Drought management is not about waiting for rain—it is about making timely, informed decisions while options still exist. Across regions, producers are already facing delayed planting, limited soil moisture, and reduced forage growth. These conditions highlight the importance of having a clear drought plan with defined trigger points and actions. Drought management depends on early action, flexibility, and protecting soil and resources rather than waiting for rain.

“I saw cattle bring the desert back,” Ray says, “and transform it back into native rangeland. It changed the local climate. He’s getting more rain now.”

Drought resilience isn’t something you buy in a jug or fix in one season. Long-term work from Dakota Lakes and other dryland regions shows that rotating warm- and cool-season row crops builds stronger roots and more reliable soils, helping corn handle dry years better than no-till alone ever could.

Iconic Ray Archuleta Image captured ca. 2013 before a Slake Test Demonstration. Introduction In 2010, I met Ray Archuleta on the farm of the late Ray Steyer. That day changed the course of my life. I was still working as an aquatic scientist, but one afternoon with Ray shifted my entire research and outreach emphasis to soils and soil health. Ray introduced me to the four soil health principles that, at the time, seemed almost radical: 1. Limit disturbance 2. Keep the soil