The Mississippi River, North America’s largest river system, is under threat. Air and water pollution, downstream flooding and coastal land loss are among the environmental pressures that are putting the health and future of the waterway — and the communities that depend on it — at risk.

What is the “Dead Zone?” And why is it growing in the Gulf of Mexico? Dr. Nancy Rabalais joins President William F. Tate IV to answer these questions; give a behind-the-scenes look at an oceanographer's life both on deck and below; and describe her journey to being elected to the most prestigious scientific society in the U.S., the National Academy of Sciences.

The "dead zone" of the Gulf of Mexico Ocean expert Nancy Rabalais tracks the ominously named "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico -- where there isn't enough oxygen in the water to support life. The Gulf has the second largest dead zone in the world; on top of killing fish and crustaceans, it's [...]

Diving the Deadzone, Part 1 Diving at station C6C in the northern Gulf of Mexico, south of Terrebonne Bay. This station is in the heart of the “dead zone”- a region of seasonally hypoxic bottom water that can span tens of thousands of square kilometers. The dive demonstrates the beautiful green water of the [...]

CBS This Morning – Massive dead zone in Gulf of Mexico The largest dead zone ever recorded in the U.S. has appeared in the Gulf of Mexico. It is primarily caused by fertilizer and sewage runoff that eventually forces marine life to leave — or suffocate and die. Jeff Glor reports. [...]

The Mississippi River Connection Diving at station C6C in the northern Gulf of Mexico, south of Terrebonne Bay. This station is in the heart of the “dead zone”- a region of seasonally hypoxic bottom water that can span tens of thousands of square kilometers. The dive demonstrates the beautiful green water of the [...]

Navigating “Troubled Waters” UpTake interviews documentary director Larkin McPhee about “Troubled Waters” and speaks to several panelists: scientist Dr. Nancy Rabalais, sustainable farmer Jack Hedin and the university’s director of the institute on the environment Jonathan Foley.

Ocean Frontiers – Iowa & the Gulf of Mexico Iowa farmers, by better tending their soils, are helping to restore the Gulf of Mexico, more than 1000 miles away.

Dr. Nancy Rabalais explains her work on hypoxia for 2012 MacArthur Fellow Award Marine ecologist Nancy Rabalais was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2012. The Fellowship is a $500,000, no-strings-attached grant for individuals who have shown exceptional creativity in their work and the promise to do more. Learn more at http://www.macfound.org/fellows. [...]

Did We Cause the DEAD ZONE? The Weather Channel host Matt Sampson discusses a 6000 square mile area of the Gulf of Mexico where sea life can’t survive.