After a 2-1/2 year drought, we got over 10" of rain at the farm during July. We even got one nice rain in early August. However, it is now two weeks since the last rain so I had to go out and water trees.
Observations: One groundwater pond is now dry, and the other one has 1' of water - which matches the water level in the adjacent creek. Our main creek just quit flowing, but the pools are full. (It is a combination surface water/ground water creek.)
Despite the awesome rains we had in July, it clearly did not make up the long-term deficit in the groundwater aquifer. Our areas of tallgrass prairie are very tall and lush. My 2-4 year old tree plantings that are in good soil are also thriving. (I watered them during the early portion of the drought, but did not water them this summer.) Clearly our terrestrial plants are quite efficient at "intercepting" surface water that is percolating down through the soils above our sandy aquifer layer. Of course, the tallgrass prairie is adapted for drought. I have planted some drought-resistant trees appropriate for our area, and some fruit trees that I am trying to nurse along to maturity.
I am sending out good thoughts to everyone still in drought conditions! Hopefully everyone's ponds, fish, and land-based life forms can make it through this period of drought.
