fluid dynamics - Water in an evacuated tube travels 10.3 meters. How does less water in the tube not violate some equilibrium condition?

At atmospheric pressure, water in an evacuated tube travels 10.3 meters. Let's say I don't have 10.3 meters worth of water but I only have enough for 1 meter, like in the image.

The atmosphere still pushes the fluid up the tube (hence any height at all) but we have less weight pushing the fluid down, so it should continue up the tube to 10.3 meters, But we all have experienced that the fluid establishes a fixed position, and based on personal experience I know it is less than 10.3 meters. How does this situation not violate some equilibrium condition?