# Ep. 7 Low Water Levels on the Mississippi River: Not the Three-Peat We Want

> A University of Arkansas podcast episode discusses how low Mississippi River water levels affect commodity transport costs, regional basis differentials and market dynamics. The hosts frame the river's shallow conditions as a recurring issue for grain logistics. The episode is commentary on conditions already under way rather than a new policy or market shock.

- Date: 2024-08-28 · published 2024-08-28T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/16514-ep-7-low-water-levels-on-the-mississippi-river-not-the-three-peat-we-want
- Commodities: [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md), [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md), [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md)

## Why it matters

Lower river levels reduce barge drafts and raise downriver barge freight, which widens basis for farmers far from the Gulf and pressures local cash prices.

## Read by commodity

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

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| SOY | 2022-01-27 | [Low Mississippi River water levels impact river users](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16735-low-mississippi-river-water-levels-impact-river-users.md) | +7.3% | +15.4% |
| SOY | 2022-09-30 | [Low Mississippi River water levels threaten U.S. agricultural exports - Marine Log](https://feedsoft.ai/events/39755-low-mississippi-river-water-levels-threaten-u-s-agricultural-exports-marine-log.md) | -3.7% | -2.0% |
| SOY | 2022-10-30 | [The Mississippi River is facing low water levels. It could make inflation worse : NPR](https://feedsoft.ai/events/39335-the-mississippi-river-is-facing-low-water-levels-it-could-make-inflation-worse.md) | +4.6% | +5.0% |
| SOY | 2022-10-31 | [Low Water Levels in the Mississippi River Result in Abnormally Weak Soybean Basis](https://feedsoft.ai/events/39337-low-water-levels-in-the-mississippi-river-result-in-abnormally-weak-soybean.md) | +4.6% | +5.0% |
| 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% |
| CORN | 2022-01-27 | [Low Mississippi River water levels impact river users](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16735-low-mississippi-river-water-levels-impact-river-users.md) | +1.7% | +10.2% |
| CORN | 2022-09-30 | [Low Mississippi River water levels threaten U.S. agricultural exports - Marine Log](https://feedsoft.ai/events/39755-low-mississippi-river-water-levels-threaten-u-s-agricultural-exports-marine-log.md) | +1.0% | +3.8% |
| CORN | 2022-10-30 | [The Mississippi River is facing low water levels. It could make inflation worse : NPR](https://feedsoft.ai/events/39335-the-mississippi-river-is-facing-low-water-levels-it-could-make-inflation-worse.md) | -2.2% | -3.8% |

## Sources

- fryar-risk-center.uada.edu: https://fryar-risk-center.uada.edu/ag-markets/ep-7-low-water-levels-on-the-mississippi-river/

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