# Drought Stalls Mississippi River Cargo

> Dangerously low water temporarily halted Mississippi River traffic near Memphis and Stack Island, stalling more than 2,000 barges. The stranded cargo includes corn, wheat, fertilizer and other bulk goods. The Corps is dredging to reopen the channel as drought conditions worsen.

- Date: 2022-05-14 · published 2022-05-14T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/16710-drought-stalls-mississippi-river-cargo
- Commodities: [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md), [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md)

## Why it matters

Halted barges tighten barge capacity and lift freight rates, widening the basis for grain shipped from upriver origins while delaying deliveries to Gulf export terminals.

## Read by commodity

- CORN: neutral
- BARGE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2024-02-28 | [Mississippi River drought is officially over, but situation remains fragile](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16566-mississippi-river-drought-is-officially-over-but-situation-remains-fragile.md) | +3.8% | +5.5% |
| CORN | 2024-02-26 | [Mississippi River Basin drought officially ends confirms USACE \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16562-mississippi-river-basin-drought-officially-ends-confirms-usace-feed-and-grain.md) | +0.5% | +7.8% |
| CORN | 2024-02-23 | [Mississippi River levels return to normal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16563-mississippi-river-levels-return-to-normal.md) | +0.1% | +7.0% |
| CORN | 2016-11-21 | [Mississippi River Reopened after Barge Breakaway](https://feedsoft.ai/events/73762-mississippi-river-reopened-after-barge-breakaway.md) | -0.1% | +1.3% |
| CORN | 2026-10-23 | [Mississippi River Grain Freight Rates Fall - The Waterways Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16331-mississippi-river-grain-freight-rates-fall-the-waterways-journal.md) | -0.6% | — |

## Sources

- news.youdle.io: https://news.youdle.io/2022/10/drought-stalls-mississippi-river-cargo.html

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