Gulf dead zone to be biggest ever (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

This year could see the biggest "dead zone" since records began form in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Scientists say conditions are right for the zone to exceed last summer's 6,662 sq miles (17,255 sq km).

The dead zone is an area of water virtually devoid of oxygen which cannot support marine life.

It is caused by nutrients such as fertilisers flowing into the Gulf, stimulating the growth of algae which absorbs the available oxygen.

The volume of nutrients flowing down rivers such as the Mississippi into the Gulf has tripled over the last 50 years.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6904249.stm

I know this has been posted already, but that alarm bell is still ringing. BTW, these "dead zones" are becoming more common, globally, due to more intensive agriculture.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. Hoppers coming down the Mississippi..... imagine how this volume

of fertilizer impacts the gulf


http://www.wtc-no.org/transport/ip-trilp.htm
VESSELS

>>General cargo service is provided by open and covered hopper barges typically 35 X 195 feet with 9 feet draft and carrying 1,500 tons. Liquid fertilizer barges are usually 50 X 290 feet with 9 feet draft and carrying 3,000 tons. Approximately 234 barges are served in an average year.<<

>>Eight to ten hours are needed to unload a barge at the dock or ramp. It takes approximately 5 minutes to load a truck from the storage pad and 15-20 minutes to load a rail car. Annual river throughput averages 350,000 tons with total annual throughput of 530,000 tons.<<