA National Ocean Service.
The NOAA stated that the reduced size of the dead zone was influenced by the below-average discharge of the Mississippi River in July. The usual stratification of warmer, less salty water over cooler, saltier water was not as pronounced due to lower river discharge.
“Each year, the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico poses a threat to clean water, which is vital for supporting essential habitats and economic opportunities for local communities,” stated Radhika Fox, Assistant Administrator at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In 2022, the EPA allocated $60 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to assist the Hypoxia Task Force, which is responsible for assessing and mitigating dead zones.
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