Paleohydrology of extraordinary floods along the Swakop River at the margin of the Namib Desert and their paleoclimate implications

The presence of three distinct calcretes rich in calcified rhizoliths at one of the sites, two of which were dated by OSL to 13.2 ± 1.9 ka and 8.8 ± 1.0 ka, indicates, at least locally, higher moisture availability than in the current semiarid climate; the presence of denser vegetation can be associated with increased groundwater seepage and wetter climatic conditions.