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.