Chesapeake Facing One of the Worst "Dead Zones" in 20 Years

The Chesapeake Bay’s top scientists recently delivered an ominous summer forecast: the Bay and its rivers will most likely again suffer record-breaking "dead zones," enormous areas of oxygen-depleted water that harm aquatic life.

Researchers warned that this year's dead zones could rank among the five worst for the Bay in two decades. Moreover, the agency predicted that harmful algal blooms in the Potomac River could last for more than two months and cover more than 10 miles. In 2004, the Bay's dead zone covered more than 35% (1/3) of the Bay's main stem, causing fish kills, closing public beaches, and negatively affecting commercial and recreational fishermen. http://www.cbf.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=11061