Geology

The plateau is a prominent and spectacular geological feature, rising high above the plains of the Kalahari of eastern Namibia. It lies between 1,650 and 1,700 m above sea level. It is an erosion relic of a sandstone casing which covered large parts of Namibia millions of years ago. During the final stages of the Karoo Era, pressure on the earth's crust elevated the Karoo sediments south of an imaginary line that joins Grootfontein and Omaruru in a northwest-southeast direction, giving rise to a plateau stretching westwards for more than 300 km. Most of this plateau was carved up over aeons, but the resistant Etjo sandstone prevented the erosion of the Waterberg and a few other isolated mountains in the region (such as Omatako and Mount Etjo). Geologically, the oldest rock stratum is over 850 million years old. Dinosaurs tracks in the area date from 200 million years ago.

The sandy soils of the plateau have a low water retention capacity, and consequently rainwater flows down seams which have formed in the Etjo sandstone. When water reaches the impermeable mudstone band of Omingonde Formation, it is forced to the surface at the base of the cliffs to emerge as springs.

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