# Flooding Halts Shipping on Illinois River, Creates Havoc on Mississippi

> Heavy rain in the central U.S. from Feb. 19-21 raised water levels on the Illinois River, and the Army Corps closed several locks to navigation. CBOT declared force majeure on Feb. 22 because many Illinois River corn load-out stations could not operate.

- Date: 2018-02-26 · published 2018-02-26T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/66384-flooding-halts-shipping-on-illinois-river-creates-havoc-on-mississippi
- Commodities: [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md)

## Why it matters

Closed locks stop barge loading and movement, which tightens nearby corn supply for March delivery and lifts barge freight costs. Buyers in the Illinois corridor may face higher basis and freight prices until water levels drop.

## Read by commodity

- CORN: bullish ▲
- BARGE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2018-02-23 | [Flooding cripples grain barge shipments on U.S. Midwest rivers](https://feedsoft.ai/events/66386-flooding-cripples-grain-barge-shipments-on-u-s-midwest-rivers.md) | +1.9% | +2.9% |
| CORN | 2020-02-14 | [Mississippi River Dredging Offers Ag Commodity Shipping Opportunities](https://feedsoft.ai/events/54498-mississippi-river-dredging-offers-ag-commodity-shipping-opportunities.md) | +1.2% | +0.3% |
| CORN | 2022-11-18 | [Navigation Pinch Point on Mississippi River Moves North](https://feedsoft.ai/events/38712-navigation-pinch-point-on-mississippi-river-moves-north.md) | -1.5% | -5.1% |
| CORN | 2020-09-16 | [Mississippi River Ship Channel Deepening to 50 Feet Begins \| Port NOLA](https://feedsoft.ai/events/50998-mississippi-river-ship-channel-deepening-to-50-feet-begins-port-nola.md) | +1.1% | +4.7% |
| CORN | 2025-12-04 | [Mississippi River Crisis Threatens U.S. Grain Exports and Farm Logistics - Agrolatam](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16404-mississippi-river-crisis-threatens-u-s-grain-exports-and-farm-logistics.md) | +0.4% | +0.1% |

## Sources

- dtnpf.com: https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/news/article/2018/02/26/flooding-halts-shipping-illinois

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