How to find water in the forest?

Was your last nature outing 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 keep hydrated, of course, but also to clean a wound or help someone or some animal in distress.

The problem is, even if you had planned to return two hours later, the unexpected always happens... when you least expect it. In this case, thedrinking water often ends up in the "emergencies to be dealt with" list, and you need to know how to respond.

To do this, you could :

1. Rainwater harvesting
2. Locating natural sources
3. Eating fruit and plants
4. Absorb morning (or evening) dew
5. Making trees sweat
6. Tracking animals and birds
7. Collecting water from puddles
8. Finding groundwater
9. Making snow drinkable

But before we go into detail about these tips, let's take a look at why you should learn to finding 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 does have one weakness: its need for need for water requirement. It's possible to survive without food for weeks on end, although it's far from easy and we wouldn't advise you to try, but when it comes to water, this period is reduced to three days!

Admittedly, this is an average, but the effects of dehydration start to manifest themselves much earlier, and can lead to critical situations sooner than you think.

Good to know: When you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated.

So, supposing you find yourself in an uncomfortable position in the middle of a forest and your water reserves are empty, learning how to find water on your own can get you out of a tight spot.


Filter the water you find:

That 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. Either boil it (if you're equipped to do so), treat it with Micropur tablets (if you've got any on you...) or purify it with a activated carbon filter.

1. Rainwater harvesting

If you've run out of water and it starts raining, you need to find a way to collect rainwater. Just make sure you're not near 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 the water using a flask or a Micropur® tablet tablet, or boil it before drinking.

Rainwater harvesting can be done in almost any way. In addition to a gourd or saucepan, you can use a rain jacket, tarpaulin or tent cover. Depending on the situation, you can stretch one of these items between trees to create a trough, or a chute to guide the water to a container.

Caution: Rainwater is not common, so if you do 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's a good idea to stay away from stagnant water or even puddles. These are breeding grounds for bacteria and other micro-organisms.

Stream water is much safer. However, the risk of a dead animal or other source of contamination upstream of your location. That's why, once again, it's best to boil and/or filter water before drinking.

3. Eat fruit and plants

Fruits and plants contain large quantities of liquid. So if you don't want to die of thirst, you can eat fruit or plant parts. In this way, you can not only hydrate your bodybut also provide valuable vitamins and other nutrients.

Before you pounce on the first plant you come across, make sure it's non-toxic. To make sure you don't aggravate your situation by consuming it, we recommend that you find out before your trip about edible plants and edible fruits (and especially those to be avoided) 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 best to wait until the early hours of the morning or evening and drink dew on herbs and leaves. Drinking dew is completely harmless.

There are various ways of harvesting dew. You can, for example, collect it in the morning using 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. Sweating trees and plants

This method requires a great deal of patience, but if 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 consists in wrapping the shrubs or living branches in a plastic bag directly on the tree, and tying it tightly so as to create condensation with the sun. This condensation can be collected every 2 or 3 hours for the equivalent of a teaspoon of water.

6. Track birds and other animals

We're not the only ones who need water. Visit animals need it to survive. If you want to find water in the wildyou should start looking for animal tracks. It's not uncommon for these to lead directly to a waterhole or other water source.

If you don't see any tracks on the horizon, look out for birds. The likelihood ofthem flying in the direction of a water source is relatively high.

7. Collect water from puddles and other sources

If you can't find rivers or lakes, you should start looking for differentsources of water. After a downpour, water collects not only in puddles on the ground, but also between rocks, tree stumps, etc. If you have found such a place, we advise you to collect as much water as possible.

If you find such a place, we advise you to collect as much water as possible and filter it before drinking.

8. Digging for groundwater

In an emergency, you can always look for groundwater. To find it, first look for an area of dense vegetation and damp earth. Then dig. First, dig down 10 cm to see if the dampness intensifies. Then continue to 20 or 30 cm... With a little luck, the hole will fill with water at a certain depth.

You won't get gallons of water with this method, though you may be surprised, but it should be enough to drink a little.

Last but not least: as water comes from the earth, it is naturally filtered and loaded with nutrients, so you can logically drink it directly. It may take a bit of willpower, but if in doubt, it's always best to boil it or purify it by filtration.

9. Make snow drinkable

If you run out of water during a winter you can use the snow to quench your thirst. If you have the option of boiling the snow with a stove or a campfirethis method will provide you with a quantity ofdrinking water of drinking water.

Caution: Eating snow is not recommended. If you do, your body temperature will drop, and you could fall into hypothermia. If you don't have anything with you to make a fire or heat a pan, we recommend putting some snow in a bottle and store it in your rucksack 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 accumulate 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 your water before drinking it.

This is what our ÖKO water bottle. Not only does it enable you to enjoy healthy water in everyday life, it can also get you out of some uncomfortable situations, like this one. And it's very easy to do: just fill it up, and the integrated built-in filter takes care of the rest.

No need to boil, wait for rain or wonder if the water in that little stream is safe to drink... The ÖKO water bottle filter rids you of bacteria and impurities.

>>> The ÖKO water bottle gourd is the ideal everyday companion for those who want healthy, purified water, whatever the source.