# Mississippi River record-low water levels ease some, but long-term forecast is dry » Yale Climate Connections

> The Mississippi River is at record low levels along a 270-mile stretch, with a short bump expected from Hurricane Roslyn's rains. Drought across the US has cost more than $9 billion this year, and a third La Niña winter is forecast to keep the watershed dry.

- Date: 2022-10-24 · published 2022-10-24T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude high
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/39028-mississippi-river-record-low-water-levels-ease-some-but-long-term-forecast-is
- 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

Low water restricts barge drafts and capacity on the key grain export corridor, raising freight costs and widening Gulf-versus-interior basis, which weighs on farm-gate corn and soybean prices.

## Read by commodity

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

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2026-06-01 | [Low Mississippi River Water Levels Raise Shipping Costs for Farmers](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16363-low-mississippi-river-water-levels-raise-shipping-costs-for-farmers.md) | -5.0% | -5.7% |
| 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% |
| CORN | 2024-09-16 | [Low Mississippi River water levels disrupt barge shipping for third consecutive year \| Agriculture Dive](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16507-low-mississippi-river-water-levels-disrupt-barge-shipping-for-third-consecutive.md) | +1.6% | +2.7% |
| CORN | 2026-05-26 | [Low Mississippi River Water Levels Raise Shipping Costs For Farmers — Louisiana Farm Bureau News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16362-low-mississippi-river-water-levels-raise-shipping-costs-for-farmers-louisiana.md) | -1.8% | -6.6% |
| CORN | 2022-11-15 | [Low Mississippi River water levels drive up shipping costs - Marketplace](https://feedsoft.ai/events/38859-low-mississippi-river-water-levels-drive-up-shipping-costs-marketplace.md) | -1.3% | -5.1% |
| SOY | 2026-06-01 | [Low Mississippi River Water Levels Raise Shipping Costs for Farmers](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16363-low-mississippi-river-water-levels-raise-shipping-costs-for-farmers.md) | -5.0% | -4.5% |
| 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 | 2024-09-16 | [Low Mississippi River water levels disrupt barge shipping for third consecutive year \| Agriculture Dive](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16507-low-mississippi-river-water-levels-disrupt-barge-shipping-for-third-consecutive.md) | +2.6% | +1.9% |

## Sources

- yaleclimateconnections.org: https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2022/10/mississippi-river-record-low-water-levels-ease-some-but-long-term-forecast-is-dry/

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