The Dunes of Maspalomas

 Geological History 

Thousands of years ago the gullies which formed the whole supply of water to The Lagoon provided abundant water and which with the passing of time, formed an alluvial plain:- a flat surface of land formed by water supplies from a river.

Afterwards glaciation lowered the sea level. The sea level dropped more on several occasions and with this descent the course and also different levels of fluvial terraces were formed. At this time, the sediments swept while the course was forming, formed a delta now covered by the sea.

Further deglaciation processes put the sea level up. Samples of this are the different lines, or fossilised animals and plants. Today these are visible in some of the gaps between the dunes.

The situation of the delta platform produced the sand which developed the current system of the dunes.

 The origin of the dunes 

The dunes were formed with grains of crushed sea organisms. The ocean currents dragged them to the shore and from here the wind accumulated them behind the balancones (Traganum moquini). In this way, a little pile of sand is created and increases with the contributions from the sea, forming the first dune. This dune will eventually separate itself from the balancon when it becomes higher than the plant.

 The movement of the dunes 

The wind drags the sand. This constant movement stops vegetation and prevents it from taking root. Only some exemplars of the Canary Islands tamarisk which manage to exceed the maximum height of the dune can survive.