Hydrogeology of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park area, La Palma (Canary Islands)

Abstract

The hydrogeology of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park area is influenced by a geological scenario characterized by several sub-aerial volcanic edifices lying on an impermeable basement of submarine volcanic origin, and the presence of extensive erosive unconformities defining the groundwater flow. The first part of this paper presents a summary of the essential aspects on the geology, hydrogeochemistry and isotopic chemistry of the area, based on the knowledge generated by studies carried out in the last decades. The second part provides an approach to the hydro-meteorological balance of the Coebra central aquifer, which feeds springs and galleries both inside and outside the Caldera, calculated from available meteorological data for the period 1985-2015.