# Drought threatens return of shipping disruption on US waterways - The Loadstar

> Hot, dry weather is pushing the Ohio and Mississippi rivers toward low-water levels, with the Ohio near Cairo expected to fall a further four feet before month-end. Forecasts show the Mississippi receding about three feet at St Louis and six feet near Memphis. Shippers fear a repeat of 2022, when low water cut barge payloads by 20-27% and stranded barges during peak grain shipments.

- Date: 2023-07-21 · published 2023-07-21T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/35231-drought-threatens-return-of-shipping-disruption-on-us-waterways-the-loadstar
- Commodities: [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md), [Soybean Meal](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SBM.md)

## Why it matters

Lower river levels reduce barge payloads and raise freight costs, which can lift delivered prices for corn and soybean meal into southern and export markets. Restricted barge capacity can also slow US soybean exports, supporting domestic soy prices relative to Gulf export basis.

## Read by commodity

- SBM: neutral
- BARGE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| SBM | 2019-12-29 | [Traffic Jam on the Illinois Waterway: Tugboats Are Busy Through the Holidays](https://feedsoft.ai/events/55474-traffic-jam-on-the-illinois-waterway-tugboats-are-busy-through-the-holidays.md) | +0.8% | +0.7% |
| SBM | 2017-01-04 | [Market update: Lysine prices increase on supply disruptions](https://feedsoft.ai/events/72919-market-update-lysine-prices-increase-on-supply-disruptions.md) | +1.7% | +9.0% |
| SBM | 2019-10-08 | [Illinois Waterway Closures: Look For The Workaround](https://feedsoft.ai/events/56745-illinois-waterway-closures-look-for-the-workaround.md) | +2.9% | +1.7% |
| SBM | 2021-10-11 | [Brazil Soymeal Exports Soar As Drought Disrupts Argentina Export Route \| ESM Magazine](https://feedsoft.ai/events/44401-brazil-soymeal-exports-soar-as-drought-disrupts-argentina-export-route-esm.md) | +0.4% | +4.2% |
| SBM | 2025-01-08 | [Low river levels remain a concern for inland waterways - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16477-low-river-levels-remain-a-concern-for-inland-waterways-brownfield-ag-news.md) | +0.9% | +4.7% |

## Sources

- theloadstar.com: https://theloadstar.com/drought-threatens-return-of-shipping-disruption-on-us-waterways/

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