Mississippi River Low During Harvest for Third Straight Year

The Mississippi River is experiencing an unwelcome three-peat with low water levels during harvest season. The "Mighty Mississip" experienced low water in both 2022 and 2023 and now once again this harvest season. Charts from the U.S. Geological Survey show precipitation and the resulting water levels were quite robust during the spring and early summer. But after mid-July, precipitation declined significantly, which caused a steady and dramatic decrease in water levels. The short-lived 15-plus foot spike in water levels at Memphis due to Hurricane Helene passed through the system quickly in late September 2024, and the levels returned to where they were earlier. The impact on agriculture shipping can be dramatic when water levels drop. For example, for each foot of draft reduction on the river, an individual barge is loaded with 7,000 fewer bushels (200 tons) of soybeans. Depending on the location in the river, tow sizes are being reduced from 10-15% at minimum and upwards of 30-40%.