Photo Credit: Nati Shohat/Flash90
The problem with the rain in areas that are dry most of the year, is that the water usually comes down all at once, creating flashfloods, and the soil hardens during the long dry period, preventing the rushing water from sinking in. The end result is that after a few days of hard rain, very little moisture is retained.
Negev farmers have come up with this clever strategy of dealing with the above situation. By digging between the trees, they create a space to trap the rainwater and let it accumulate, slowing down the flashflood and giving the water time to irrigate the soil.
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