Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium

Largest Gulf ‘dead zone’ in 13 years due to spring rains

The "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico is the largest since 2002 and more than three times bigger than the target set by the so-called Hypoxia Task Force.

A “dead zone” the size of Connecticut in Gulf this year

Scientists forecast an average-sized "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico this year of 5,483 square miles, "or about the size of Connecticut," says the U.S. Geological Survey.