MEMPHIS, Tenn. — For the second year in a row, the Mississippi River at Memphis has reached a record low level, putting a strain on barge traffic and commerce up and down the river.
As of noon on October 17, 2023, the river reached a level of -11.91 feet on the Memphis gauge, which is the lowest the Mississippi River has been at the Memphis gauge since records began.
The river briefly fell to -10.97 feet on September 14th before climbing slightly and falling again. This year's river levels are even lower than last year's record low levels, when the river fell to -10.81 feet.
While the water level is technically negative on the gauge itself, there is still plenty of water in the river. A "zero level" was decided on when the gauge was installed decades ago, but the water level can and occasionally does fall below the zero marker on the gauge.
Gauges up and down the Mississippi River, from Illinois to southern Mississippi, are also reporting low water levels due to a lack of recent rainfall in the Midwest.
According to the National Park Service, the Mississippi River plays a huge role in exporting soybeans, grain, livestock, petroleum, iron, steel, and other goods. Low water levels on the river can prevent barges from passing, slowing down a major economic driver in the region.
Dredging operations have been underway on the Mississippi River for several months. This process removes material from the bottom of the river, making the channel as deep as possible so that barges can continue to pass even when the water level is low.
A representative from the Corps of Engineers tells ABC24 that 15 dredges are operating on the Mississippi River as of September 25th to continue to allow barge traffic to pass. One of those dredges is operating just north of the I-40 bridge near Downtown Memphis.
It was just last year when low water levels had a significant impact on river traffic. Several barges were parked for weeks near Osceola, unable to make it down the river just as farmers were ready to harvest and load soybeans.
Low Mississippi River levels in October 2022
River levels are expected to remain low through the end of this month, until additional rainfall upstream can finally raise water levels.