# High or Low Water, A Tug Boat Captain Makes the Assist | The Daily Yonder

> A tug boat operator on the upper Mississippi, based at Lock and Dam 11 near Dubuque, Iowa, helps barge tows through locks during high water. He handles about three assists per day when the river is near flood stage, moving grain, coal and salt.

- Date: 2017-07-18 · published 2017-07-18T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/69857-high-or-low-water-a-tug-boat-captain-makes-the-assist-the-daily-yonder
- 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

High water raises the cost and difficulty of moving grain barges, which can widen basis spreads for river-accessible corn and soybeans. The effect described is operational rather than a new supply shock.

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2021-06-23 | [Low water levels in the Mississippi River create issues for commercial boating - DredgeWire : DredgeWire](https://feedsoft.ai/events/46469-low-water-levels-in-the-mississippi-river-create-issues-for-commercial-boating.md) | +2.8% | -5.4% |
| CORN | 2018-05-14 | [High Water Temporarily Closes Two Mississippi River Locks](https://feedsoft.ai/events/64902-high-water-temporarily-closes-two-mississippi-river-locks.md) | +1.7% | -1.8% |
| CORN | 2026-10-23 | [New Orleans Grain Barges Hit 873 as Low Water Trims Tows](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16330-new-orleans-grain-barges-hit-873-as-low-water-trims-tows.md) | -0.6% | — |
| CORN | 2024-09-04 | [Low water levels on the Mississippi River impact barges and grain exports before harvest](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16513-low-water-levels-on-the-mississippi-river-impact-barges-and-grain-exports.md) | -1.4% | +4.9% |
| CORN | 2017-08-01 | [Mississippi River Commission Schedules Low-Water Inspection Trip > Mississippi Valley Division > High Water with Major Flooding the Mississippi Valley](https://feedsoft.ai/events/69337-mississippi-river-commission-schedules-low-water-inspection-trip-mississippi.md) | +0.4% | -8.1% |
| SOY | 2021-06-23 | [Low water levels in the Mississippi River create issues for commercial boating - DredgeWire : DredgeWire](https://feedsoft.ai/events/46469-low-water-levels-in-the-mississippi-river-create-issues-for-commercial-boating.md) | -2.5% | +3.2% |
| SOY | 2018-05-14 | [High Water Temporarily Closes Two Mississippi River Locks](https://feedsoft.ai/events/64902-high-water-temporarily-closes-two-mississippi-river-locks.md) | +0.4% | -4.1% |
| SOY | 2026-10-23 | [New Orleans Grain Barges Hit 873 as Low Water Trims Tows](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16330-new-orleans-grain-barges-hit-873-as-low-water-trims-tows.md) | -2.9% | — |

## Sources

- dailyyonder.com: https://dailyyonder.com/high-low-water-tug-boat-captain-makes-assist/2017/07/18/

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