Improving Training in the Hydrogeology of Volcanic Islands by Visiting the Water Galleries of the Canary Islands (Spain)

Resumen

Training in different scientific and technical disciplines has always been supported by the relationship between “theory and practice”. This paper focuses on the need to take this fact into consideration once again with greater intensity regarding the current training in mining engineering schools. Subjects related to groundwater and geology on volcanic islands should take advantage of any existing underground hydraulic infrastructures, such as water galleries. In the Canary Islands’ archipelago, there is a unique and extensive network of galleries, tunnels and stunning waterways covering thousands of kilometres. There are examples of horizontal drilling of 6,500 m, and vertical wells up to 600 m in depth on the island of Tenerife. Consequently, the Canary Islands are a natural laboratory for the study of earth sciences to be used and exploited in teaching; however, this aspect is hardly taken advantage of in current training programmes. Although the access to such infrastructure entails in some cases safety risks, the fact remains that with adequate planning, selection and adaptation of the best infrastructures and proper evaluation and prevention measures based on the techniques used in mining safety, they could be exploited in teaching at local, national and international level due to their outstanding educational potential.