The UNSAT-H, HELP3 and MACRO4.3 computer codes, which have been developed for simulating the water balance of the unsaturated zone of soils and unconsolidated sediments, are also capable simulating water flow in low-porosity media such as fractured rock. The codes can be used to model the ability of rocks and overlying soils in the vadose zone to protect the groundwater in the uppermost aquifer. The net infiltration rates simulated by the different codes are compared against recharge determined by the chloride-balance method in Namibia.