'Dead zone' strategy rattles farm interests By pbeeman@dmreg.com The fight over the Gulf of Mexico's "dead zone" - a problem scientists say can be traced in large part to Iowa and its sister farming states - has ramped up as the Obama administration considers a regulatory attack on the problem.    Suzanne Schwartz, who directs [...]

Dead zone seen making a dent in fishing efforts By Nikki Buskey, Staff WriterSaturday, August 1, 2009 at 6:01 a.m., HOUMA COURIERHOUMA — Scientists and fishermen are feeling the effects of this year’s annual Gulf dead zone, which lurks unusually close to the coast. Even though the area of oxygen-starved ocean is smaller than predicted [...]

In 12 years, minimal progress combating dead zone By Robert Zullo, Senior Staff WriterWednesday, July 29, 2009 at 12:00 p.m., HOUMA COURIERHOUMA — Though the area of oxygen-depleted water this year in the Gulf of Mexico is half as big as predicted, scientists say that doesn’t foreshadow a shrinking trend. And while a task force [...]

Decrease in size of gulf's 'dead zone' is encouraging By Leslie Holloway, Jefferson City Director, State and Local Governmental Affairs, Missouri Farm Bureau08/06/2009, St. Louis Today Commentary   The researchers quoted in the article "Smaller 'dead zone' belies water quality" (July 28) caution against reading too much into the significant decrease in the size of [...]

New Wetland Sites Dedicated To Help Reduce Nitrates By Dan VoigtAugust 6, 2009Emmetsburg News Article Photos      CREP?GROUNDBREAKING - A 550 acre site east of Graettinger was one of two locations in Palo Alto County that broke ground for a new Conservation Resource Enhancement Program on Tuesday. Various entities were on hand to witness [...]

Gulf Dead Zone Looks Smaller, but Appearances Deceive By By Brandon Keim, Wired Science at Wired.comJuly 28, 2009The infamous Gulf of Mexico dead zone looks smaller than predicted this year, but scientists say the reprieve is just temporary, and barely even a reprieve. Some worry that more pollution could cause the Gulf’s ecosystem to collapse. [...]

Controlling farm runoff could have multiple benefits By Mark Steil, Minnesota Public Radio August 5, 2009 Tracey, Minn. — A big contributor to the Gulf of Mexico's 'dead zone' is farmland runoff, but a new approach to farmland drainage may help reduce its size. The problem starts when farm runoff, containing a lot of nitrogen [...]

Dead zone research briskJul 26 2009 1:10AM NEW ORLEANS (AP) A watery "dead zone" off Louisiana's coast has been alive with scientists of late. A group who just measured the "dead zone" is getting its gear off the research boat Pelican so scientists from Texas A&M can load up for a different look at the phenomenon. Oceanographer Steven [...]

NOAA: Smaller Than Expected, But Severe, Dead Zone in Gulf of Mexico Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 9:01 AM Contact:          Ben Sherman                                      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                         301-713-3066                                      July 27, 2009                                                                                                 EDITOR’S NOTE: Animation of Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone formation can be downloaded from the NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory Web site: http://www.nnvl.noaa.gov   Smaller Than [...]

New NOAA chief brings attention to dead zone By JANET McCONNAUGHEY, Associated Press WriterJuly 22, 2009 NEW ORLEANS -- The "dead zone" off the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, where there is too little oxygen in the water for anything to live, is getting new federal attention under President Barack Obama's administration. Jane Lubchenco, head [...]