NOTES ON THE AVAILABILITY AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF WATER FROM THE GRAVEL PLAINS OF THE NAMIB-NAUKLUFT PARK

Abstract

Data are presented on the occurrence of a surprising number of permanent water sources on the gravel plains of the Namib-Naukluft Park, South West Africa. As a consequence, no game animal is further than ca 25 km away from the nearest watering-place. Within a broad range of ionic contents, the surface waters of the desert display a marked similarity in their chemical composition, being mainly dominated by Na⁺>Ca⁺⁺>Mg⁺⁺: Cl⁻>SO₄ ⁻>HCO₃ ⁻−CO_3- ⁻. Evaporation, precipitation and rock dominance seem to be the main controlling mechanisms involved in determining the chemical composition of the waters.