Arkansas River tonnage down almost 19% through August

A significant decline of shipments between ports on the Arkansas River and disruptions caused by President Donald Trump’s tariff policies key factors in tonnage shipped on the Arkansas River down almost 19% through August.

Arkansas River tonnage totaled 6.57 million tons in the first eight months of 2025, down 18.8% compared with the 8.09 million tons in the same period of 2024, according to a report posted Thursday (Sept. 11) by the U.S. Corps of Engineers (USACE). August traffic totaled 821,235 tons, down 17.9% compared with the 1.001 million tons in August 2024.

The 2025 numbers are up against an almost 2% gain in 2024 tonnage.

Inbound shipments in the first eight months of 2025 – those coming from off the river system – totaled 2.526 million tons, down 2% compared with the same period in 2024. Outbound shipments totaled 2.391 million tons, down 21% compared with the same period in 2024. Internal shipments – those sent between port operations on the river – totaled 1.652 million tons, down 33%.

Following are the top five shipment categories by tonnage in the first eight months of 2025, with the percentage change from 2024.
• Sand, gravel, rock: 2.05 million tons (down 30%)
• Chemical fertilizer: 1.304 tons (down 23%)
• Iron and Steel: 731,006 tons (up 10%)
• Wheat: 574,358 tons (down 16%)
• Minerals/building materials: 545,128 (down 21%)

Bryan Day, executive director of the Port of Little Rock^[1], said August often marks a decline in materials related to the construction industry.

“Following a strong performance in July, August activity reflected a seasonal slowdown yet remained steady across key operations,” Day said. “The seasonal slowdown for the Port of Little Rock represents fewer outbound barges of sand and gravel that is used in construction; as the fall nears, oftentimes construction slows in anticipation of winter.”

Marty Shell, owner of Van Buren-based Five Rivers Distribution^[2] and manager of Van Buren port operations and the Port of Fort Smith, said tariffs are a concern but 2025 is shaping up to be one of his most active years.

“We are busy and barges are moving,” Shell said. “June and parts of July had some high water, but all in all this will be one of our busiest years. Tariffs are still a big concern, but we continue to build out infrastructure for the years to come and look forward to the completion of the I-49 bridge and roadways that will bring additional business to the ports and to the region.”

TONNAGE HISTORY, RIVER INFO
Tonnage shipped on the Arkansas River in 2024 totaled 12.446 million tons, up 1.95% compared with 2023 tonnage. The increase was driven by a 13% increase in sand, gravel, rock shipments, and 8% and 41% gains, respectively, in wheat and soybean shipments.

Inbound shipments – those coming from off the river system – totaled 3.793 million tons during 2024, down 16% compared with 2023. Outbound shipments totaled 4.769 million tons, up 134% compared with 2023. Internal shipments – those sent between port operations on the river – totaled 3.884 million tons, up 10%.

The Arkansas River system – McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS) – is 445 miles long and stretches from the confluence of the Mississippi River to the Port of Catoosa near Tulsa, Okla. The controlled waterway has 18 locks and dams, with 13 in Arkansas and five in Oklahoma. The river also has five commercial ports: Pine Bluff, Little Rock, Fort Smith, Muskogee, Okla., and the Tulsa Port of Catoosa in Oklahoma.

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