[Wonder Warthog]

"If it remains significantly concentrated on and just beneath the surface and hits the area with 40% of the nation's marshlands, this is not true. Location, depth and currents will cause much more damage than Ixtoc."

I can't for the life of me figure out how you reach such a conclusion. The depth of the spill and the use of dispersants means that a much larger fraction of the spill will be "scattered" (dissolved, dispersed, whatever)before the spill ever REACHES the surface (compared to Ixtoc. which was almost totally confined to the surface).

The dominant current in that area flows west-to-east, so again, less of the spill should hit Louisisna. And by the time it gets to Florida, the nature of the spill will have changed (weathering, evaporation, etc) to more nearly match the state of the Ixtoc oil as it reached the Texas coast......which, due to the Bureau of Land Management study done on the Texas coast, we already know the impact of.

[D-fendr]

The depth of the spill and the use of dispersants means that a much larger fraction of the spill will be "scattered"

Everything is relative. How much of the dispersal underwater will result in emulsified oil or no oil? What mixture will hit the estuaries and marsh land? Compared to Ixtoc, this one is already damaging these areas more.

What's the size of the spill, how long will it spill, what will reach the fragile areas in what concentration? Whether it could or will be "more" or "less" is not as important as "how much" it will be.

Again, compared to Ixtoc, it is already looking much more harmful.

[D-fendr]

Ixtoc main hit was the mostly arid areas of NE Mexico and SO Texas. This one is much further east. 65% of the freshwater into the Gulf is from the Mississippi - all these estuaries are a much more fragile and valuable breeding ground.

[D-fendr]

Ixtoc was just off the coast of Mexico 600 mi south of Texas. This one is off the LA coast by the largest estuaries we have:

http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/05/gulf_of_mexico_oil_spill_anima.html

[emax]

That is all true, but I do think people will also suggest the fact that is in deeper waters means the plumes will be more dangerous to ecosystems that the sea life in shallow waters depend on. They believe that the plumes are killing life in deeper waters and are more toxic down there in areas that are vital to the food chain. Of course, they could be blowing that out of proportion too.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37435289/ns/gulf_oil_spill/

Is what I was referring too, though it could be just more hysteria of course.

[D-fendr]

Interesting:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2526634/posts