Stampriet Aquifer

The Stampriet Kalahari/Karoo Aquifer System is situated within the southern part of the Kalahari and lies in the Lower Orange River Basin. It forms a huge shared aquifer system that straddles the border between Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, which is so far only marginally exploited. The quality of the water in the aquifers decreases in the flow direction towards South-western Botswana and the North-western Cape in South Africa. There are two confined regional artesian aquifers in the Karoo sediments, overlain by the Kalahari sediments that often contain an unconfined aquifer system.

In Namibia this aquifer system is the main source of water supply for agricultural development as well as for the five urban centres within the region. In Botswana the area overlying the aquifer is sparsely populated although further development is envisaged and water is required for stock watering, game, and smaller villages that are in need of increased water supply. Furthermore, mining companies are involved in exploration activities within the area and will require groundwater supply in the future.