How to find Water in the Wilderness

Learning how to find water in the wilderness should be a priority for anyone interested in learning even the most basic survival skills. The problem normally isn’t finding water since you can’t walk more than a few miles in most countries without coming across a stream or river, but the problem comes with making that water safe to drink.

The average adult can last for 3 days without water, but that’s up until the point they actually die. It will only be the first 24 hours were you’re capable of actually doing anything, and after that you’ll feel so drained and sick that it will take you hours to move a few miles and eventually you’ll start to feint at which point its all down hill from there.

Unless you are in immediate danger, such as an extreme climate or at risk from animals or any kind of natural threat, then water should be a priority. You can last for much longer without food than you can without water, but even if its available it can contain a huge range of bacteria, parasites and insect larvae that could cause your downfall from a single sip. When in need of water in the wild, here’s a few things to keep in mind to help you locate and purify a source.

Tips for finding water in the wild

Look Low
Water will always flow downhill until it comes to something that can block it or until it drains away. The lowest point of the terrain you’re on will always be the best place to look for water, if you’re in a forest and can see the trees dip in one place like a large bowl then head that way, were as hilly terrain will collect water on the valley floor and any large depressions on the slopes.

Listen
As you move along through the wild stop every couple of minutes and just listen. What can easily be mistaken as the wind may be the faint sound of flowing water in the distance.

Sphagnum moss
This type of moss often covers the floors of pine forests but can be found anywhere there’s damp ground and a thick tree canopy blocking the light. Sphagnum moss collects water really well and pulling up a clump and squeezing the water out will usually return a good quantity.

(Sphagnum moss – found in damp and dark areas of woodland growing on the floor or dead wood)

Rocks and boulders
Large stones can hold water underneath them for some time after it rains. A good place to check if you’re in a rocky area is the ground at the bottom of steep rock faces in a place were all the rain that hits the rocks will run off into. Dig a hole in the ground at the base of the rock and it should fill up with a small amount of water. This method depends heavily on the climate and area you are in.

Green patches
In areas the earth isn’t consistently moist like in hotter regions, looks for areas where there are more plants growing or the grass is longer than anywhere else as this suggests the area gets more water than the surrounding land. Digging a hole here will provide a much higher chance of it collecting water.

Large leaf plants
Plants with large leaves tend to collect water where the leaf meets the stem after it rains and even though its a tiny amount per stem its better than nothing.

Follow the animals
This is only something to look for in areas were water is scarce like deserts. Animals know exactly how to survive in the wild and stay close to water out of neccessity. Seeing a large group of birds land in the same spot more than once and animal tracks leading the same way can all indiacte the presence of water.

Caves and rocky inlets
Even if the cave isnt very deep they are a great place to look for water, especially if there is moss present on the walls. Caves close to the sea often have the most amounts of water and offer a non salted version along the shore.

Condensation trap
To make one of these you’ll need some kind of plastic sheeting, even if its just a carrier bag. Simply dig a square hole between one and two feet deep, depending on what you have available to dig with, and make sure its about 1 foot across. Place a container in the center at the bottom of the hole and spread the plastic sheet over the top, weighing it down with a few stones round the edges. Place a small stone in the center of the plastic so it creates a dip right above your container. These are best left overnight or at least for a few hours since it takes a while for the water to seep out the earth and evaporate.

A condensation trap can also be made by placing plastic sheet over a some kind of frame, like a leaf-less bush or a stick frame for example. You can cover any kind of frame with plastic as long as theres no way for the condensation to escape other than from dripping out the bottom into a container. This method works best with plastic bags as its not possible to seal the gaps on something like a piece of tarp.

Things to look out for with natural water sources.

When it comes to natural sources like streams, rivers and lakes they can look deceptively clean. The water may look nice and fresh but it could be infested with tiny insect larvae or some kind of bacteria. Take the pictures below for example, the one on the left is a small stream that has crystal clear water and looks drinkable. The picture on the right is a five-minute walk up stream that reveals how that clean looking water runs straight off a sheep field and is filled with animal waste.