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4shot
06-05-2013, 09:41
horse$^!t . I just hiked from Hiawassee thru GSMNP, ending up at cosby campground. For the first part of the hike I was on the AT. After I reached Fontana I utilized the BMT and other trails.

In the Smokies (off the AT) there are quite a few campgrounds utilized by people on horseback. We (hikers) are instructed to bury human waste 100 ft. from a water source 4-6" deep. However the hitching areas/stalls for the horses are oftentimes right on the edge of the water source.As a result, there were also piles of horse dung on the banks of some of the creeks.

so, my question is...does human waste have a more harmful impact on water quality than horse excrement? and if so, why? Why are the horses kept so close to the water? My theories are....a) horse waste must be more "environmentally friendly" than human waste or b) these camping areas were estabilished well before anyone gave any thought to LNT camping and the park service has neither the funds or desire to relocate the sites. as always, any input from the experts here on WB would be appreciated.

HooKooDooKu
06-05-2013, 09:55
I'm not a biologist, so this is just a logical guess (so don't take these statements as fact):

Human's don't get human diseases from horses, they get human diseases from other humans... and fecal transfer is one of the primary sources of disease transfer between human.

Now yes, there are things in horse poop, deer poop, and bear poop that can make you sick. That is why the park suggests boiling ALL water obtained in the back country. But when it comes to human poop, humans are limited to a relatively small percentage of the park, and multiple humans use this same area.

So in other words, there is a much higher likelyhood of disease transmission from human poop to other humans than there is from other animals. So humans must bury their waste to help offset this greater likelyhood of disease transmission.

Pedaling Fool
06-05-2013, 11:53
The "restrictions" on crapping in the woods is mostly a result of the ewwww-factor. Our crap gets composted in the basic same way as any other animals' crap. It's no less environmentally friendly. Some say there is so much extra stuff in our crap due to medications and stuff, but that's just anecdotal story telling. I'm not saying that there is no concern in that area, but it's way, way over-emphsized, but I bet the soil organisms take care of most of that stuff.

The major problem with crap is when you get tons of it in a concentrated area, i.e. a privy.


P.S. Mexican's don't get sick from the water in Mexico.

bfayer
06-05-2013, 12:09
I'm not a biologist, so this is just a logical guess (so don't take these statements as fact):

Human's don't get human diseases from horses, they get human diseases from other humans... and fecal transfer is one of the primary sources of disease transfer between human.

Now yes, there are things in horse poop, deer poop, and bear poop that can make you sick. That is why the park suggests boiling ALL water obtained in the back country. But when it comes to human poop, humans are limited to a relatively small percentage of the park, and multiple humans use this same area.

So in other words, there is a much higher likelyhood of disease transmission from human poop to other humans than there is from other animals. So humans must bury their waste to help offset this greater likelyhood of disease transmission.

This applies to most viruses and some parasites. Other parasites and bacteria will transfer just fine. That is why it's important to know where the water comes from in the area you are hiking in so you can decide on the best water treatment.

Horses don't transfer many viruses so most filters will work fine since they get the bacteria and parasites. Pigs carry viruses that can infect humans, in fact that is where the annual flu comes from (pigs in Asia), so if there is the possibility of a farm up hill, most filters are not the best choice.

As you say humans are the big problem, so if there is the possibility of human contamination, then either pass up the water, or filter and treat for viruses.

Of course water coming out of the ground uphill of all farms and people, is probably good to go as is, but, you never know.