FMFRP 0-55 Desert Water Supply U.S. MarineCorps PCN 140000550 00 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY Headquarters United States Marine Corps Washington, DC 20380—0001 5 November 1990 FOREWORD 1. PURPOSE Fleet Marine Force Reference Publication (FMFRP) 0—55, Desert Water Supply, describes the problems with supplying water to a force operating in a desert. 2. BACXGROUND a. Desert operations have much in common with operations in the other parts of the world. The unique aspects of desert operations stem primarily from deserts' heat and lack of moisture. While these two factors have significant consequences, most of the doctrine, tactics, techniques, and procedures used in operations in other parts of the world apply to desert operations. The challenge of desert operations is to adapt to a new environment. b. FMFRP 0-55 was originally published by the Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory in 1982 as a technical note. In August 1990, Desert Water Supply was republished as OH 0-55. 3. SUPERSEBSION Operational Handbook 0—55 Desert Water Supply; however, the texts of FMFRP 0—55 and OH 0—55 are identical and OH 0—55 will continue to be used until the stock is exhausted. 4. RECOMMENDATIONS This manual will not be modified. However, comments about the manual are welcomed and will be used in revising other manuals on desert warfare. Submit comments to -— CommandingGeneral Marine Corps Combat Development Command (WF12) Quantico, VA 22134—5001 5 • RECOMMENDATIONS This manual will not be revised. However, comments on the manual are welcomed and will be used in revising other manuals on desert warfare. Submit comments to -- CommandingGeneral Marine Corps Combat Development Command (WF12) Quantico, VA 22134—5001 6. CERTIFICATION Reviewed and approved this date. BY DIRECTION OF THE COI4MANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS M. P. CAULFLD Major General, U.S. Marine Corps Deputy Commander for Warfighting Marine Corps Combat Development Command Quantico, Virginia 1Jisi lLI00005bOUU 2 TN NO: N-1637 TITLE: DESERTWATER SUPPLY I hi AUTHOR: J.Crane I DATE: June1982 SPONSOR: NavalFacilities Engineering Command and MarineCorps Development and Education Coirriard I PROGRAMNO: YF6O.536.o91.o1.J5o NAVAL CML ENGINEERING LABORATORY PORT HUENEME, CALIFORNIA 93043 This publicitioc isrequired for offcisl use or for a4 intrciw or operstio purpoe only.Diwibuttoo is limitedtoU.S.Governmentscncies. Other requestsmust be referred tothe Navii Civil Enineenng Uboritoty, Port Hueneme, CA 93043. METRIC CONVERSION FACIORS 0 - Ap1woxiinut. Coiwwi.oe.s to Melc Measure. Apoxinwt. Cwweri.ons fromM.tricM..,urs, Svw1 When YouKnow Multiply W T. Find SyoI Synthol When You Know Mutipiyby ToFUI SywoI —! 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I ''I I •I.. -40 -20 J40 2040I;IJ.40 40 109 I oc 37 CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION Operational Need I Background 1 Objectives 1 Approach 2 GEOGRAPHIC AND CLIMATIC CONSIDERATIONS The Desert Environment 2 Military Considerations . 2 Trends in Geographic and ClimaticData Collection . 3 WATERUSECONSIDERATIONS Human Factors Drinking Water Requirements WATERSUPPLY SOURCES Discussion of Alternatives Importation of Water Exploitation of Existing Sources Development of New Sources WATER TREATMENT 10 Water Quality Requirements 10 Tactical Considerations 10 Treatment Technology 11 WATER STORAGE 12 Tactical Considerations 12 Large Volume Storage 12 Secondary Storage 13 Small Volume Storage 14 WATER DISTRIBUTION 14 Tactical Considerations 14 PortableContainers 15 Hoses and Pumps 16 TEMPERATURECONTROL 17 Tactical Considerations 17 Passive Measures 17 Active Cooling 17 -I Page OPERATIONAL SCENARIOS AND FORCE STRUCTURES • 19 Basis for Water Supply Requirements Extrapolation of Water Use Factors 20 Required Operational Capabilities 21 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS 22 APPENDIXES A —DesertWater Supply:Geographical and Climatological Considerations A-i. B — Preliminary Test Results for a Prototype Desert Canteen B-i i-i- INTRODUCTION ionalNeed The Marine Corps role requires the capability of rapid deployment, mobility, and maneuverability for strike force operation.Deployment to desert regions will require the additional logistic burden for water self-sufficiency since most desert areas will not have adequate water resources readily available for exploitation to support combat forces. A complete capability for water self-sufficiency, with all of the problems and constraints unique to desert operations, does not currently exist in the Marine Corps structure. Background The Marine Corps is currently and has traditionally been a rapidly deployable, infantry—based assault force capable of functioning either independently or in conjunction with other forces.Operations have historically been in geographical areas with adequate water resources to meet assault force requirements for both potable and nonpotable use. Therefore existing water supply equipment inventories have been based on the assumption that adequate water resources will be available in the operational area and can be exploited. Th potential for deployment to arid regions, and specifically to one of several politically sensitive desert regions of the world requires the addition of new capabilities to the Marine Corps force structure and equipment inventory. The Marine Corps is currently procuring Army-developed equipment to address a portion of the immediate requirement.Even with this new equipment, deficiencies will exist in water supply capabilities in the near term, andthe next generation of water supply equipment for the year 1990 to 2000 timeframe remains to be defined and developed. The Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory under the Advanced Base Mobility Program has been tasked to identify the equipment and procedural capabilities that will be required for water supply in support of Marine Corps tactical operations in desert areas. Objectives The objectives of this task are to define thewatersupply require- ments and constraints facing the Marine Corps in desert tactical opera- tions, and to identify technological alternatives for providing new capabilities in the mid and long term. I Approach Enconcepthe farine: Corpsassaultforce structure is tailored to suit mission specific requirements.The basic infantry structure can be reinforced with additional air, mechanized, or other elements as appro priate to the mission.High level commanders have substantial flexibility to adjust force structure and tactical concepts to suit a variety of factors including objectives, geography, logistics, and political situa- tions.The high degree of potential variation in force structure com- plicates any overview of logistic support requirements.Therefore, the approach used in this assessment is to use several potential mission and force structure scenarios representing a realistic range of operations to determine the following: •Quantification of the requirements for water acquisition, treatment, and distribution. •Assessment of current capabilities and identification of required new capabilities. •Identification of technological alternatives for the period through the year 2000. MarineCorps tactical commanders are pragmatic planners who mustby necessity adjust deployment tactics and time phasing to accoinmo- date the constraints of existing capabilities.Sinceon.e objective of this assessment is to identify requirements for new or additional capa- bilities in water supply, the scenarios used presume the tactical opera- tions are not constrained by limited capabilities in either water quantity or water supply logistics.Restated, the tactical scenarios are not adjusted to water constraints, but conversely the water requirements are to be determined from the tactical scenarios. GEOGRAPHIC AND CLIMATIC CONSIDERATIONS The Desert Environment In general terms a desert is characterized by very low precipi- tation, lack of surface water, and a lack of shallow ground water. Contrary to the coon misconception, all deserts are not hot and are certainly not sandy.Flora will be xeric or nonexistent, and fauna will be uniquely adapted to desert life.A detailed description of geographical and climatological factors in various parts of the world is presented in Appendix A. Military Considerations Several desert areas of the world have significant military