Food & Water: Finding and Carrying

learn

Planning for water is crucial in deserts, because neither natural nor man-made sources are 100% reliable: Springs can dry up. You'll encounter 2 kinds of water sources in the desert: natural sources, such as springs, seeps, and perennial streams, and man-made sources such as wells, windmills, cattle tanks, troughs, and containment dams.

Planning is key.

It is critical to obtain accurate, up-to-date information on water sources before setting out in the desert. In addition to using maps, call land management agencies and ask fellow hikers who have just hiked the trail. No matter how good your information source, never forget one sobering fact: Your life depends on finding water. Desert hiking requires a comfortable margin for error.

Plan low mileage so that if one source is dry, you can go on to the next. But at the same time, you should be physically able to hike high-mileage days, in case you need to.
Identify several possible water sources both on your route and near it. Carry more water than you think you'll need, and make sure you've identified "bail-out" points on your map: a way to hot-tail it back to civilization if the springs are all dry.
Note any cabins or houses nearby that are marked on your map: Usually houses are built near a reliable water source.
And if you've left a vehicle at the place where you expect to end your hike, be sure you've got a couple of gallons of water stashed in it.

How to find water in the field.

In arid terrain, plants cluster around water sources, so look for unusual clusters of green. Typical desert plants tend to be spaced regularly. Abundant greenery tends to grow around springs.
Big trees - especially cottonwoods - in a desert often signify water. Willows are an indicator, too, though not quite as reliable, because willows don't need a constant source of water, just a frequent one.
If the thickets are thick and healthy-looking, chances are there's water somewhere nearby. You might find it downstream a bit or by digging about 8-12 inches into the sandy soil shaded by the thickets.
Also look under big rocks, which can shade water from evaporating.
Finally, look for aspens in drainage gullies. Aspens need 15 inches of precipitation a year, so in arid terrain, where there isn't enough rainfall to support them, they are sometimes found in drainage gullies where they can get water from underground.

How do I carry all this water?

Fabric water bags make the most versatile carriers because they take up almost no space when empty and only as much space as necessary when full (as opposed to a water bottle, which takes up the same amount of space no matter what's in it). A number of different kinds are available.
Take 2 or 3 small water bags instead of a single large one: What applies to eggs in baskets applies to water in bags. If one of your bags springs a leak from, say, an accidental cactus encounter, you won't lose everything. Also, multiple small water bags are easier to stash and balance in your pack than one big one.
HINT: Pack along some duct tape in case you need to perform emergency first aid on a water bag.