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Long Island Sound's Dead Zones Hit Historic Low

1/18/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The Long Island Sound's hypoxic dead zones fell to a historic low, shrinking from about 430 square miles in 1987 to 18 square miles.
Environmentalists attribute this improvement to better wastewater management and advocacy efforts.
They warn that global warming could reverse these gains.
Residents are urged to reduce nutrient runoff from fertilizers and keep storm drains clean.

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Story summary

The Long Island Sound's hypoxic dead zones fell to a historic low, shrinking from about 430 square miles in 1987 to 18 square miles.
Environmentalists attribute this improvement to better wastewater management and advocacy efforts.
They warn that global warming could reverse these gains.
Residents are urged to reduce nutrient runoff from fertilizers and keep storm drains clean.