美國聯邦政府與大學機構的科學家預測2007年夏天路易斯安那和德州海岸的「死海區」（dead zone），將會是自1985年開始測量大陸棚的最大範圍，而且大於1990年觀察到的平均大小。
「死海區」是一個低氧或無氧的海底區域，其中的海洋生物全部難逃一死。
美國海洋和大氣總署（NOAA）、路易斯安那 大學海洋集團及路易斯安那州大學的科學家以州立大學的透納（R. Eugene Turner）為首，預測2007年夏天的「死海區」將會是約2萬2000平方公里的範圍，相當於新紐澤西州大小（譯者註︰台灣面積約3萬6000平方公里）。
熱帶暴風和龍捲風能夠打破海洋垂直水層的結構，將氧氣帶入海洋最底層。NOAA預測2007年會是龍捲風旺季。但如果沒有任何強烈風暴出現，2007年的「死海區」是相當於2002年紀錄的最大範圍，而且深入德州大陸棚水域。
科學家們的預測，是根據5月密西西比河與其支流阿查法拉亞河以及2006年的硝化鹽物含量狀況。科學家們認為相對高量的硝化鹽物，可能是因為更多土地用以從事精密農耕，包括種植生質燃料作物、特殊氣候形態，或者不斷改變的農耕行為使然。
A team of federal government and university scientists is predicting that the "dead zone" off the coast of Louisiana and Texas this summer could be the largest since shelf wide measurements began in 1985, and much larger than the average size since 1990.
A dead zone is an area of low oxygen or no oxygen which can kill all marine life in it.
The scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, and Louisiana State University, led by R. Eugene Turner of LSU, predict this summer's "dead zone" may be as large as 8,500 square miles, an area about the size of New Jersey.
Tropical storms and hurricanes are capable of disrupting the physical structure of the water column and aerating the bottom layer.
While NOAA has predicted an active hurricane season for 2007, if no strong storms appear, this year's dead zone could equal the largest recorded in 2002 and stretch into Texas' continental shelf waters.
The forecast is based on nitrate loads from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers in May and incorporates the previous year's conditions.
The relatively high nitrate loading may be due to more intensive farming of more land, including crops used for biofuels, unique weather patterns, or changing farming practices, the scientists said.
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