# A Dry Mississippi: What Low River Levels May Mean to Farmers, as Well as Consumers - Kentucky Farm Bureau

> Kentucky State Climatologist Jerald Brotzge said the Mississippi Basin drought was among the most severe since 1988, with record low river levels at some points. Low water had slowed or halted barge traffic in places. NOAA's winter outlook called for a continued La Niña with near-normal temperature and precipitation odds.

- Date: 2023-01-04 · published 2023-01-04T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: weather · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/16661-a-dry-mississippi-what-low-river-levels-may-mean-to-farmers-as-well-as
- Commodities: [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md), [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md)

## Why it matters

Low river levels raise barge freight and can strand grain and fertilizer shipments, which supports export basis and input costs. Uncertain winter rainfall leaves the freight risk unresolved.

## Read by commodity

- CORN: bullish ▲
- BARGE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2023-09-01 | [Severe Weather and Low Mississippi River Levels Bring Uncertainty to Harvest](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16610-severe-weather-and-low-mississippi-river-levels-bring-uncertainty-to-harvest.md) | +1.5% | -5.7% |
| CORN | 2018-04-05 | [Market Closes - April 5, 2018 - Kentucky Farm Bureau](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10071-market-closes-april-5-2018-kentucky-farm-bureau.md) | +1.1% | +3.0% |
| CORN | 2022-04-18 | [Market Closes - April 18, 2022 - Kentucky Farm Bureau](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5954-market-closes-april-18-2022-kentucky-farm-bureau.md) | +2.1% | -0.0% |
| CORN | 2022-01-04 | [Market Closes - January 4, 2022 - Kentucky Farm Bureau](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5773-market-closes-january-4-2022-kentucky-farm-bureau.md) | +3.4% | +5.7% |
| CORN | 2017-01-17 | [Market Closes - January 17, 2017 - Kentucky Farm Bureau](https://feedsoft.ai/events/11024-market-closes-january-17-2017-kentucky-farm-bureau.md) | +2.6% | +3.6% |

## Sources

- kyfb.com: https://www.kyfb.com/federation/newsroom/a-dry-mississippi-what-low-river-levels-may-mean-to-farmers-as-well-as-consumers/

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