CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF WATER-HOLES IN THE KUISEB RIVER CANYON, NAMIB DESERT

Abstract

Five water-holes in the Kuiseb River Canyon, Namib Desert, were monitored over a three month period during the 1977/78 dry season. Apart from the pronounced dominance of Ca(HCO₃)₂ in the water taken from a gorra (water-hole excavated by animals), the chemical composition of the waters analysed was dominated by NaHCO₃ An edaphic origin where the source water had lost its Ca through precipitation of CaCO₃ due to a pH shift is suggested. The saline character of the water-holes is partly ascribed to the input of sea salts through mist rain.