The supply chain across the nation’s heartland is facing significant constraints that could have far-reaching consequences into the winter, starting with farmers in the Plains and expanding all the way to the overall economy of the United States.
Exacerbating the problem are the low water levels of the Mississippi River, a crucial waterway for commerce that has seen a steady decline in its flow in recent months due to a lack of rain. A river gauge at Osceola, Arkansas, 35 miles north of Memphis, Tennessee, reported a water level of 8.8 feet below what is considered ‘low stage’ on Wednesday, Oct. 12, the fourth-lowest water level at the location since record-keeping began in 1927.
