MillionMiles
Pack Dog
First, I post this topic in this forum because I believe the content of this topic should be considered by all adventure bikers at the latest during trip planning.
Check what they say on need for water in desert environments:
NEED FOR WATER
The subject of man and water in the desert has generated considerable
interest and confusion since the early days of World War II when the
U.S. Army was preparing to fight in North Africa. At one time the U.S.
Army thought it could condition men to do with less water by progressively
reducing their water supplies during training. They called it water
discipline. It caused hundreds of heat casualties.
A key factor in desert survival is understanding the relationship between
physical activity, air temperature, and water consumption. The body
13-7
requires a certain amount of water for a certain level of activity at a
certain temperature. For example, a person performing hard work in
the sun at 43 degrees C requires 19 liters of water daily. Lack of the
required amount of water causes a rapid decline in an individual’s ability
to make decisions and to perform tasks efficiently.
Your body’s normal temperature is 36.9 degrees C (98.6 degrees F).
Your body gets rid of excess heat (cools off) by sweating. The warmer
your body becomes—whether caused by work, exercise, or air temperature—
the more you sweat. The more you sweat, the more moisture
you lose. Sweating is the principal cause of water loss. If a person stops
sweating during periods of high air temperature and heavy work or
exercise, he will quickly develop heat stroke. This is an emergency that
requires immediate medical attention.
Figure 13-2 shows daily water requirements for various levels of work.
Understanding how the air temperature and your physical activity affect
your water requirements allows you to take measures to get the most
from your water supply. These measures are—
Find shade! Get out of the sun!
Place something between you and the hot ground.
Limit your movements!
Conserve your sweat. Wear your complete uniform to include T-shirt.
Roll the sleeves down, cover your head, and protect your neck with
a scarf or similar item. These steps will protect your body from hotblowing
winds and the direct rays of the sun. Your clothing will
absorb your sweat, keeping it against your skin so that you gain its
full cooling effect. By staying in the shade quietly, fully clothed, not
talking, keeping your mouth closed, and breathing through your nose,
your water requirement for survival drops dramatically.
If water is scarce, do not eat. Food requires water for digestion;
therefore, eating food will use water that you need for cooling.
Thirst is not a reliable guide for your need for water. A person who uses
thirst as a guide will drink only two-thirds of his daily water requirement.
To prevent this “voluntary” dehydration, use the following guide:
At temperatures below 38 degrees C, drink 0.5 liter of water every
hour.
At temperatures above 38 degrees C, drink 1 liter of water every
hour.
13-8
13-9
Drinking water at regular intervals helps your body remain cool and
decreases sweating. Even when your water supply is low, sipping water
constantly will keep your body cooler and reduce water loss through
sweating. Conserve your fluids by reducing activity during the heat of
day. Do not ration your water! If you try to ration water, you stand a
good chance of becoming a heat casualty.
See the attached doc for a full article with the stated graphs. Very informative
Check what they say on need for water in desert environments:
NEED FOR WATER
The subject of man and water in the desert has generated considerable
interest and confusion since the early days of World War II when the
U.S. Army was preparing to fight in North Africa. At one time the U.S.
Army thought it could condition men to do with less water by progressively
reducing their water supplies during training. They called it water
discipline. It caused hundreds of heat casualties.
A key factor in desert survival is understanding the relationship between
physical activity, air temperature, and water consumption. The body
13-7
requires a certain amount of water for a certain level of activity at a
certain temperature. For example, a person performing hard work in
the sun at 43 degrees C requires 19 liters of water daily. Lack of the
required amount of water causes a rapid decline in an individual’s ability
to make decisions and to perform tasks efficiently.
Your body’s normal temperature is 36.9 degrees C (98.6 degrees F).
Your body gets rid of excess heat (cools off) by sweating. The warmer
your body becomes—whether caused by work, exercise, or air temperature—
the more you sweat. The more you sweat, the more moisture
you lose. Sweating is the principal cause of water loss. If a person stops
sweating during periods of high air temperature and heavy work or
exercise, he will quickly develop heat stroke. This is an emergency that
requires immediate medical attention.
Figure 13-2 shows daily water requirements for various levels of work.
Understanding how the air temperature and your physical activity affect
your water requirements allows you to take measures to get the most
from your water supply. These measures are—
Find shade! Get out of the sun!
Place something between you and the hot ground.
Limit your movements!
Conserve your sweat. Wear your complete uniform to include T-shirt.
Roll the sleeves down, cover your head, and protect your neck with
a scarf or similar item. These steps will protect your body from hotblowing
winds and the direct rays of the sun. Your clothing will
absorb your sweat, keeping it against your skin so that you gain its
full cooling effect. By staying in the shade quietly, fully clothed, not
talking, keeping your mouth closed, and breathing through your nose,
your water requirement for survival drops dramatically.
If water is scarce, do not eat. Food requires water for digestion;
therefore, eating food will use water that you need for cooling.
Thirst is not a reliable guide for your need for water. A person who uses
thirst as a guide will drink only two-thirds of his daily water requirement.
To prevent this “voluntary” dehydration, use the following guide:
At temperatures below 38 degrees C, drink 0.5 liter of water every
hour.
At temperatures above 38 degrees C, drink 1 liter of water every
hour.
13-8
13-9
Drinking water at regular intervals helps your body remain cool and
decreases sweating. Even when your water supply is low, sipping water
constantly will keep your body cooler and reduce water loss through
sweating. Conserve your fluids by reducing activity during the heat of
day. Do not ration your water! If you try to ration water, you stand a
good chance of becoming a heat casualty.
See the attached doc for a full article with the stated graphs. Very informative
