There has been no significant rain on our farm or in the watershed of our creek for 10 weeks. However, the water level in the creek has risen substantially!
We have sandy loam soils that transmit a lot of groundwater in the top 6-8' as springs. The tallgrass prairie has evolved roots that easily reach to that level.
When the grass goes dormant in the late fall, the water in the creek goes up as the groundwater flows can finally outpace the transpiration of the plants!
It is an impressive ecological system that has certainly adapted to survive pretty significant droughts.
Reminds me of coral atolls in Indo-Pacific oceans. They grow to the surface, so as waters rise they build up. Recent surveys show that the vast majority of larger islands are growing in extent, including mangrove islands. Of course, they've experienced much higher sea levels in the not too distant past, roughly 6,000 years ago, so are well adapted to change.
