Years of crop research and on farm production have shown that peas grow well on wheat stubble and can enhance wheat production the following year. What has not been completely understood is why? Recent research at Swift Current in the Brown soil zone of Saskatchewan and Scott in the Dark Brown soil Zone of Saskatchewan, has established unique soil water use and plant water characteristics of wheat, pulse, and oilseed crops. Results reveal that peas have among the highest levels of seed production per unit of water consumed. Peas also tend to use less water and extract that water from shallower depths than either wheat or oilseed crops. Knowledge of soil water use patterns of various crops enhances our understanding of how crop selection affects soil moisture reserves and subsequent stubble crop production, and potentially gives producers a soil water management tool that can be used to increase production. Knowledge of how different plant species manage water helps identify crops that are more drought tolerant.