# Low water levels return to Mississippi River as harvest season begins | Feed & Grain

> Low water has returned to the Mississippi River system as harvest ramps up, after an exceptionally dry August in the Ohio Valley. The Coast Guard imposed draft and tow restrictions on September 19, limiting southbound drafts to 10 feet and tows to six barges wide. The Ohio River is supplying only 12% of the lower Mississippi's flow, and the Memphis gauge reads -7.1 feet.

- Date: 2025-09-25 · published 2025-09-25T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/16423-low-water-levels-return-to-mississippi-river-as-harvest-season-begins-feed-and
- Commodities: [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md), [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md)

## Why it matters

Restricted barge loading raises freight costs and can delay shipments of a projected record corn crop. Higher transport costs widen interior basis and pressure farm-gate prices during peak harvest.

## Read by commodity

- SOY: bearish ▼
- CORN: bearish ▼
- BARGE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2024-09-10 | [Lower Mississippi River Water Levels Falling Just as Fall Harvest Begins](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16510-lower-mississippi-river-water-levels-falling-just-as-fall-harvest-begins.md) | +4.0% | +5.3% |
| CORN | 2024-09-04 | [Low water levels on the Mississippi River impact barges and grain exports before harvest](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16513-low-water-levels-on-the-mississippi-river-impact-barges-and-grain-exports.md) | -1.4% | +4.9% |
| CORN | 2023-10-09 | [How low Mississippi River water levels could disrupt grain harvests, again \| Agriculture Dive](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16594-how-low-mississippi-river-water-levels-could-disrupt-grain-harvests-again.md) | -0.2% | -3.4% |
| CORN | 2023-09-21 | [Barge loads reduced as low water impacts Mississippi River \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16605-barge-loads-reduced-as-low-water-impacts-mississippi-river-feed-and-grain.md) | -0.2% | +0.5% |
| CORN | 2026-01-27 | [Low water levels slowing grain flow down Mississippi River - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16391-low-water-levels-slowing-grain-flow-down-mississippi-river-brownfield-ag-news.md) | -0.7% | -0.4% |
| SOY | 2024-09-10 | [Lower Mississippi River Water Levels Falling Just as Fall Harvest Begins](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16510-lower-mississippi-river-water-levels-falling-just-as-fall-harvest-begins.md) | +0.5% | +3.4% |
| SOY | 2024-09-04 | [Low water levels on the Mississippi River impact barges and grain exports before harvest](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16513-low-water-levels-on-the-mississippi-river-impact-barges-and-grain-exports.md) | -2.0% | +6.0% |
| SOY | 2023-10-09 | [How low Mississippi River water levels could disrupt grain harvests, again \| Agriculture Dive](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16594-how-low-mississippi-river-water-levels-could-disrupt-grain-harvests-again.md) | +1.1% | +4.9% |

## Sources

- feedandgrain.com: https://www.feedandgrain.com/business-markets/news/15767944/low-water-levels-return-to-mississippi-river-as-harvest-season-begins

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.