There is a Dead Zone that has been occurring along the Texas and Louisiana coastline’s during the summer months since researchers started measuring it in 1985. This August, assistant professor Cameron Thrash carried a GoPro while he dove the dead zone 60 feet below the surface approximately 30 miles south of Cocodrie. A dead zone is where bacteria has depleted the water of oxygen and life fails to thrive.

“The dead zone forms when the Mississippi River flushes fresh water laden with nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, into the Gulf. The nutrient pollution fuels massive algal blooms, which die off and sink to the sea floor. The algae is consumed by bacteria, which depletes the water of oxygen.”

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