Surviving in the Land of Little Water: Finding Agua in the Desert
By: Tony Nester
Life in the desert revolves around one key element- that inescapable requirement that no person can avoid or overcome: the need for Water. Even the hardiest of desert peoples, like the Bushman and the Aborigine, depend on it. If you are an operator deployed to the desert and find yourself in an E & E situation, water procurement will rise to the top of your survival priorities.
I have read different statistics over the years saying that a person can survive anywhere from 4 hours to 4 days without water in a desert environment. I'd have to say that the answer to that statement is Yes!
Yes, because it depends on what time of year it is, your exertion level, how physically fit you are, whether you remain clothed, if you are injured, and if you are in the shade or the sun. As you can see, a lot of variables are involved. If there's one rule to remember about the desert it's that you can't live long without water whether you are a triathlete or Navy Seal. 
In my desert survival field courses, the minimum water consumption rate is 2 gallons a day per person in the 110-120 degree summer temps of the Sonoran Desert. In such heat, survival time without water would be limited to around two days, maybe less, depending on the variables mentioned above.
While writing my book on desert survival a few years back, I had the good fortune to pick the brain of a veteran park ranger at Death Valley. He said that on the main highway traversing the park, where the ground can reach 200 degrees, he has seen tires literally unravel while unsuspecting tourists were driving during the summer months! Being stranded in the heat, and without water, is a true survival situation, especially if children are involved. Be prepared when driving and carry at least two gallons of water per person.
Reading the Landscape
When it comes to water sources in the backcountry, don't assume that the creek, spring, or waterhole you noticed on the map is going to even exist this year because it might not, especially during a season of drought. Talk to the folks who are out on the land all the time- the locals, the Forest Service, or cowboys in the area and find out what the water conditions are really like in the backcountry.
On an extended backpacking trip, and certainly in a survival situation, it is important to know how to locate water for resupplying so let's look at some skills for procuring this precious substance.
Being able to read the nuances of the land is a skill of visual acuity. You are searching for subtle clues written across the terrain that may indicate water. This is a skill that comes with experience hiking in the desert.
Places to Look for Water:
Shady areas at the base of cliffs
Rock pockets and depressions
Tree cavities and hollows
Undercut banks in dry riverbeds
Where insect life abounds
Where vegetation abounds: willow & cottonwood trees can sometimes have
water at their bases.
Tinajas
Tinaja is a Spanish word meaning Earthen Jar. Many people just call them
tanks, as in water tanks and this is how they show up on topographic maps. Essentially, tinajas are depressions in rock where water can be found by the gallons, if the rains have been good that year.
In tinajas in shaded overhangs, I have found water holes large enough to swim across. One tip for locating a tinaja is to look for the bright green leaves of cottownwood, sycamore or willow trees which can be seen for miles in the open desert. In parts of the Middle East and Africa, palm trees will also key you in to tinajas and spring sites.
Desert Survival Misconceptions About Water Sources
Water From a Barrel Cactus
The notion of slicing open a juicy barrel cactus and scooping out a cup of water to quench your thirst sounds appealing. The problem is that, due to the alkaloids present in the cactus, most people experience severe cramping and vomiting, which only increases their dehydration.
Assuming that you have the tools (i.e., machete, tire-iron, etc...) to cut into the spiny cactus without injuring yourself, you will be adding a noxious substance to your already overheated body that will put your system under further duress. Having sampled barrel cactus “fluid” before, I can tell you that there’s a reason why cactus juice isn’t sold at the grocery store! By the way, the only barrel cactus that isn't toxic is the fishhook barrel (Ferocactus wislizeni).
Collecting Water With a Solar Still
The solar still involves digging a two foot deep pit with a three foot diameter, placing a container in the bottom, and covering the whole pit with a six foot by six foot piece of clear plastic. The plastic condenses ground moisture on the interior covering where it funnels down to the center and drops into the container.
Constructing a still involves expending considerable amounts of your precious sweat to dig the pit. It also presupposes that you have a sheet of clear plastic and a shovel. If you had the foresight to bring this gear then you probably had the good sense to pack plenty of water. The solar still just isn't that useful in the desert and yet it still shows up in survival books as a reliable water-collecting device.
I have constructed many over the years in each of the four North American deserts. Each time, I arrive at the same conclusion: Plan ahead and carry plenty of water! Otherwise, rest where you find it in the desert and then travel during the cooler hours of the evening and early morning.
Related Article: Surviving an Unexpected Night in the Wilderness
Each year, there are numerous stories about lost hikers or hunters in the wilderness who succumb to the elements. Many of these tragedies are preventable and involve a little preparation on the front end coupled with a dose of common sense while on the trail.
