6 Interactive Maps of the Gulf Coast Oil Spill

For almost a month now a deep-water oil well has been gushing over 200,000 gallons of oil a day.  This catastrophic event has essentially shut down fishing in much of the gulf coast and is another reminder of why the US and whole world must find other forms of energy beyond oil.  With this epic event there has been no lack of media coverage and many news outlets have looked to interactive maps to help tell the story.  Here are six such maps:

1. New York Times Tracking the Oil Spill Map

This daily time line map was one of the first published on the event.  It has since been replaced and expanded upon by map number 4 below but still warrants starting off this list.

2. USA Today Oil Spill Growing in the Gulf Map

USA Today joined the mapping of this disaster a few days after the New York Times.  This map which they have continued to update also has a time line that you can play.  The other nice notable feature is the various satellite images that you can overlay on the map.

3. Google Earth: How Big is the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill?

Paul Rademacher uses the Google Map API to make this interesting creation.  Paul’s map allows you to compare the size of the oil spill with various cities and even the ability for you to type in a location and see how the oil spill covers that location.  Note: You need to install a Google Maps plug-in to view this map.

4. New York Times Tracking the Oil Spill Map V2

This second version of the oil spill map by the New York Times is still updated daily.  Similar to the other one and the USA Today map, there is a daily time line of the map that you can play.

5. Times-Picayune Track the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Movement

The Times-Picayune in New Orleans puts a map together to play with the rest of the big boys in this list.  Because New Orleans and the area south of here are some of the hardest hit, it makes sense for them to create a map.  Essentially what we have here is a daily time line of satellite images of the spill.

6. Washington Post Gulf Coast Oil Spill Map

This is probably my favorite of the maps, with a lot of details and notes provided.  There is a time line that you can play and a lot of facts and details to be read.

So which is your favorite map?  Have you seen other Gulf Oil Spill maps that you want to share?  Please leave a comment below.