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How to find water in the forest?
Was your last nature walk a bad experience because you didn't pack enough water? Would you like to become self-sufficient and learn how to find water in the forest?
Here are a few techniques to help you.
When you go for a walk, no matter how trivial, it's important to always have water with you. To stay hydrated, of course, but also to clean a wound or help someone or some animal in distress.
The problem is, even if you planned to be home two hours later, the unexpected always happens... When you're not expecting it. In this case, the drinking water often ends up in the "emergencies to be dealt with" and we need to know how to respond.
To do this, you could:
- Harvest rainwater
- Locate natural sources
- Eat fruits and plants
- Absorb morning (or evening) dew
- Making trees sweat
- Following animals and birds
- Collecting water from puddles
- Finding groundwater
- Make snow drinkable
But before we detail these tips, let's see why learning to find water in the forest is essential.
Why look for water in the forest?
The human body is a formidable machine capable of many feats...
However, it has one weakness: its highwater requirement. It's possible to survive without food for weeks, although it's far from easy and we don't advise you to try it, on the other hand, this timeframe is reduced to three days regarding water!
Certainly, this timeframe corresponds to an average, but the effects of dehydration begin to manifest themselves much earlier and can lead to critical situations faster than it takes to say so.
To know: When you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated.
So, assuming you find yourself in an uncomfortable position, in the middle of a forest and your water supplies are empty, learning to find water on your own can get you out of a tight spot.
Filter the water you find :
This said, finding water doesn't exempt you from taking precautions before drinking it. In fact, whatever the source, caution is always called for if you don't want to get sick. You either need to boil it (if you're equipped accordingly), treat it with Micropur tablets (if you've got any on you...) or purify it using an activated carbon filter.
1. Rainwater harvesting
If you run out of water and it starts to rain, you need to find a way to recover rainwater. Make sure you're not in an industrial zone.
If not, there's no problem drinking rainwater. To be on the safe side and eliminate any risks, it's best to filter water using a gourd or a pastille of Micropur or boil it before drinking.
To recover this rainwater, all means are good, or almost. In addition to a water bottle or cooking pot, you can also use a rain jacket, tarpaulin or tent. Depending on the situation, you can stretch one of these pieces of equipment between trees to create a trough, or a chute to guide water to a container.
Warning: Rainwater is not common, so if you collect some, drink it quickly. Many bacteria will develop during storage.
2. Locate natural water sources
In an emergency situation, any form of water is a blessing. However, it is advisable to stay away from stagnant water or even puddles. These are landmarks for bacteria and other microorganisms.
River water is much safer. However, there is a risk that a dead animal or other source of contamination will be upstream of your position. That's why, once again, it's best to boil and/or filter the water before drinking.
3. Eating fruits and plants
Fruits and plants contain a large amount of liquid. To avoid dying of thirst, you can eat fruit or plant parts. So you can not only hydrate your body, but also provide valuable vitamins and other nutrients.
Before throwing yourself at the first plant you come across, make sure it's not poisonous. To make sure you don't aggravate your situation by eating it, we recommend that you find out before your trip what plants and fruits are edible (and especially which ones to avoid) in the regions concerned.
4. Absorb evening and morning dew
If you can't find anything to hydrate you, even in small quantities, it's advisable to wait until the early hours of the morning or evening and drink the dew on herbs and leaves. Drinking dew is completely harmless.
There are various ways to collect dew. For example, you can collect it in the morning in a cup or other suitable container. You can also use a cloth or piece of clothing to wipe off the dew, then wring it out over a collection container.
5. Making trees and plants sweat
This method requires quite a bit of patience, but assuming you can reproduce it several times, on several branches, you'll be able to save a little water and a little respite to boot.
The principle is to wrap shrubs or live branches with a plastic bag directly over the tree and tie the whole thing tightly so that it can create condensation with the sun. This condensation, which you can recover about every 2 or 3 hours for the equivalent of a teaspoon of water.
6. Tracking birds and other animals
We're not the only ones who need water. animals wild ones too need it to survive. If you want to find water in the wild, then you should start looking for animal tracks. It's not unusual for these to lead directly to a watering hole or other water source.
If you don't see any tracks on the horizon, watch out for birds. The probability of they flying towards a water source is relatively high.
7. Collect water from puddles and other sources
If it's not possible to find rivers or lakes, you should start looking for different sources of water. After a downpour, water accumulates not only in puddles on the ground, but also between rocks, tree stumps and so on.
If you've found such a place, we recommend collecting as much water as possible and filtering it before drinking.
8. Digging for groundwater
In an emergency, you can always dig for groundwater. To find them, first look for an area with dense vegetation and moist soil. Then dig in. Start with 10 cm to see if the humidity increases. Then continue at 20 or 30 cm... With a little luck, the hole will fill with water at some depth.
You won't get gallons of water with this method, although you might be surprised, it should nevertheless be enough to drink a little.
Last thing: As water comes from the earth, it's naturally filtered and nutrient-loaded, so you can logically drink it straight. It may take a little willpower, but if in doubt, it's always best to boil it or purify it with filtration.
9. Making snow potable
If you run out of water during a hike winter, you can use snow to quench your thirst. If you have the option of boiling snow using a stove or campfire, this method will offer you an almost unlimited amount of drinking water.
Warning: It is not advisable to eat snow. By doing so, you'll lower your body temperature and be able to tumble into hypothermia. If you don't have anything with you to make a fire or heat a pan, we recommend putting snow in a bottle and storing it in your backpack until it has melted.
Put the odds in your favor with ÖKO!
You've just discovered nine techniques for finding water in the forest. Not all of them are equally effective, but you need to adopt a pragmatic mindset and combine techniques to give yourself the best chance.
Finally, while some of these techniques allow you to drink water directly in "relative" safety, the best practice is to always filter the water before drinking it.
This is what our OKO water bottle makes possible. As well as helping you to enjoy healthy water in everyday life, it can get you out of some uncomfortable situations, like this one. And it's very simple, just fill it up and the integrated filter takes care of the rest.
No more boiling, waiting for rain or wondering if the water in that little stream is safe to drink... The filter in the ÖKO flask rids you of bacteria and impurities.
>>> The ÖKO water bottle is the ideal everyday, go-anywhere companion for those who want healthy, purified water, no matter the source.