# Horizons: Low Water Equals Rising Freight Rates - The Waterways Journal

> Water levels on the Mississippi and its tributaries are falling seasonally, and several gauges are near record lows for the third consecutive year. Hurricane Helene briefly raised levels at Memphis, but they fell back to -8.7 feet by October 23. Barge freight rates are rising as grain and soybean movements pick up.

- Date: 2024-10-25 · published 2024-10-25T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/16501-horizons-low-water-equals-rising-freight-rates-the-waterways-journal
- 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

Each foot of lost draft cuts barge loads and forces shippers to pay the same freight for less cargo, pushing up the cost of moving grain to export positions. That cost is likely to be passed back to farmers as lower bids.

## Read by commodity

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

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2022-01-14 | [Ice, Low Water Affecting Navigation - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16733-ice-low-water-affecting-navigation-the-waterways-journal.md) | -0.1% | +6.0% |
| CORN | 2022-10-21 | [Low Water And Mississippi River Drafts - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16676-low-water-and-mississippi-river-drafts-the-waterways-journal.md) | -0.9% | -1.4% |
| CORN | 2025-03-21 | [Spring Forward: What's On The Horizon For The Barge Market? - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16461-spring-forward-what-s-on-the-horizon-for-the-barge-market-the-waterways-journal.md) | -4.7% | +0.6% |
| CORN | 2023-08-25 | [Low Water Continues For Middle Mississippi - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16608-low-water-continues-for-middle-mississippi-the-waterways-journal.md) | -2.2% | -9.0% |
| CORN | 2024-10-25 | [Low Water 'Three-peats' On Upper, Middle Miss - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16499-low-water-three-peats-on-upper-middle-miss-the-waterways-journal.md) | -1.7% | +0.1% |
| SOY | 2022-01-14 | [Ice, Low Water Affecting Navigation - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16733-ice-low-water-affecting-navigation-the-waterways-journal.md) | +3.6% | +15.9% |
| SOY | 2022-10-21 | [Low Water And Mississippi River Drafts - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16676-low-water-and-mississippi-river-drafts-the-waterways-journal.md) | -0.7% | +1.8% |
| SOY | 2025-03-21 | [Spring Forward: What's On The Horizon For The Barge Market? - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16461-spring-forward-what-s-on-the-horizon-for-the-barge-market-the-waterways-journal.md) | +0.4% | +2.3% |

## Sources

- waterwaysjournal.net: https://www.waterwaysjournal.net/2024/10/25/horizons-low-water-equals-rising-freight-rates/

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