Oxygen levels in the Chesapeake Bay plummeted to record lows this summer, with late June hypoxia readings—areas with dangerously low oxygen—three times higher than normal, according to Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources. A mix of heat, lack of storms, and weak wind allowed dead zones to grow, stressing marine life. Dead crabs were found in early July, likely caused by oxygen-depleted water pushed ashore. A water quality expert says improvements to wastewater treatment and better stormwater and fertilizer management can help reduce future low-oxygen events.