Looking for water in the desert

[TerryC]

Ok, Spartacus, It's my turn. You're out in the desert.... many miles from the nearest town. You have no water. Ok, never leave home without it... but you did. You can see mountains, oh, 5 miles away. You can see trees and green vegetation in an arroyo 1 mile away and damp sand near your diggins'. Where is the most likely spot to get water and why? TTC

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[spartacus53]

Easy, just head for the golden arches and also get something to eat

Well, let's toss out the mountains, why bother walking 5 miles in the heat when you're already most likely standing on a water source. Damp soil is a sign of water, so you dig until water starts to seep. You can use your hands, or any absorbent fabric to sop it up and wring it into your mouth. If the soil is in an area where there was a dried up riverbed, then your chances of success are much better.

Vegetation of any type always has a water source. I would also check for wildlife like birds, or flies, etc.. Cacti contain water, so if that is available, you have source. I would suggest cutting the cacti to make sure it does not contain a white milky sap.

[TerryC]

Bees will fly to a water source. TTC

[spartacus53]

yeah, but up to only 1000 meters Birds will also circle it too

[spartacus53]

Another lesson to learn.....


Never test Spartacus53 the great, he has no idea what he's talking about.

[boris]

careful with the cacti, as JIM morrison would say, you might see 10 little green men like in Nam.

[spartacus53]

That's why you test it first Boris... Then again, I have no problem in revisiting the 60's either

[TerryC]

Ok, only Spartacus and Boris? Hmmm. The mountains are the most likely. The damp sand, maybe, if you see that coyotes have tried to dig. They have been known to dig where they have gotten water before. Probably not in the arroyo. Desert plants have deep and wide root systems. They may be drawing water from a source too deep to dig to. The mountains will have the most reliable source IF any is available. The rains, and snowmelt over hundreds of years will have carved out out cistern-like resevours in the sandstone and granite (but not red sandstone). Look for the white sandstone and granite of the mountains for good water. Also look for "paths" orn by the anchient native peoples who would have used the same paths to go fetch water, wearing the rocks smoother than other rocks. Pieces of clay jars (tinajas) will also be along the routes, broken water jugs of the day. I have found out this info just recently by reading "Secret knowledge of water" by Craig Childs. A very dificult book to put down. A very good read! Try it. TTC

[boris]

I would try under White sands and look for Doc Noss if I was out in the boonies.

[TimC]

Aha, the damp ground would be my choice. Any plastic tarp, plastic grocery bag, or something similar stretched over a hole in the ground will condense the moisture. A container under it and a pebble on it to direct the drips and you don't have to walk to the mountains.

[TheHarleyMan2]

What isn't mentioned here is that some desert area mountains, lets use Utah for an example. There are water sources there, but also most of the water is not consumable as the minerals in it will kill you.

One has to decide to hydrate with what water source they have before venturing 5 miles. The temperature plays a big factor and what type of clothing you are wearing, if you can actually make it 5 miles, then you have to decide, do you leave all your equipment, backpack, etc?.

Many would be able to do so, but in 120+ degree temperatures walking 1 mile will exhaust some, make you sweat extremely more than normal and possiblities of heat stroke, or heat exhaustion if not careful, if you just have a T-shirt on firmly fit pants and no hat the possiblities of hazard for one is predictable!

If wearing loose clothing, loose long sleeve shirt, and a hat. Your body will remain somewhat cooler by retaining your sweat on your body not alllowing it to evaporate quickly as opposed to what I mentioned above.

I been out in the desert, with hardly any mountains and if I had the choice. My first option would be dig down in moist sand and get water, filter it the best I could, and drink as much I could stand before going the 5 miles. At least I would plenish my body a bit before going out on a hike.

Let's throw in the equasion. Lets say you have all your prospecting gear, or a backpack, because if one went out in the desert they didn't just hike there with the clothes on their backs. People take things with them.

But, the REAL ANSWER to this question that NO ONE has mentioned, NOT EVEN SPART! You got there by some means right? Well, the answer is, YOUR DROVE YOURSELF THERE now get in YOUR MODE OF TRANSPORTATION and DRIVE to the mountains or NEAREST TOWN!!!!!!

Now with that said, lets say your vehicle broke down? Now there would be something in your vehicle anyone could possibly use to trap water, as mentioned above, a plastic bag of some sort, etc. BUT; Here is something many don't think of;

Fact is some people will use just plain water instead of washer fluid for your windshield washer bottle for your vehicle, (I use plain water and for this reason), you have at least 1 gallon of drinkable water. Many people to do not know of this or realize it being a water source no matter where you go you may not have drinkable water if you get stranded, but don't think of the windshield washer bottle as a drinkable water source. I make sure my washer bottle is full of clean water before making any trip and I don't us it to clean my windshield!

Now if you have no means of removing the water out of the bottle, but have a plastic empty bottle or two in your veihicle and no tools to remove the bottle and no straw to transfer the water, How would you get the water out of the washer bottle to another container? I know the answer, I want to see what anyone elses imagination would be. There is a clue in my posting if one thinks about it! Too easy!

[spartacus53]

But, the REAL ANSWER to this question that NO ONE has mentioned, NOT EVEN SPART! You got there by some means right? Well, the answer is, YOUR DROVE YOURSELF THERE now get in YOUR MODE OF TRANSPORTATION and DRIVE to the mountains or NEAREST TOWN!!!!!!

Now with that said, lets say your vehicle broke down? Now there would be something in your vehicle anyone could possibly use to trap water, as mentioned above, a plastic bag of some sort, etc. BUT; Here is something many don't think of;

Now if you have no means of removing the water out of the bottle, but have a plastic empty bottle or two in your veihicle and no tools to remove the bottle and no straw to transfer the water, How would you get the water out of the washer bottle to another container? I know the answer, I want to see what anyone elses imagination would be. There is a clue in my posting if one thinks about it! Too easy!

Harley, Harley, Harley. How dare you question Spartacus53 The Great

1- I didn't take an auto, bike, or any of mode of transportation to reach the desert. I walked there like the fool I am

2- I wouldn't even bother trying to transfer the water. I'd stick a bandana, or any other material into the container with the water, then wring said dripping wet material directly into my mouth Just another option for you

Well unless you're out there butt naked that is

[worldtalker]

What isn't mentioned here is that some desert area mountains, lets use Utah for an example. There are water sources there, but also most of the water is not consumable as the minerals in it will kill you.

One has to decide to hydrate with what water source they have before venturing 5 miles. The temperature plays a big factor and what type of clothing you are wearing, if you can actually make it 5 miles, then you have to decide, do you leave all your equipment, backpack, etc?.

Many would be able to do so, but in 120+ degree temperatures walking 1 mile will exhaust some, make you sweat extremely more than normal and possiblities of heat stroke, or heat exhaustion if not careful, if you just have a T-shirt on firmly fit pants and no hat the possiblities of hazard for one is predictable!

If wearing loose clothing, loose long sleeve shirt, and a hat. Your body will remain somewhat cooler by retaining your sweat on your body not alllowing it to evaporate quickly as opposed to what I mentioned above.

I been out in the desert, with hardly any mountains and if I had the choice. My first option would be dig down in moist sand and get water, filter it the best I could, and drink as much I could stand before going the 5 miles. At least I would plenish my body a bit before going out on a hike.

Let's throw in the equasion. Lets say you have all your prospecting gear, or a backpack, because if one went out in the desert they didn't just hike there with the clothes on their backs. People take things with them.

But, the REAL ANSWER to this question that NO ONE has mentioned, NOT EVEN SPART! You got there by some means right? Well, the answer is, YOUR DROVE YOURSELF THERE now get in YOUR MODE OF TRANSPORTATION and DRIVE to the mountains or NEAREST TOWN!!!!!!

Now with that said, lets say your vehicle broke down? Now there would be something in your vehicle anyone could possibly use to trap water, as mentioned above, a plastic bag of some sort, etc. BUT; Here is something many don't think of;

Fact is some people will use just plain water instead of washer fluid for your windshield washer bottle for your vehicle, (I use plain water and for this reason), you have at least 1 gallon of drinkable water. Many people to do not know of this or realize it being a water source no matter where you go you may not have drinkable water if you get stranded, but don't think of the windshield washer bottle as a drinkable water source. I make sure my washer bottle is full of clean water before making any trip and I don't us it to clean my windshield!

Now if you have no means of removing the water out of the bottle, but have a plastic empty bottle or two in your veihicle and no tools to remove the bottle and no straw to transfer the water, How would you get the water out of the washer bottle to another container? I know the answer, I want to see what anyone elses imagination would be. There is a clue in my posting if one thinks about it! Too easy!

Disconnect the washer hose and hit the button!
God Bless Chris

[TheHarleyMan2]

Disconnect the washer hose and hit the button!
God Bless Chris

That would be one way, (but not the answer I was looking for), but you are by yourself so how would you determine to get the water out without overflowing the bottle or losing any water? Lets say your car battery is dead, so that nixes out using the washer pump.

[worldtalker]

That would be one way, (but not the answer I was looking for), but you are by yourself so how would you determine to get the water out without overflowing the bottle or losing any water? Lets say your car battery is dead, so that nixes out using the washer pump.

Quess that leaves sucking on the hose like a straw!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[snakeyes]

I would just walk across the road to the 7/11 and get a slurpy

[TheHarleyMan2]

Quess that leaves sucking on the hose like a straw!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, close, take the washer line off going to the sprayers, stick it in the washer bottle and siphon the water into another bottle as well as get you a nice cool drink.

[Ammonhotep]

I'd just pick up the sat phone ... done.

Really, though, 5 miles is too far to go in the deserts I'm in. Plus there is no water in them there hills. If there's dampness where I'm at, I'm staying put at least until dark. If you're in a wadi and you find a low point in the sad, especially below rocks, that's where you dig. Call it your glory hole, since that's where you'd probably look for gold, too.

Using evaporative methods where I'm at would take too long, and not provide enough water. You'd have to have a really sophisticated setup to make it worthwhile. Unlikely that you'd get more water than you were sweating out otherwise. I'd likely wait until late afternoon and start walking. I could cover 20-30 miles overnight. In most places that would get me to safety.

If I knew my goose was cooked, I'd start putting crazy treasure trove marks all over the rocks just for kicks and giggles.

[tetertime]

id call my ol lady on my cell and have her bring beer

[secretcanyon]

correct answer, is in the ground....
dig a hole...place container in center of hole, place plastic sheet over hole...secure edges with rocks an dirt...seal tight...
place small heavy object in center of plastic sheet...
go to bed...
get up in the morning and see how much water you recovered.


save yourself the walk, it is a waste of time an dangerous.