This summer’s ‘dead zone’ in the Gulf will be larger than average, but task force claims progress is being made

The Gulf of Mexico's 2023 'dead zone' is projected to exceed 7,000 square miles, larger than the four-decade average but below the 2017 record. The Mississippi River/Gulf of America Hypoxia Task Force aims to reduce the dead zone to 1,900 square miles by 2035, citing progress despite ongoing challenges from nutrient pollution linked to agriculture and urban areas.