Kruger national park. Geological and hydrogeological assessment to save the integrity of a protected area

The purpose of the present study, included in the research project SECOSUD Phase II, called “Conservation and equitable use of biological diversity in the SADC region (Southern African Development Community) [1], is to describe the existing baseline situation in term of geological and hydrogeological conditions of the Kruger National Park, providing a starting point for understanding the water resources status quo, potential hydrogeological issues and concerns to assure a sound and correct water resources management in a so sensitive and complex area [2]. Kruger National Park is South Africa's largest and second oldest safari park, spanning over 19 455 square kilometres across both the Limpopo and the Mpumalanga provinces, with an altitude between 300 and 500 metres above sea level. Kruger Park is a summer rainfall area, include in the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. The prominent climate is subtropical, with a rainy season in summer and a dry winter season. Because of its vastity, it naturally has an incredible diversity of its life forms. The link between biodiversity and ecosystems are ruled by sensitive balances. There is growing evidence that groundwater has an essential and vital role safeguarding the integrity of floral and faunal specimens and their ecosystems, and consequently hydrogeological and geological assessment inside the focus area represent powerful and strategic tools to know quantitative and qualitative aspects of water resources, aspects of groundwater flow and geology of groundwater occurrence. The first phase of the following methodological approach was to gather regional and local geological data which allowed to define a detailed geological map of Kruger National Park, pointing out the main geological units outcropping. The geological map has been elaborated using software Quantum Gis, taking into account the lithostratigraphic units derived from the Soil and Terrain database (SOTER) for Southern Africa occurring in the area of concern. Hydrogeological assessment has been developed implementing the groundwater levels data, from monitoring piezometers in the park, recorded between 2007 and 2012. These data has been correlated with the conditions of outcropping rocks and the infiltration properties of lithostratigraphic formations. This evaluation allowed to subdivide Kruger Park area on the basis of the geological units encountered to identify formations rocks with similar hydrogeological properties and main groundwater recharge areas. The intent of this research is to increase attention and focus on the local hydrogeological and geological conditions, because they represent an excellent instrument of scientific knowledge to understand which is the priority in a sustainable management of the water resources to keep the ecological integrity protected areas.