Temporal evolution of marine intrusion and other salinization processes in the volcanic sedimentary aquifer of the east of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain)

Abstract

The coastal volcanic‐sedimentary aquifer of the East of Gran Canaria has suffered a progressive salinization process since the 1960’s that has been attributed to intensive exploitation. It is a sector of the insular aquifer characterized as a complex, heterogeneous and multilayer aquifer in which groundwater flows from the high parts if the island towards the coast. Discharge is mostly in diffuse form. Under natural conditions the aquifer discharged also as springs in the bottom of the main gullies, but currently this discharge has been substituted by exploitation wells (Cabrera y Custodio, 2004).