In a recent admittance Indiana and Kentucky are sharing some of the blame for the dead zone in the Gulf. The US Geological Survey put the two states in the top six among 31 states with waters that drain excess nitrogen and phosphorous into the Gulf. This nitrogen has been coming from sources such as farms, sewage treatment plants and power-plant emissions.
It is true that nitrogen and phosphorous are essential for healthy aquatic life but excess amount of these elements could sets off rampant algae growth. When these algae dies and sinks to the bottom, its decomposition consumes oxygen, creating a condition called hypoxia that suffocates fish and other animals that can’t make it to healthy water.
As per the record of the Gulf Fishery Management Council that manages fishing from the end of state waters out to 200 miles, the economic value of commercial and recreational fishing in the Gulf fishery was estimated at more than $6 billion in 2005. Benjamin Grumbles, who directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s water program, and is chairman of a Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force, informed that the main issue is to help the Mississippi River system deliver a more balanced diet of nutrients.
According to Grumbles the new findings could help steer government action and citizen stewardship to get us more bang for the buck, and cut the size of the dead zone in faster and fairer ways. Representatives of Kentucky and Indiana regulators said they have been working to develop statewide water quality standards for nitrogen and phosphorous. They said that work is in progress to provide healthy nutrients to aquatic animals in the Gulf of Mexico.
