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Hushiemommie t1_ivfycfy wrote

So from what I've learned (not a professional just a curious person) it's better to feed the source because a drought affected area given a sudden burst of water will flood instantly. The ground is too dry to properly flow the water so it just sits on top which is typically what causes a flash flood. So feeding it to the source would allow it to actually distribute the water at an even pace without causing a sudden flood

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bigflamingtaco t1_ivih4fp wrote

Yes. The ELI5 is that water runs along the surface of the ground a hecka lot faster than it soaks into it, especially in areas that are good for growing crops, which typically have clay within several feet of the surface. Clay is almost like a rubber to water, it moves very slowly through clay, about 1/4" per hour is absorbed. Unless you are in a major flooding event that lasts weeks, clays just don't absorb water fast enough to replenish the water table, you need that weekly soaking to get there.

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