We don't farm like we should for 12" annual precip..  Here it is..


   


There's no moisture at the surface.. nor in the top 3"  After the rains stopped we had pigweeds 5' tall.. we sprayed with glyphosate.. then.. I shot my foot off with a chiesel and packers.. (this will open her up for the next rains..) and still waiting.. (okay self inflicted wound..) but it doesn't really matter.. even the no-tillers have some moisture but not enough.. for a solid stand..  This is how dry the past 3 years have taken a toll..


This pit was overflowing after the rains stopped..


   


It's probably 12" to 18" deep now.. (and I didn't chiesel that..)  That's 10+ feet of water that went "poof" in 8 weeks..


now do you understand? 


edit add: and NO I did not pump it dry.. I think the soils just sucked it up.. the subsoil is THAT dry.. there's no bottom to it.