# Study: Mississippi River's 2022 low water levels reduced soybean crop value by up to $293 million

> A University of Arkansas study by James Mitchell and Hunter Biram estimates that record low Lower Mississippi River levels in 2022 reduced the value of Arkansas's soybean crop by up to $293 million. Draft restrictions and smaller barge tows cut the volume of grain moving to New Orleans.

- Date: 2025-06-16 · published 2025-06-16T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/16441-study-mississippi-river-s-2022-low-water-levels-reduced-soybean-crop-value-by
- Commodities: [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md), [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md)

## Why it matters

Low river levels raise barge costs and widen basis, which lowers the price farmers receive for soybeans. The study quantifies how much river logistics can depress regional soybean values.

## Read by commodity

- SOY: neutral
- BARGE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| SOY | 2021-06-23 | [Low water levels in the Mississippi River create issues for commercial boating - DredgeWire : DredgeWire](https://feedsoft.ai/events/46469-low-water-levels-in-the-mississippi-river-create-issues-for-commercial-boating.md) | -2.5% | +3.2% |
| SOY | 2023-02-06 | [Rising water levels on the Mississippi but supply chain issues persist - DredgeWire : DredgeWire](https://feedsoft.ai/events/37495-rising-water-levels-on-the-mississippi-but-supply-chain-issues-persist.md) | +0.7% | +0.6% |
| SOY | 2019-02-26 | [Extreme water flows on the Mississippi River - The Swedish Club](https://feedsoft.ai/events/60483-extreme-water-flows-on-the-mississippi-river-the-swedish-club.md) | -0.9% | -0.6% |
| SOY | 2023-02-13 | [New funding proposal aims to reduce bottlenecks on Upper Mississippi River - News Service](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16653-new-funding-proposal-aims-to-reduce-bottlenecks-on-upper-mississippi-river-news.md) | -1.0% | -2.8% |
| SOY | 2019-06-27 | [Mixed emotions as Upper Mississippi River reopens to barges](https://feedsoft.ai/events/58498-mixed-emotions-as-upper-mississippi-river-reopens-to-barges.md) | -1.0% | -1.3% |

## Sources

- uaex.uada.edu: https://www.uaex.uada.edu/media-resources/news/2025/june/06-16-2025-ark-low-mississippi-soybeans.aspx

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