Barges are stalling while trying to move up and down the Lower Mississippi River. This resulted in a reduction in barge drafts and tow sizes as the river level continued to drop.

The distance between the waterline and the deepest part of the boat when the conditions are favorable is about 12 feet when loaded with 1,500 tons. Each foot of reduced draft cuts the barge’s cargo by 200 tons. This drives up the cost for shippers as they will need more barges to complete the task.

Due to the continued dry weather, river stages at Cairo, Illinois, and going south are forecast to fall to 11 feet this week. The National Weather Service does not forecast significant rainfall for the next 16 days. Cairo is anticipated to drop below 10 feet.

Dredges are working in areas where barges grounded earlier this fall. Should conditions worsen, more dredges will be put to work to keep a 9-foot channel open for traffic. On October 13, the river gauge at Memphis, Tenessee, read -5.39 feet below zero and is falling fast.

The Army Corps of Engineers is monitoring saltwater progression into the Mississippi River and constructing an underwater sill to keep saltwater from progressing up the river from the Gulf of Mexico. The Army Corp. of Engineers constructed similar sills in 1988, 1999, 2012, 2022 and 2023.

Read more on the dropping Mississippi River water levels here.