Chapter 13

Desert Survival

TERRAIN

SALT MARSHES

13-6. Salt marshes are flat, desolate areas, sometimes studded with clumps of grass but devoid of other vegetation. They occur in arid areas where rainwater has collected, evaporated, and left large deposits of alkali salts and water with a high salt concentration. The water is so salty it is undrinkable. A crust that may be 2.5 to 30 centimeters (1 to 12 inches) thick forms over the saltwater.

13-7. In arid areas, there are salt marshes hundreds of kilometers square. These areas usually support many insects, most of which bite. Avoid salt marshes. This type of terrain is highly corrosive to boots, clothing, and skin. A good example is the Shatt al Arab waterway along the Iran-Iraq border.