Note: Intro -- Acknowledgments -- Contents -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- Contributors -- Glossary -- List of Acronyms and Symbols -- Conversion Factors and Abbreviations -- Executive Summary -- Findings -- Recommendations for Monitoring and Research -- Recommendations for Adaptive Management -- Management Options -- Protecting and Enhancing Social Welfare in the Basin -- Conclusion -- 1 Introduction -- 1.1 Hypoxia and the Northern Gulf of Mexico A Brief Overview -- 1.2 Science and Management Goals for Reducing Hypoxia -- 1.3 Hypoxia Study Group -- 1.4 The Study Groups Approach -- 2 Characterization of Hypoxia -- 2.1 Historical Patterns and Evidence for Hypoxia on the Shelf -- 2.2 The Physical Context -- 2.2.1 Oxygen Budget: General Considerations -- 2.2.2 Vertical Mixing as a Function of Stratification and Vertical Shear -- 2.2.3 Changes in Mississippi River Hydrology and Their Effects on Vertical Mixing -- 2.2.4 Zones of Hypoxia Controls -- 2.2.5 Shelf Circulation: Local Versus Regional -- 2.3 Role of N and P in Controlling Primary Production -- 2.3.1 Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fluxes to the NGOM Background -- 2.3.2 N and P Limitation in Different Shelf Zones and Linkages Between High Primary Production Inshore and the Hypoxic Regions Farther Offshore -- 2.4 Other Limiting Factors and the Role of Si -- 2.5 Sources of Organic Matter to the Hypoxic Zone -- 2.5.1 Sources of Organic Matter to NGOM: Post 2000 Integrated Assessment -- 2.5.2 Advances in Organic Matter Understanding: Characterization and Processes -- 2.5.3 Synthesis Efforts Regarding Organic Matter Sources -- 2.6 Denitrification, P Burial, and Nutrient Recycling -- 2.7 Possible Regime Shift in the Gulf of Mexico -- 2.8 Single Versus Dual Nutrient Removal Strategies -- 2.9 Current State of Forecasting -- 3 Nutrient Fate, Transport, and Sources. , 3.1 Temporal Characteristics of Streamflow and Nutrient Flux -- 3.1.1 MARB Annual and Seasonal Fluxes -- 3.1.1.1 Annual Patterns -- 3.1.1.2 Seasonal Patterns -- 3.1.2 Subbasin Annual and Seasonal Flux -- 3.1.2.1 Annual Patterns -- 3.1.2.2 Annual Flux Estimates -- 3.1.2.3 Annual Yield Estimates -- 3.1.2.4 Seasonal Patterns -- 3.2 Mass Balance of Nutrients -- 3.2.1 Cropping Patterns -- 3.2.2 Nonpoint Sources -- 3.2.3 Point Sources -- 3.3 Nutrient Transport Processes -- 3.3.1 Aquatic Processes -- 3.3.2 Freshwater Wetlands -- 3.3.3 Nutrient Sources and Sinks in Coastal Wetlands -- 3.4 Ability to Route and Predict Nutrient Delivery to the Gulf -- 3.4.1 SPARROW Model -- 3.4.2 SWAT Model -- 3.4.3 IBIS/THMB Model -- 3.4.4 Discussion and Comparison of Models -- 3.4.5 Targeting -- 3.4.6 Model Uncertainty -- 4 Scientific Basis for Goals and Management Options -- 4.1 Adaptive Management -- 4.2 Setting Targets for Nitrogen and Phosphorus Reduction -- 4.3 Protecting Water Quality and Social Welfare in the Basin -- 4.3.1 Assessment and Review of the Cost Estimates from the CENR Integrated Assessment -- 4.3.2 Other Large-Scale Integrated Economic and Biophysical Models for Agricultural Nonpoint Sources -- 4.3.3 Research Assessing the Basin-Wide Co-benefits -- 4.3.4 Principles of Landscape Design -- 4.4 Cost-Effective Approaches for Nonpoint Source Control -- 4.4.1 Voluntary Programs -- Without Economic Incentives -- 4.4.2 Existing Agricultural Conservation Programs -- 4.4.3 Emissions and Water Quality Trading Programs -- 4.4.4 Agricultural Subsidies and Conservation Compliance Provisions -- 4.4.5 Taxes -- 4.4.6 Eco-labeling and Consumer Driven Demand -- 4.5 Options for Managing Nutrients, Co-benefits, and Consequences -- 4.5.1 Agricultural Drainage -- 4.5.1.1 Alternative Drainage System Design and Management -- 4.5.1.2 Bioreactors -- 4.5.2 Freshwater Wetlands. , 4.5.2.1 Nitrogen -- 4.5.2.2 Phosphorus -- 4.5.3 Conservation Buffers -- 4.5.4 Cropping Systems -- 4.5.5 Animal Production Systems -- 4.5.5.1 System Development and Nutrient Flows -- 4.5.5.2 Manure as a Component of N and P Mass Balances -- 4.5.5.3 Remedial Strategies -- 4.5.5.4 Alternative Manure Management Technologies -- 4.5.6 In-Field Nutrient Management -- 4.5.6.1 Fertilizer Sources -- 4.5.6.2 Fertilizer Use and Application Technology -- 4.5.6.3 Watershed-Scale Fertilizer Management -- 4.5.6.4 Controlled-Release Fertilizers -- 4.5.6.5 Effects of N Management on Soil Resource Sustainability -- 4.5.6.6 Precision Agriculture Management Tools for Nitrogen -- 4.5.6.7 Precision Agriculture Management Tools for Phosphorus -- 4.5.6.8 Nutrient Management Planning Strategies -- 4.5.7 Effective Actions for Other Nonpoint Sources -- 4.5.7.1 Atmospheric Deposition -- 4.5.7.2 Residential and Urban Sources -- 4.5.8 Most Effective Actions for Industrial and Municipal Sources -- 4.5.9 Ethanol and Water Quality in the MARB -- 4.5.9.1 Water Quality Implications of Projected Grain-Based Ethanol Production Levels -- 4.5.9.2 Impacts on Nutrient Application to Corn -- 4.5.9.3 Grain Versus Cellulosic Ethanol and Water Quality -- 4.5.10 Integrating Conservation Options -- 5 Summary of Findings and Recommendations -- 5.1 Characterization of Hypoxia -- 5.2 Nutrient Fate, Transport, and Sources -- 5.3 Goals and Management Options -- 5.4 Conclusion -- Appendices -- Appendix A: Studies on the Effects of Hypoxia on Living Resources -- Appendix B: Flow Diagrams and Mass Balance of Nutrients -- Global Material Cycles -- Atmospheric Deposition -- Appendix C: Animal Production Systems -- Intensification of Animal Feeding Operations -- Nutrient Budgets -- Nutrient Surpluses -- Targeting Remedial Strategies Within the MARB -- Managing Manures. , Crop Selected to Receive Manure Application -- Rate and Frequency of Application -- Intensity and Duration of Grazing -- Stream-Bank Fencing -- Appendix D: Calculation of Point Source Inputs of N and P -- Appendix E: USUSEPAs Guidance on Nutrient Criteria -- Comparison of SAB Nitrogen and Phosphorus Recommendations with USEPA Nitrogen and Phosphorus Criteria Recommended Reference Conditions ' Submitted by USEPA's Office of Water, 8-24-07. -- A More Comprehensive Approach -- References -- Subject Index.