Understanding the Soil Beneath Our Feet
Part 3 of 4
Why Doesn't Water Soak Into Every Lawn the Same Way?
Concho Valley Conditions
Week 30 • July 19, 2026
One of the best sights this past week was watching the rain fall across the Concho Valley.
After weeks of intense heat and dry conditions, Mother Nature finally blessed us with some much-needed moisture. According to our local rain gauge, we've now received 15.21 inches of rainfall in 2026, putting us 3.36 inches above our year-to-date average. We're certainly not declaring the drought over, but this rain was exactly what our landscapes needed.
At BES-TEX Supply, many of the conversations over the past few weeks centered around hot spots, thinning Bermuda grass, and patchy areas showing up in otherwise healthy lawns. Some homeowners feared they were looking at a disease or fungus.
While some lawns may indeed have underlying disease, many were simply showing the effects of prolonged heat and moisture stress. Hot soils, high temperatures, and localized dry areas can produce symptoms that closely resemble other problems. The recent rainfall should help many of these lawns begin recovering over the next 30 to 60 days, although some may still have issues such as poor irrigation coverage, compacted soils, insect activity, or disease that require additional attention.
One thing is certain.
Healthy landscapes always begin with healthy soil.
Have You Ever Wondered...
Why does one lawn absorb water like a sponge while another develops puddles or sends water running down the sidewalk?
The sprinkler puts out the same amount of water.
The rain falls on both lawns.
Yet they respond very differently.
The answer is usually found beneath the surface.
Soil Texture vs. Soil Structure
These two terms sound similar, but they describe very different things.
Soil texture is the amount of sand, silt, and clay in your soil. Nature determined that over thousands of years.
Soil structure is how those particles are arranged today.
Think of a brick wall.
You can build it neatly with spaces for drainage, or you can crush all the bricks into a pile.
The material is the same.
The structure is different.
Healthy soil has good structure.
Poor soil becomes compacted.
What Is Soil Compaction?
Imagine walking across a fluffy kitchen sponge.
Now imagine driving your truck over it.
The sponge didn't disappear.
The tiny air spaces inside it were simply squeezed together.
The same thing happens in soil.
Years of mowing.
Children playing.
Pets running.
Construction equipment.
Even repeated foot traffic.
All of these slowly compress the soil.
As those tiny spaces disappear, water moves more slowly, roots grow less deeply, and oxygen becomes limited.
Water Needs a Place to Go
When rain falls on healthy soil, much of it moves downward into the root zone.
That's called infiltration.
When rain falls faster than the soil can absorb it, water begins flowing across the surface.
That's called runoff.
Runoff doesn't just waste water.
It also carries away soil particles, fertilizer, and other materials before plants can use them.
Improving infiltration is often more valuable than simply watering longer.
Why Clay Isn't the Villain
Many people blame clay for every lawn problem.
Clay certainly drains more slowly than sandy soil.
However, healthy clay soil with good structure can grow outstanding turfgrass.
The real problem usually isn't the clay.
It's compacted clay.
Healthy clay contains thousands of tiny spaces for both water and air.
Compacted clay loses many of those spaces.
That's when problems begin.
Dry Spots After Heavy Rain?
This surprises many homeowners.
Even after a good rain, parts of a lawn can remain dry.
How?
Compacted soils sometimes allow water to run sideways instead of downward.
Some soils even become water repellent after extended periods of drought. Water beads on the surface or runs off before it has time to soak in.
These are called localized dry spots, and they're common during West Texas summers.
Helping Water Do Its Job
Before adding more irrigation, ask a simple question.
Is the water getting into the soil?
Sometimes the answer is yes.
Sometimes the soil itself is preventing water from reaching the roots.
Practices such as core aeration, improving organic matter, and, in appropriate situations, using a quality wetting agent can improve water movement into the soil.
The goal isn't simply applying more water.
The goal is helping water reach the root system.
Science Behind the Soil
Infiltration
Infiltration is the process of water moving from the soil surface into the ground.
Healthy soils with good structure usually absorb water more efficiently than compacted soils.
When infiltration improves, roots receive more water, oxygen, and room to grow.
Looking Ahead
Next week we'll conclude our July series by discussing how to build healthier soils in West Texas.
We'll cover:
-
Organic matter
-
Core aeration
-
Soil biology
-
Irrigation practices
-
Setting realistic expectations
Healthy soil isn't built overnight.
It's built one good decision at a time.
Closing Thought
Rain can green up a lawn in a matter of days, but healthy soil is built over years. Every choice we make, from how we water to how we manage compaction, influences the ground beneath our feet. When we care for the soil first, healthier lawns, stronger trees, and more resilient landscapes naturally follow.