Missouri/Mississippi River Water Levels Now

The Mississippi and Missouri River system is experiencing critically low water levels as of September 2025, marking the fourth consecutive year of low water conditions during fall harvest season. Both rivers are facing significant drought impacts with widespread navigation restrictions now in effect.drought+2

Mississippi River Current Conditions

Water Level Status

The Mississippi River at St. Louis currently sits at 4.12 feet as of September 13, 2025, which is considerably low for this time of year. The river gauge at Cairo, Illinois - a critical confluence point where the Ohio River joins the Mississippi - was at 11.4 feet and falling on September 11. Forecasts predict Cairo will drop below 10 feet by the end of the week and reach critical stages the following week.waterwaysjournal+1

Further downstream, Memphis recorded a stage of -5.1 feet and is predicted to fall to -6.2 feet within the next 14 days. At Vicksburg, the stage was 9.5 feet but expected to drop to 8.5 feet within two weeks.waterwaysjournal

Navigation Restrictions in Effect

The U.S. Coast Guard has implemented comprehensive low-water restrictions effective September 2, 2025, for river miles 303-869 on the Lower Mississippi River:navcen.uscg

Southbound Traffic:

• Between miles 869-585: Draft restrictions to 11 feet 6 inches maximum, barges configured no more than 7 widenavcen.uscg

• Between miles 585-303: Barges configured no more than 7 widenavcen.uscg

Northbound Traffic:

• Between miles 303-869: Draft restrictions to 11 feet maximum, barges configured no more than 6 wide and 7 longnavcen.uscg

Additional restrictions will tighten further beginning September 15, with southbound drafts limited to 10 feet 6 inches from Cairo to Lake Providence and width restricted to 6 barges maximum.waterwaysjournal

Missouri River Current Conditions

Water Levels and Dam Operations

The Missouri River is experiencing below-average runoff conditions throughout 2025. At Kansas City, Missouri, the current gauge height is 10.07 feet, while at Bismarck, North Dakota, levels are at 5.40 feet. System storage in the six Missouri River mainstem reservoirs dropped to 51.0 million acre-feet as of September 1, declining by 0.7 million acre-feet during August alone.waterdata.usgs+2

Gavins Point Dam - the most downstream dam on the Missouri River - is currently providing navigation flow support at 4,500 cubic feet per second below full service levels. The dam's winter release rate will be set at the minimum 12,000 cubic feet per second based on current storage levels.dvidshub+2

Runoff Forecasts

The 2025 calendar year runoff forecast for the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City remains well below average at 19.1 million acre-feet (74% of average). September runoff is forecast to be well below average, particularly in the Fort Peck and Garrison Dam reaches. Mountain snowpack was below normal and peaked early, with April runoff reaching only 48% of normal.drought+1

Drought Conditions and Climate Impacts

Regional Drought Status

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 62% of the Missouri River Basin is classified in some level of drought as of 2025, marking the basin's fifth consecutive year of drought conditions. The Midwest region shows 14% in Moderate to Severe Drought (D1-D2) with an additional 33% Abnormally Dry (D0).weather+1

Kentucky and Missouri experienced rapid drought expansion, with 95% of Kentucky and 94% of Missouri now classified as Abnormally Dry or in Moderate Drought. These states had no drought conditions as recently as July 29, 2025.drought

Agricultural and Economic Impacts

Low water levels are severely affecting grain transportation during the critical harvest season. Water levels are expected to remain low through October, causing significant disruptions to barge traffic and elevating cash basis prices at river terminals. This marks the fourth consecutive year that the Mississippi River south of St. Louis has experienced dangerously low levels during fall harvest.southeastagnet

The U.S. Geological Survey reports "zero stream gauge" conditions for the fourth year in a row and eight of the last ten years, highlighting the persistent nature of this hydrological crisis.southeastagnet

Contributing Factors

The low water conditions result from multiple factors:

• Reduced Ohio River Flow: The Ohio River provides 60% of the water volume to the Mississippi River south of Cairo, Illinois. Dry conditions across Ohio River tributaries are directly impacting downstream Mississippi flowshoosieragtoday+1

• Insufficient Precipitation: The past 90 days saw rainfall below 80% of seasonal averages across the Mississippi River watershed, with the last 30 days showing less than 40% of seasonal normsmvc+1

• Above-Normal Temperatures: Combined with below-average rainfall, elevated temperatures have increased evaporation rates and stressed water suppliesmvc+1

Immediate Operational Impacts

Shipping and Transportation

Major barge companies have implemented low water protocols with reduced draft restrictions and tow size limitations. American Commercial Barge Lines has reduced loading drafts to 0.05% NBD Gulf to Cairo and decreased tow sizes by 9%-14% (4-5 barges).bargeacbl

The situation has created traffic jams of vessels unable to pass through shallow sections, with immediate needs for dredging but limited dredge availability. The dredge Jadwin was scheduled to depart New Orleans on September 12 to address critical shoaling at Nelms (Mile 711).waterwaysjournal

Infrastructure Concerns

Reservoir capacities are increasingly constrained throughout the system. The Missouri River system storage is projected to reach 48.0 million acre-feet by the start of the 2026 runoff season, approximately 8.1 million acre-feet below the base of the flood control zone.mississippimills+2

Future Outlook

Current forecasts indicate that drought conditions are expected to persist through September and potentially expand to new regions through November. The seasonal drought outlook suggests continued challenges, with water levels likely remaining problematic through the critical fall shipping season.nwd.usace.army+2

Navigation flow support on the Missouri River will end December 1 at the mouth, with winter releases from Gavins Point Dam set at minimum levels through the 2025-2026 winter period. The situation represents one of the most sustained and severe low-water periods in the recorded history of both river systems.nwd.usace.army

1. https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/drought-status-update-midwest-2025-09-04
2. https://www.waterwaysjournal.net/2025/09/12/dry-weather-leads-to-low-water/
3. https://southeastagnet.com/2025/09/05/mississippi-river-low-water-2025-grain-barge-impact/
4. https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/07010000/
5. https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/broadcast-notice-to-mariners-message?guid=66094515
6. https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/06893000/
7. https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/06342500/
8. https://www.nwd.usace.army.mil/media/news-releases/article/4295807/system-storage-declining-gavins-point-dams-winter-releases-will-be-minimum-rate/
9. https://www.dvidshub.net/image/9296272/missouri-river-monthly-update-september-2025
10. https://www.irpt.net/system-storage-declining-gavins-point-dams-winbter-releases-will-be-minimum-rate/
11. https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/drought-status-update-missouri-river-basin-2025-05-15
12. https://www.weather.gov/mbrfc/springfloodoutlook2025_text
13. https://www.hoosieragtoday.com/2025/09/01/concerns-over-mississippi-river-levels-as-harvest-approaches/
14. https://mvc.on.ca/low-water-status/
15. https://www.mississippimills.ca/news/posts/mississippi-river-watershed-conditions-statement-low-water-advisory-moderate-level-2-september-5-2025/
16. https://bargeacbl.com/american-currents/
17. https://riverweather.com/riverstages/ms_mn/wxriverdetail.php?id=lkcm5
18. https://www.dvidshub.net/news/492134/gavins-point-releases-increasing-navigation-flow-support-upper-basin-runoff-stays-below-average
19. https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu
20. https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/drought-status-update-northeast-2025-09-11
21. https://www.nwd.usace.army.mil/mrwm/mrwm-news/
22. https://www.agweb.com/news/crops/eyes-mississippi-river-levels-developing-situation
23. https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/expert_assessment/sdo_summary.php
24. https://water.usace.army.mil/overview/mvr/locations/mi19
25. https://www.plantmaps.com/en/us/state/mississippi/current-drought-conditions
26. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKwHmFcTWKU
27. https://water.noaa.gov/gauges/pies2
28. https://www.mvs-wc.usace.army.mil/trans/gage/MI_tab.html
29. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gavins_Point_Dam
30. https://www.barges.us/mississippi-uscg-notice/
31. https://www.farmprogress.com/crops/nebraska-river-flows-forecast-below-average-for-summer-2025
32. https://bargeacbl.com/river-closures-restricted-movements/
33. https://www.moranshipping.com/news/bulletins/port-update-new-orleans-slash-mississippi-river-2025-09-08
34. https://www.nwd-mr.usace.army.mil/rcc/reports/pdfs/weeklyupdate.pdf
35. https://water.noaa.gov/gauges/eadm7
36. https://www.irpt.net/navigation-notices/navigation-notices-upper-mississippi-river/