# Flooding Slowing Traffic on U.S. Rivers and It's Not Even Spring Yet

> DTN reports flooding on the Ohio River has cut maximum barge tows to 12 from 15 and forced daylight-only operations at several locks, while Smithland Lock is closed to barge traffic. Upper Mississippi sections near St. Paul remain closed for winter with ice cover.

- Date: 2019-02-25 · published 2019-02-25T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/60484-flooding-slowing-traffic-on-u-s-rivers-and-it-s-not-even-spring-yet
- 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

Reduced tow sizes and lock closures raise barge freight costs and slow grain movement from the Midwest to the Gulf, which can widen basis and weigh on local cash bids.

## Read by commodity

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

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2023-04-27 | [Flooding on Upper Mississippi River to halt barge traffic for weeks, USDA says](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16633-flooding-on-upper-mississippi-river-to-halt-barge-traffic-for-weeks-usda-says.md) | -0.9% | -4.0% |
| CORN | 2019-06-16 | [Flooding Slows Business And Barges Along The River \| STLPR](https://feedsoft.ai/events/58791-flooding-slows-business-and-barges-along-the-river-stlpr.md) | -0.8% | -0.8% |
| CORN | 2022-09-29 | [Low water on the Mississippi River impacting barge traffic \| AP News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16679-low-water-on-the-mississippi-river-impacting-barge-traffic-ap-news.md) | +1.7% | +4.0% |
| CORN | 2018-03-02 | [Flood waters impacting barge traffic - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/65887-flood-waters-impacting-barge-traffic-brownfield-ag-news.md) | +1.2% | +3.0% |
| CORN | 2022-11-07 | [Mississippi River's Low Levels Causing Barge Traffic Issues](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10337-mississippi-river-s-low-levels-causing-barge-traffic-issues.md) | -0.7% | -5.4% |
| SOY | 2023-04-27 | [Flooding on Upper Mississippi River to halt barge traffic for weeks, USDA says](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16633-flooding-on-upper-mississippi-river-to-halt-barge-traffic-for-weeks-usda-says.md) | +0.8% | -7.8% |
| SOY | 2017-10-03 | [River issues slow barge traffic - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/68665-river-issues-slow-barge-traffic-brownfield-ag-news.md) | +1.0% | +1.6% |
| SOY | 2018-01-19 | [Ice accumulations slowing barge traffic](https://feedsoft.ai/events/67158-ice-accumulations-slowing-barge-traffic.md) | +2.0% | +5.3% |

## Sources

- dtnpf.com: https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/AG/blogs/market-matters-blog/blog-post/2019/02/25/flooding-slowing-traffic-u-s-rivers

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