How To Build A Solar Still

When water sources become scarce or you find yourself in a survival situation without the normal channels of water present like rivers, lakes, ponds, etc… then advanced water retrieval methods may become necessary. In most climates, water is actually abundant but is inaccessible through standard water collecting methods. So today we are going to discuss one of the most common advanced water collecting techniques called the Solar Still:

Solar Still – The concept of a solar still is relatively simple. The suns heat raises the temperature of the air contained within the solar still as well as the soil itself and produces water vapor that tries to escape by means of evaporation. When the water rises and meets the surface of the solar still, then it collects on the underside and runs down towards an impression and finally drips into a collection container. The first step involved in building a solar still is locating a spot that receives lots of sunlight and is preferably in a low spot within the land where the soil may contain more water from prior rain runoff. Then you’ll need to dig a hole that is approximately 3 feet wide and 2 feet deep. Once the hole is dug, place a can, bottle, pan, canteen, or any other device that can be used to collect the water in the middle of the hole. Be sure to press it down firmly so that it will not tip over and use a small amount of soil to press up against the sides to help hold it into place. Now, cover the hole with a sheet of plastic or any other material that will seal the hole off but allow sunlight to pass through it. Place the material in a manner that slopes down towards the middle and creates a depression right above the water collector. Then place a small round stone in the middle of the sheet to create a water droplet point for your solar still. Now, use soil and/or rocks to anchor the side of the plastic sheet and seal off the interior. Try to keep the material tight so that it provides a flat smooth surface for the water to run down. Also, if any materials are available to construct a straw then it is extremely helpful to design a setup that allows you to drink from the collection container without disturbing the solar stills construction. But be sure to use grass or some other material to block the end of the straw to ensure that the solar still is kept airtight while the straw is not being used. Solar stills are especially effective within climates that see excessive heat during the days but experience cold temperatures during the night. Most solar stills of this size can produce approximately 20 ounces of water each day depending on climate. Solar stills can be used to turn all sorts of undrinkable water sources into clean drinkable water. Urine, salt water, stagnant water, contaminated water, etc… can all be poured within a reservoir created at the bottom of the solar still and turned into a viable water source. You can even cut up poisonous vegetation that contains significant amounts of water like several families of cactus and place them at the bottom of the still. The hazardous water contained within the poisonous vegetation will be forced out of the plant and then collected as safe drinkable water. To increase the availability and production of water, it may be necessary to build several solar stills.

How To Help Predict An Approaching Rain or Snow Storm

 

This is a trick that has been passed down for hundreds of years and was even used heavily by some of the first major civilizations. After using it for several years myself, I can honestly say that it is very accurate as will most survival experts. The concept is very simple and all you have to do is monitor the look of the sun or the moon. Normally the sun and the moon will have clear and defined edges but if you happen to notice that there is a halo around either one of them then you can expect either rain or snow within 12 to 36 hours. The halo effect is caused by light that is being refracted through small ice crystals contained among cirrus clouds located high up in the Earth’s atmosphere. The presence of the halo indicates that a low pressure system is building and precipitation can be expected sometime in the near future. If you notice that the halo around the sun or the moon are not complete or broken to one side, then that means the storm is approaching from the broken side of the halo and that the timeline is getting even shorter.

Advanced Water Retrieval Methods

When water sources become scarce or you find yourself in a survival situation without the normal channels of water present like rivers, lakes, ponds, etc… then advanced water retrieval methods may become necessary. In most climates, water is actually abundant but is inaccessible through standard water collecting methods. So today we are going to discuss some of the most common advanced water collecting techniques that involve condensation:

Condensation from Trees– Trees and other forms of vegetation can be a key source of water collection. Some of the most commonly founds trees in the world can collect water from water tables found 60 feet or more below the grounds surface. These trees can provide water from depths that you would never have the capability to dig by hand. The first step to collecting water from a tree source is to find a plastic sack, plastic bag, a plastic poncho, polyurethane tent, plastic liner, or any other similar material. For this example we’ll say we are using a traditional plastic bag. Next, locate a leafy branch on the tree that is within your reach and preferably receives a significant amount of sunlight. Now place the plastic bag around the leafy branch in a fashion that insures the opening of the bag is at the uppermost top of the branch and that one of the corners of the bag is hanging low and pointing towards the ground. So in this case the bag should appear to be sideways in a vertical up and down position. Now rap the opening or mouth of the bag with some type of cordage to seal it off. Sometimes it’s also helpful to blow a small amount of air into the plastic bag to make it expand properly and keep the vegetation from coming into contact with the sides of the plastic. This will also intern introduce more air trapped into the bag to even further help with the condensation process. If several sources of plastic or supplies are available, then it is helpful to make several suspended bags to further increase your water production capability. Depending on the size of the plastic material or bag used as well as climate, most condensation setups can yield 14 ounces of water or more per day.

Condensation from Vegetation – besides trees, all sorts of vegetation can also be used to create water by using the condensation method. The materials needed for this method are the same as those addressed above in the prior section. This method can be used in two fashions; you can either place the plastic material over a plant or collect uprooted vegetation and place it in the plastic bag. If you are placing the plastic over a plant then you want to position it as if you were building a tent around the plant and ensuring that the sides of the plastic don’t come into contact with any of the vegetation itself. You will also need to dig a small moat around the plant and secure the plastic using rocks, dirt, or other materials in a manner that will hold the plastic secure and create an impression that will collect the water. The concept here is that the water will be drawn to the sides of the bag and then run down into a reservoir created at the bottom. To hold the top of the plastic you can either use cordage to secure it from an adjacent limb, build a tripod from some small timber, or use a stick/stake drove into the ground within the plastic itself. If you are using a stick within the bag then be sure to find a material to be used as a pad between the stick and the plastic itself to prevent from tearing the material. It’s also helpful to grade the soil at an angle so that the handmade reservoir runs down hill and all the water collects in one designated spot. If you decide to place vegetation within the bag instead of placing it over a plant, then be sure to pull the vegetation up by its roots. The roots of a plant contain the majority of that plants water source so you will be conserving much more fluid than if you just simply cut or pluck the leaves off of a plant or collect only the grass leaves themselves. The roots are key to collecting a sufficient amount of water using this method. First collect rocks or stones to form a base at the bottom of the plastic bag. This will provide a platform that will allow the water to drip and flow better than just having the vegetation bundled together at the bottom of the bag. This setup will also require that the plastic stay tight and kept from coming into contact with the edges of the vegetation. A simple slope to one side can help the water run downhill and collect in a small handmade reservoir.  If several sources of plastic or supplies are available, then it is helpful to make several setups to further increase your water production capability. Depending on the size of the plastic material or bag used as well as climate, most condensation setups of this type can yield 10 ounces of water or more per day.

How To Build An Emergency Shelter With A Tarp

If you ever find yourself stranded or just want to pack lighter by not carrying a traditional tent, then a tarp tent can be a lifesaver. A tarp tent can provide great protection from the rain as well as a structure that will stand up to high winds due to its pyramid style design. They can also be easily modified to provide a run off for rain that can be used as a source of water collection. The first thing you’ll need to do is designate a good spot to build the tarp tent. Look for a flat smooth area that preferably has some type of trees or vegetation that will provide some shade during the hotter parts of the day if at all possible. Figure out the direction that the majority of the wind blows throughout the day and stake one corner of the tarp facing towards the wind. Then prop a pole, limb, or some other object under the opposite corner diagonally from where you previously staked the corner down. Then run a guide line from the top of the pole or object down to a stake, tree, large rock, or any other structure that would provide adequate strength. Then pull the remaining two corners tight and either stake them down or place heavy objects along its borders to provide enough weight to hold it under tension. Another neat trick is to make a door to your tent using a shirt, cloth, or any other object that you can use to either clothespin to the tarp itself or construct a light structure made out of sticks that have one end sharpened so you can stake them into the ground. Constructing a door on your shelter can help keep the heat in during cold nights, keep any wind and blowing rain out of your shelter, keep bugs out of your structure, and provide an obstruction for animals such as snakes. Once the shelter is assembled, I also like to place large rocks around the outside of the tarp where it meets the ground. This will ensure that even in the heaviest of normal winds, that the tarps rim doesn't lift enough from the ground to be toppled by the wind.