Hydrogeological characteristics of the Omaruru Delta Aquifer System in Namibia

Sustainable utilization of groundwater in parts of hyper-arid Sub-Saharan Africa, like the Namib Desert, is always a challenge due to lack of resources and data. For the Omdel Aquifer in the Omaruru catchment, Namibia, issues to investigate include the lack of information on the geology and hydrogeological setting, the hydraulic properties and geometry of the aquifer at the inflow and outflow sections, groundwater recharge conditions upstream of the aquifer, and the impact of artificial recharge. In this desert environment, the methods applied are hydrogeological surveys and site visits, together with interpretation of geological, hydrological and geomorphological data from investigations carried out to define the hydrogeological characteristics of the Omdel Aquifer. The bedrock geometry of the aquifer indicates that the Main channel (one of four palaeochannels) is the largest reservoir of stored fresh groundwater, estimated at 133 Mm³, and it is deeper than the other three channels, with an average sediment thickness of 80 m. All groundwater chemistry facies of the selected boreholes tapping the Omdel Aquifer reveal a NaCl character, indicating a coastal environment. The yield of the Omdel Aquifer is estimated to have increased from 2.8 Mm³/year before construction of a recharge enhancement dam to 4.6 Mm³/year after the construction. This paper focuses on the understanding of hydrogeological characteristics of the Omaruru Delta Aquifer System in terms of groundwater recharge and discharge, groundwater dynamics within the aquifer and groundwater chemistry, in order to assess whether the current abstractions are operating within the hydrogeological limits of sustainability.