While the pan has been shaped over time by the Tsauchab river, the actual flooding of the pan is a relatively rare event, and sometimes several years pass between one flood and the next one. The river is dry most of the year, and even when it is not, it carries relatively little water to the vlei.
The pan's shape has been influenced by the Tsauchab river, but flooding is infrequent, occurring only occasionally after several years of drought. The river is mostly dry throughout the year, and even when it does flow, it carries minimal water to the vlei.