Needed a couple yards of dirt for a honey do project and took the loader and got some from one of the turnrows. Took it to the house and started trying to hydrate it. Was really amazed at how much water it absorbed before the water started puddleing up. I firmly beleive that a 6" rain would wick right out of the dround within 8 to 10 hours.  Been watering this patch of dirt for 4 days now and the dirt is still bone dry at 5". It is all on a slope so I'm watering several time a day and just wetting it down untill it starts to run.