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Low water levels slowing grain flow down Mississippi River

Low water levels on the Mississippi River are hampering farmers.                       

South central Illinois farmer Heath Houck, who routinely hauls his corn and soybeans to the St. Louis area, says another winter of low water levels is restricting the flow of grain down the river.

“It’s really starting to be a challenge again this year, especially when it gets cold like it has.”  He says, “That River contracts and I believe it was last week when it got cold, the river fell about 2 ½ to 3 feet in about two days.”

He tells Brownfield it’s leading to farmers facing long delays at Metro East terminals.

“They’re already having issues loading.”  He says, “A lot of facilities that we’ve hauled to have went to one commodity because it’s getting too shallow.  They can get the barges in empty, but when they go to draft, they’re going aground.”

Houck says it’s becoming an annual concern.

“Like last year, there’s a lot of days I slept down in line a few times.”  He says, “It’s your paycheck, so we got to do what we have to do to get it.”

Brownfield spoke with Houck at the 2026 Illinois Soybean Summit.

AUDIO: Heath Houck – Illinois farmer