Assessment of groundwater potential of the Kalahari aquifers in Kavango East and West regions, Namibia
Date
2021
Authors
David, Anna Kaupuko
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Abstract
Studies on groundwater resources can sometimes be overlooked in regions with freshwater being used as the core water supply. Even with groundwater known to be a precious commodity, the ease with which one can obtain surface water can result in groundwater being rarely prioritized. This often results in such regions not having any groundwater management strategies in place. In addition sustainable yields when considering groundwater abstractions are often not enforced, the understanding of the importance of the sustainable management of groundwater is usually lacking. Studies of the groundwater resource including estimations of the groundwater potential are often neglected, however, they are essential to ensure the management of groundwater in a semi-arid region. To accurately determine the groundwater potential of an aquifer, one must have an understanding of the hydrogeological factors that govern the potential. The recharge estimation, the quality of the groundwater, the geology of the area are among some of the important controlling factors to be examined in the determination of the groundwater potential of an area (Christelis & Struckmeier, 2011). The Kavango West and East regions are situated in north-eastern Namibia and are classified to be having a semi-arid climate. The perennial Okavango River bounds the Kavango West and East regions in the northern border. The rural area occupants are centred along the river and use the river as their primary water source (Water Survey Botswana (Pty) Ltd, 2011). Despite that, inhabitants living further from the river still depend on groundwater as their main water source (Mendelsohn, 2009). In addition, throughout the African continent, drought is considered to be the main form of natural disaster, inflicting devastating effects on local communities and thus becoming a great concern (Calow et al., 2010). The Kavango West and East regions are no exception. More drought relief boreholes are being drilled to sustain communities. This, in essence, increases the dependency of the inhabitants on groundwater. Even though the aquifers in the regions are being utilized, they are understudied. This in itself presents a gap that, the potential of the groundwater resource is not known. Previous investigations on the hydrogeology of the area were carried mainly by the German-Namibia Groundwater Project in 1991 (Department of Fisheries and Water, 1991), focusing on the borehole yield, rest water levels, hydrochemistry, and some groundwater water flow directions. These studies are so far insufficient for confidently determining the potential of the Kalahari aquifer(s) within the regions. To implement sustainable groundwater utilization, a thorough understanding of the geology, geomorphology, and lineaments of an area is required. Therefore, groundwater potential information can be used to identify locations that are suitable for the extraction of potable water (Vijith, 2007)
Description
A research report submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Hydrogeology, 2021