OTHER COASTAL OTHER COASTAL WATERS ISSUESWATERS ISSUES

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Harmful Algae Blooms

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The “Dead Zone”The “Dead Zone”

THE GULF OF MEXICOTHE GULF OF MEXICOHYPOXIA ISSUEHYPOXIA ISSUE

Dead Zone Keeps Getting Bigger

By Mark Schleifstein

The annual dead zone along Louisiana’s coast has

grown to record size this summer

Hypoxia = Low Oxygen (<2 ppm )Hypoxia = Low Oxygen (<2 ppm )

Anoxia = No oxygenAnoxia = No oxygen

WHAT IS “HYPOXIA”?WHAT IS “HYPOXIA”?

““Nitrate-nitrogen is a major contributor to the Nitrate-nitrogen is a major contributor to the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico. It is hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico. It is washed from fields to drainage ditches to washed from fields to drainage ditches to streams, which feed into rivers and, ultimately, streams, which feed into rivers and, ultimately, the Gulf of Mexico. Just as it helps crops grow the Gulf of Mexico. Just as it helps crops grow on land, the nutrients also helps algae grow in on land, the nutrients also helps algae grow in water. Unfortunately, when the algae start to water. Unfortunately, when the algae start to die and decompose, the oxygen in the water is die and decompose, the oxygen in the water is depleted, creating an area that can’t support depleted, creating an area that can’t support most marine life.”most marine life.”

GULF OF MEXICO HYPOXIAGULF OF MEXICO HYPOXIA

Agricultural Research magazine, October 2002

Legend

Hypoxia 1999

7,778 sq. miles

For Illustration OnlyBased on Data FromN. Rabalais, LUMCON

Legend

Hypoxia 2000

1,750 sq. miles

For Illustration OnlyBased on Data FromN. Rabalais, LUMCON

LegendHypoxia 2001

8,006 sq. miles

For Illustration OnlyBased on Data FromN. Rabalais, LUMCON

8,500 sq. miles

LegendHypoxia 2002

For Illustration OnlyBased on Data FromN. Rabalais, LUMCON

Legend

LA Coastal Zone

Hypoxia 2000

Hypoxia 1999

Hypoxia 2001

Hypoxia 2002

For Illustration OnlyBased on Data FromN. Rabalais, LUMCON

HYPOXIC AREA IN THEGULF OF MEXIC0

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

15 No

dat

a

Data from N. Rabalais, LUMCON

FACTORS AFFECTING GULF HYPOXIA

Fertilization Stratification Eutrophication Channelization

Annual nitrogen inputs to the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin*

Taken from CENR publication “Draft: Integrated Assessment of Hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico.”

THE HYPOXIC ZONE IN THE GULF OF

MEXICO

Insert your state’s map with waterbodies here.

Legend

LA Coastal Zone

Hypoxia 2000

Hypoxia 1999

Hypoxia 2001

Hypoxia 2002

For Illustration OnlyBased on Data FromN. Rabalais, LUMCON

Calcasieu River Mermentau River Vermilion River

Bayou Teche Atchafalaya River Bayou Terrebonne

Bayou Lafourche Mississippi River

FACTORS AFFECTING GULF HYPOXIA

Fertilization Stratification Eutrophication Channelization

FINAL HYPOXIA ACTION PLAN – January 2001

Voluntary Approach to Reduce Nutrient Discharge to Gulf

Coastal Goal: By the year 2015, subject to the availability of additional resources, reduce the 5-year running average extent of the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone to less than 1,930 square miles through implementation of specific, practical, and cost-effective voluntary actions by all States, Tribes, and all categories of sources and removals within the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin to reduce the annual discharge of nitrogen into the Gulf.

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

Goal by 2015

15 No

dat

a

HYPOXIC AREA IN THEGULF OF MEXIC0

Data from N. Rabalais, LUMCON

HYPOXIA IN THE HYPOXIA IN THE GULF OF MEXICOGULF OF MEXICO

www.nos.noaa.gov

CENR Hypoxia Report Location

HARMFUL ALGAE BLOOMS

Passed by Congress in 1998 Inter-Agency Task Force on

Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia National Assessment on HAB National Assessment on Hypoxia Assessment AND Plan for Hypoxia

in the Gulf of Mexico

Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act