The Kammanassie mountains

The Kammanassie Mountains are a prominent east-west range which are part of the southern branch of the Cape Fold Belt. They were formed 123-200 million years ago.  The range comprises almost exclusively of quartz arenites of the Table Mountain Group. The lower slopes have areas of Bokkeveld shale with a generally thin (<1 m) veneer of silty sands as a result of the steep slopes.

Here it rains  an average of approximately 450 mm per year. It gets hot in summer and in winter temperatures drop as low -4 °C.

29 rivers originate in the Kammanassie catchment area The main ones are the Olifants River and the the Kammanassie River Other important rivers include the Berg River, The Diep River, and the Klein River.

The highest peak is Mannetjiesberg at 1,955 metres  The second highest peak is the peak west of Mannetjiesberg at 1908 m. The Kammanassieberg is 1854 m above sea level.

Endangered Zebra

The last six remaining Cape Mountain Zebra were found in the Kammanassie and became a formal conservation project. The area was then known as the Langkloof State Forest where management was transferred to the Cape Provincial Administration. Vegetation in the area consists of Northern Kammanassie Sandstone Fynbos while Southern Kammanassie Sandstone Fynbos is found on the southern slopes. However several alien plant species occur in the area. Hakea and pine are the two dominant alien invasive plant species found here.

Groundwater

In 1993 controversial groundwater abstraction scheme began. It is known as the Klein Karoo Rural Water Supply Scheme in the reserve and on private and communal land. Since abstraction started there have been frequent complaints and allegations that the scheme is having detrimental environmental and socio-economic impacts. Numerous springs on the Kammanassie Nature Reserve have dried up and the vegetation in the Vermaaks River Valley started showing signs of water stress. Some farmers have also had to cease farming.