Technical Abstract: Cropping systems in the northern Great Plains were dominated by wheat-fallow systems. Improved technology, greater agricultural sustainability, and a need for additional crop options has increased precipitation use and the number and diversity of crops grown in the northern Great Plains. Sequencing crops in cropping systems to optimize the benefits of the previous crop on the current crop can be a challenge. Objectives of our research were to determine influences of previous crop and crop residues on crop soil water use and hydrology and crop production. Research was conducted on the Area IV Soil Conservation District/Agricultural Research Service Cooperative Research Farm located about 5 miles southwest of Mandan, ND. Buckwheat, canola, chickpea, corn, dry pea, grain sorghum, lentil, proso millet, sunflower, and spring wheat were no-till seeded. The following year, the same ten crops were seeded perpendicular to the previous year, creating a 10 x 10 crop-by-crop residue matrix with 100 crop sequences. Soil water depletion was greatest for sunflower (5.3 in) and lowest for dry pea (2.0 in). Soil water recharge during the non-crop period was greatest for spring wheat and grain sorghum (2.4 in) and lowest for sunflower (1.2 in). Seeding crops on their own residue resulted in the lowest seed yield. For sustainable dynamic cropping systems in the northern Great Plains, dry pea, sunflower, or spring wheat need to be included because of their consistent precipitation-use efficiency.