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UNDERGROUND WATER IN SOUTH-EASTERN 

 BECHUANALAND.* 



By Alex. L. du Toit, B.A., RG.S. 



(Read February 28, 1906.) 



In almost every part of South Africa the question of water supply 

 is of the utmost importance, and the area known as Bechuanaland is 

 by no means an exception. 



Nowhere are there any perennial streams, and in comparatively 

 few spots are there facilities for storage of flood-water, that is by 

 individual effort, unless with great difficulty and at great expense ; 

 furthermore, springs and fountains are by no means as numerous as 

 in the area south of the Orange River. 



As a necessary consequence, if we except the case of storage of 

 rain-water, the supplies are obtained principally from wells and, to a 

 lesser degree, from boreholes. The number of the latter is increas- 

 ing but slowly, for many reasons have prevented the more extensive 

 utilisation of drills. 



The volume of water obtainable from these artificial openings, even 

 in cases where the pumping is effected by wind-power, is strictly 

 limited, and irrigation on any scale is quite impossible. 



In the following the author will endeavour, firstly, to point out the 

 considerable influence of the geological formation on the storage of 

 underground water ; and secondly, will consider the potentialities 

 of such a supply. In this paper the term South-eastern Bechuana- 

 land will be taken to include the fiscal divisions of Mafeking and 

 Vryburg as far to the west as Kuruman. Doubtless much will be 

 applicable to the areas adjoining. 



Natural features. — The area consists of a rather flat, or but slightly 

 undulating, country of rather monotonous aspect. 



Around the town of Vryburg the altitude is generally close on 

 4,000 feet above sea-level, but northwards there is a gentle rise of 



* Communicated with the permission of the Geological Commission. 



