View Full Version : Any reason to not filter and drink water from canals?
erichkopp
03-18-2011, 11:17
Specifically the canals running from Lake Okeechobee to Broward, Miami, and Palm Beach. I'm thinking about doing an overnight along some of the levees that run along the canals, but I'm worried about what might be in the water from the farms and ranches further inland.
If you are worried about chemicals in the water, filters won't do anything about that. Filters are designed to remove micro-organisms, which are filter-able.
Two Tents
03-18-2011, 12:00
Just carry what water ya need for an overnighter.
Hikes in Rain
03-18-2011, 17:12
There are five classes of waterbodies in Florida. Class I is drinking water supply. Not a lot of those. Class III is recreational; swimming, boating, fishing. That's most of them. Canals are generally class IV. (Class V is industrial!!)
Draw your own conclusions. Given the reduced water quality standards, I sure wouldn't!
Specifically the canals running from Lake Okeechobee to Broward, Miami, and Palm Beach. I'm thinking about doing an overnight along some of the levees that run along the canals, but I'm worried about what might be in the water from the farms and ranches further inland.
Yep. Whenever you are looking at water flowing from farms and ranches you should be very cautious. I agree that for an overnight I would just pack my water.
mmais68569
03-18-2011, 17:39
If You do not carry fresh water carry Hugh amount of Toilet paper.
LOL
Mike ( Mr. Mean)
erichkopp
03-18-2011, 19:28
Well toilet paper is lighter, and I AM going to be running while carrying minimal gear.. Maybe I'll get lucky and won't even need the TP until I'm already back home. :-?
Hikes In Rain, I never knew about the five classifications of surface water until just now. I'll play it safe and carry all my water with me.
Hikes in Rain
03-18-2011, 21:15
Actually, they're working on instituting another one, between iII and IV. III-A, I think, lower than III, for ditches and the like. And it's amazing how many water bodies are impaired, not meeting even the minimum standards for their class.
WingedMonkey
03-18-2011, 21:57
Specifically the canals running from Lake Okeechobee to Broward, Miami, and Palm Beach. I'm thinking about doing an overnight along some of the levees that run along the canals, but I'm worried about what might be in the water from the farms and ranches further inland.
Where are you planning on going? This is almost my back yard. I bike camp the levee at least 3 times a year. A lot of the dike is closed on the Palm Beach side. Let me know what area and I'll tell you where potable water is.
And yes the lake and the canals are all full of farm run off, lots of pesticides and herbacides, but Lake Okeechobee is still one of the top bass fishing spots.(don't ask me if i have drank it, hey I'm a native LOL)
The towns on the lake had to stop pumping and treating drinking water from the lake because when water high in organic material is treated with chlorine for drinking, dangerous trihalomethanes (THMs) are formed. THM are cancer-causing chemicals according to the U.S. EPA.
This is a decent simple map showing "campsites". None have treated water.
http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Divisions/Operations/Branches/SFOO/DOCS/lostmap.pdf
This map shows more of the suronding canals and roads.
http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Divisions/Operations/Branches/SFOO/DOCS/LakeOkeechobeeMap.pdf
chiefiepoo
03-18-2011, 22:16
Your're right to be concerned about the canals. You might also keep in mind the alligator factor while hunkering down on the water edge to pump / fill containers.
WingedMonkey
03-18-2011, 22:23
Your're right to be concerned about the canals. You might also keep in mind the alligator factor while hunkering down on the water edge to pump / fill containers.
There hasn't been an alligator attack on Lake Okeechobee for more than two years now. And the fool only got his arm chomped off.
:sun
GeneralLee10
03-19-2011, 10:47
If you are worried about chemicals in the water, filters won't do anything about that. Filters are designed to remove micro-organisms, which are filter-able.
You might just be incorrect about this. I think you need to look at the First Need XL portable water purifier, made by General Ecology, Inc can be seen at www.generalecology.com (http://www.generalecology.com)
On the box in my hand it states: Award winning purification process removes waterborne disease bacteria; pathogenic cysts including Giardia and Crypto; pesticides, herbicides, toxic chemicals and viruses.
erichkopp
03-19-2011, 11:30
Where are you planning on going? This is almost my back yard. I bike camp the levee at least 3 times a year. A lot of the dike is closed on the Palm Beach side. Let me know what area and I'll tell you where potable water is.
I'm in Coral Springs. Bike camping is another idea I've been thinking of. There's a handful of us that do group rides on the levees in Broward during cyclocross season, and you can do tons of miles out there. I usually get on the levee at the Sawgrass Expressway.
I haven't ridden/ran the dike around Lake O but it seems like it'd be a nice place to spend a few days. I'd imagine water right from the lake would be cleaner than it is by the time it reaches us out east with all the additional agriculture runoff. Resupply looks pretty easy too.
WingedMonkey
03-19-2011, 12:59
There's a handful of us that do group rides on the levees in Broward during cyclocross seasonI don't do "charity rides" but have nothing against them. If you are interested they are having: "Loop the Lake for Literacy is a cycling event benefiting the programs of the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County, which ensure that adults, children, youth and families gain the literacy skills necessary to succeed in life. In this fun, adventurous outdoor event, cyclists will ride 25 km, 50 km, 100 km or 200 km routes around the southern shores of Lake Okeechobee to raise funds and awareness for the Coalition and its mission."
http://www.active.com/cycling/okeechobee-fl/loop-the-lake-for-literacy-2011
I'd imagine water right from the lake would be cleaner than it is by the time it reaches us out east with all the additional agriculture runoff.
Probably not. The Kissimmee River along the Florida Trail carries runoff all the way from Orlando area. The Lake receives runoff from the cattle farms on the north and west, and they back-pump the water from the sugar cane and vegetable farms back in to the Lake on the east and south when it gets too wet (something being fought in courts now). Although now the lake is low because of the drought there isn't any back-pumping but it will be more concentrated.
Camping is permitted on the L-5 and Miami Canal levees where they are on the Holey Land Wildlife Management Area only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, during non hunting seasons. Camping on the levee/dike on the Lake (Florida Trail/ Lost Trail) is open year round.
:sun
WingedMonkey
03-19-2011, 13:07
"Loop the Lake for Literacy"Forgot to put the date: Saturday April 2 2011. :sun
Don't forget about rain water--fairly easy to collect it from your tent or tarp in a pot or plastic bag, or even from your rain coat in the daytime.
erichkopp
03-20-2011, 11:46
WingedMonkey, where would you suggest parking to do the L.O.S.T. trail? It looks like the west side is unpaved, so I'd probably want to do some overnights on that section. Is the entirety of the trail around Lake O on top of the dike?
chiefiepoo
03-20-2011, 13:00
WingedMonkey, where would you suggest parking to do the L.O.S.T. trail? It looks like the west side is unpaved, so I'd probably want to do some overnights on that section. Is the entirety of the trail around Lake O on top of the dike?
A good place to park for west side access is at Okechobee City on the north side. Large lot there and some police presence there. Services too. On thr west side, there are surface road miles away from the berm. I biked the entire trail a few years back, my impression of it as a backpacking route was not favorable. Treeless, a view that varies very little, limited camping and limited good water. I biked from Okeechobee city to a fish camp, about 8 miles on a Fri night. Rode to Clewiston for Sat night and finished at O city mid afternoon sun. Part of the east side is routed along surface roads too.
WingedMonkey
03-20-2011, 14:19
WingedMonkey, where would you suggest parking to do the L.O.S.T. trail? It looks like the west side is unpaved, so I'd probably want to do some overnights on that section. Is the entirety of the trail around Lake O on top of the dike?
The LOST Trail/Florida Trail is unpaved on the west side from west of the Caloosahatchee lock at Moore Haven to the Okee-Tantie Recreation Area on the east side of the Kissimmee River bridge.
It is also unpaved on the east side between the Port Mayaka lock and the town of Pahokee. BUT, that part of the trail is closed for dike reconstuction by the Corps of Engineers (post Katrina dam failure fears).
The west side of the lake is more scenic and has more wildlife anyway since it borders farms on the land side and marsh on the lake side. However don't expect to see much of the huge lake because of those marshes, which they have been restoring over the last many years.
What used to be run by the Corps is now a private campground on the west side of Moore Haven. It is next to where the unpaved tail starts. Check with them for parking. Okeechobee Waterway RV Resort & Marina http://www.okeewwrv.com/. Moore Haven has a small grocery store and a few fast food stops.
About five miles west on the trail is Uncle Joes Fish Camp, at Liberty Point. Reached by back roads from County Road 720. Near a camp spot on the trail. Soda and beer and snacks. Maybe a few bucks for parking or just talk nice over a beer.
The trail does stay up on the dike except for a 3.2 mile section where the dike splits and goes down both sides of the Fisheating Creek basin, the trail follows a road walk. There is parking here at the old Sportsmans Village site (it's been torn torn) and a boat/airboat ramp but camping not allowed.
There are several hunting/fishing trailer camps on the road in the Lakeport area where you can ask to park, and a Bar at one of them.
After that is the Hamlet of Buckhead Ridge. There is a small camper/county store. You can park near the small lock there, or ask at one of the small motels
Over the Kissimmee River bridge is Okee-Tanti Recreation area campground and camp store, very popular boat ramp and restaurant. Overnight parking by a lot of fishermen.
Now..all that said if you are going that far west start a new thread about my secret hike-in camping area in Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area. No one goes there and it's great "wilderness" camping.
http://www.pbase.com/juanka_05/fort_center_archaelogical_site_trail
WingedMonkey
03-20-2011, 15:31
About five miles west on the trail is Uncle Joes Fish Camp, at Liberty Point. Reached by back roads from County Road 720. Near a camp spot on the trail. Soda and beer and snacks. Maybe a few bucks for parking or just talk nice over a beer.
Correction, Uncle Joe's is east of Moore Haven on the paved part of the trail. It is west of the town of Clewiston.
Ladytrekker
03-20-2011, 18:33
I have drank plenty of water from the Suwannee and the Withlacoochee Rivers I just filter it using a botabottle and I have survived to live another day. I mean really is drinking the water any less hazardous than breathing polluted air and eating fast food.
Great White
03-21-2011, 00:29
If you are worried about chemicals in the water, filters won't do anything about that. Filters are designed to remove micro-organisms, which are filter-able.
Yes, this is a problem I am facing as well. I want my water to have no chemical load. That is why I am planning to build a chemical water filter based on this filter by hiramcook on youtube. Here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dhznlV08Y0
Now I am assuming that Brita filters will remove herbicide etc. :-? But I think they should since Brita uses Carbon to filter like the First Need XL filter.