The Chesapeake Bay observed the 10th-smallest “dead zone” since 1985, according to findings released by the Chesapeake Bay Program and its partners, including the University of Michigan. This finding is on par with the forecast released in June, which estimated a 13% smaller-than-average dead zone. Lower than usual amounts of winter and spring precipitation brought fewer nutrient and sediment pollutants into the bay from the surrounding watershed, resulting in a smaller “dead zone.“
