Water
Sources
Your drinking
water will tend to come from three types of sources on the G.E.T.
Creeks
and Rivers
More than
most long distance routes, the Grand Enchantment Trail seeks out
the company of moving water, sometimes following the banks of
rivers and creeks for several miles at a time. All told, the route
meanders in the frequent company of these sources for more than
90 of its 700 miles. Mountain and canyon creeks are more likely
to be flowing in springtime or soon following rain, otherwise
you may encounter pools of surface water in times of diminishing
runoff - especially in rockbound or steep-walled portions of drainages.
Some creeks and rivers along the route are perennial or very likely
to be flowing except in times of prolonged drought. Aravaipa,
Bonita, Eagle, and Alamosa creeks, and the San Pedro, San Francisco,
Blue, Gila, and Rio Grande rivers all slice through desert portions
of the route, bringing life-giving water to an otherwise arid
region.
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| W.
Fork Gila River's perennial flow |
Priest
Canyon spring runoff, Cibola NF |
Springs
and Seeps
Our route
also passes a good number of springs along the way. These occur
in desert, canyon, and mountain environments, and vary from surface
flow springs in sandy washes, to sandstone seeps in steep-walled
canyons, to rivulets and spring pools on the forest floor. Due
to the importance of water in this region, and in order to accommodate
stock animals, many springs are 'improved' and feature piped troughs
which act as reservoirs, holding a steady volume of water and
persisting longer in times of drought. Springs and seeps are dependent
on localized near-surface groundwater conditions, so will vary
in their rate of flow and reliability.
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Above:
Cub Spring, Apache Kid Wilderness
At right: Spring flow in Putnam Wash, Tortilla Mtns |
Tanks,
Troughs, and Windmills
Manmade sources
provide a vital addition to naturally occuring surface water along
the G.E.T. Ground or well water pumped to the surface for use
by cattle also benefits wildlife and backpackers, and many of
these sources are surprisingly potable, particularly when taken
directly from outlet pipes. Windmills are of course dependent
upon wind and on their operating condition, but the tanks (large
metal holding containers) and troughs (lower and smaller, for
drinking) that hold windmill water may contain a supply either
way. Other times these catchments are fed via a mechanical or
electric pump which replenishes the supply as it is drawn down
by use and evaporation. Earthen tanks - manmade depressions that
hold rain and meltwater - offer yet another option for hikers,
although these sources are perhaps the least reliable and most
likely to be contaminated by cattle (or wildlife), who may wade
directly into these often silty "stock ponds."
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At
left: windmill & stock trough, Bear Mtns NM
Above: Dry Time Tank (stock pond), Black Range NM |
Reliability
of Water Sources on the G.E.T.
The Grand
Enchantment Trail guidebook offers specific information about
the water sources encountered along the way, including type, condition,
and reliability. In addition, the G.E.T.
Water Chart - a table listing water source data by milepoint
along the route - provides an informative summary that should
be useful in planning a water carrying strategy. Taken together,
the guidebook and water chart should assist hikers in determining
which sources they are most able to count on, which ones might
be flowing, and which are likely to be dry.
Our route
passes many potential sources of water, many more than might be
expected in an arid region as this. In an average day of hiking
you are likely to find multiple sources of potential drinking
water, either on or near route. This is not to suggest that you
will often be able to walk away from a source carrying little
or no water in reserve, but that the route is designed to offer
as many options as possible in the event that a particular source
is dry.
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Riggs
Flat Lake, Pinaleno Mtns
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In a spring
season of average precipitation, following an average winter of
rainfall and mountain snowpack, (and barring any significant effects
of long-term regional drought) thru-hikers can generally expect
to find drinking water each day of the journey, meaning that they
would probably need to carry no more than a gallon at a time.
Seasons of above average rain and snow - or periods of recent
heavy rain or melt - can produce localized conditions in which
water becomes exceptionally abundant, sometimes flowing in many
more places than those listed in the guide. However, as Arizona
and New Mexico continue to trend toward long-term drought, the
opposite extreme is becoming more common - winter and spring seasons
of below average rain and snow, and a resulting decrease in the
reliability of water sources. Thru-hiking in years of low precipitation
becomes more challenging, and such hikers would strongly benefit
from prior experiences with desert travel and with lightweight
hiking strategies that facilitate the ability to carry more water.
The same also holds true for most fall thru-hikes of the route,
since summer rains are less reliable or beneficial than winter,
and a lack of snowpack in autumn greatly reduces mountain runoff.
Current
Water Conditions
The best sources
of current information on water conditions are those who have
recently visited the area in question. Since many portions of
the G.E.T. are remote and seldom visited or reported on, hikers
looking for specific information may need to glean whatever they
can from Forest Service and BLM offices. Even though the representatives
at these offices may lack first-hand knowledge of a particular
water source, they may still have a good sense of what to expect,
and can certainly tell you about recent weather and snowpack conditions.
A list of pertinent agencies can be found in the G.E.T. guidebook,
and in the Town Guide. Call or visit these offices to inquire
about water as well as trail conditions.
Also see the
following links for recent precipitation data and analysis by
state:
NRCS
Arizona precipitation reports
NRCS
New Mexico precipitation reports
Refer as well
to the section on Creek Fording
for a table with links to streamflow information for select water
sources along the way. Current conditions comparative to average
for these creeks and rivers may sometimes allow you to determine
a trend - either toward or away from problematic regional drought
- before committing to an upcoming season of travel along the
route.
Water
Management Strategies
A thorough
discussion of water-related techniques for desert travel is beyond
the scope of this planner. Other websites and publications cover
these topics in detail, and of course there is no substitute for
real-world experience, especially before setting out on a long
trek in arid country. That said, I'd like to share a brief list
of techniques that have worked well for me while hiking in desert
regions of the Southwest:
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One
gallon of premium unleaded: sediment-rich stock pond water
beats dehydration
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- Minimize
base packweight as much as possible, in order to more comfortably
carry larger, heavier loads of water when necessary.
- Never reject
the idea of carrying more water just because of its extra weight,
and remember that this weight will decrease steadily as you
hike toward the next source.
- Thoroughly
re-hydrate at every water source before walking away from it.
Drink much more than you think you need. Consider lingering
for a while so that you can hydrate steadily over a period of
time, which is more effective than quickly chugging 2 quarts
and moving on.
- When practical,
try to cook and camp near water sources. This will reduce your
use of carried water as well as total time spent traveling between
sources. Avoid cooking or camping too close to fragile sources
that wildlife and stock also depend on.
- Unless
you are very confidant in the likelihood of your next potential
water source, always assume that it may not be flowing. How
much water would you need to carry if hiking on to the next
probable source? Consider carrying this much water from the
outset.
- Drink regularly
throughout the day, rather than rationing your water supply
(except in emergencies). Water can't do you any good if you
don't consume it, and a pack laden with unconsumed water will
only increase your water needs through exertion.
- Use maps
and field observations to determine where other water sources
may exist that are not directly along the route. The presence
of cattle or fresh dung is a sure sign of water, likely within
a 2 mile radius of your location. In an emergency, use a small
monocular to scout for windmills, tanks, or areas of lush vegetation
on the horizon.
- Carry several
smaller water containers rather than one or two larger containers.
Not only will you lose less water if one container should fail,
you'll also be able to better distribute the load throughout
your pack.
Potability
and Treatment of Water
Where and
how you treat your water is a matter of personal preference. A
majority of water sources on the G.E.T. are of good appearance,
although it is never guaranteed that appearances will correlate
with actual water quality. Cattle grazing occurs in many parts
of the Southwest, and outside of wilderness areas most creeks
can be expected to feature some degree of contamination from these
animals. Stock troughs are also "working sources," but
at least cattle are unable to stand and defecate directly in these
sources, as they do with stock ponds.
You will probably
want to carry some type of water treatment system on your hike.
Many types of water filters and chemical disinfectants are capable
of reducing pathogens to a level well tolerated by many hikers.
Speaking to my own experiences only, Aqua Mira (chlorine dioxide)
worked well on both of my Grand Enchantment treks, in the sense
that it was lightweight, fairly convenient, and my health remained
good.
Consider pre-filtering
your water whenever organic matter or sediment is present, which
will improve the appearance of the water and the effectiveness
of treatment. If using a chemical system, you can place contaminated
water into a bladder or large container dedicated to this use,
then pour it over an open cookpot covered with a bandana or tubular
porous fabric. Empty the pre-filtered cookpot water into bottles,
then chemically treat.
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| Drink
Responsibly |
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