Massive ‘Dead Zone’ in Gulf of of Mexico

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Water quality in the Gulf of Mexico is worse than it was thought to be. Scientist say that a record breaking Dead Zone has been measured in the Gulf. That Dead Zone is roughly the size of New Jersey.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) , this summer's dead zone is the largest on record. The dead zone measures about 8,776 miles and that is quit4e a bit larger than the July forecast of 8,200 square miles.

NOAA has been measuring the dead zones in the gulf for 32 years and, in the past, the dead zone measured only about 5,300 square miles. Now, that is a very significant increase. The area is called "hypoxia." Basically, that's a $65 word that means that the area is low on oxygen. The condition can kill, not just fish, but other marine life as well. This , of course, can spell disaster for people who make their living from the gulf. Basically, these dead zones are caused by an over abundance of agricultural nutrients that wash down into the gulf.

So far, there are no estimates on the economic impact the dead zone could have on folks that depend on the gulf for a living.