Chesapeake Bay Hypoxia Report 2014

Sampling of the Chesapeake Bay in early-August 2014 found that the hypoxic volume (dead zone) in Maryland's portion of the Bay is above average. In fact it is the 8th largest recorded in 30 years of sampling for Maryland. This particular dead zone was most likely caused by mixing in the water column when Hurricane Arthur pass in July.

Currently there is a total of 1.32 cubic miles of dead zone waters in Maryland's main Chesapeake and is similar to predictions made by a team of NOAA, USGS, and university scientists. This team believes that the growing dead zone is due to a 20% increase in spring nitrogen loading caused by higher water flows.

A hypoxic, or dead, zone means that the oxygen in that body of water is depleted. In these areas organisms cannot survive and, unless they are mobile and can move locations, they will die off. Therefore, dead zones threaten important wildlife, commercial fisheries, and local economies.

Read the Maryland Department of Natural Resources' Report