A group of researchers from the Water Institute at the University of Granada have almost completed the first catalogue of fountains and springs in Andalusia. The project was conducted by Antonio Castillo Martín, professor at UGR and scientist at The Institute for Scientific Research. It is the result of an agreement signed in 2005 between the Andalusian Water Agency “Search for and investigation of Andalusian fountains and springs.”
Castillo Martín explained: “All the information that we have now will form the basis of a book about fountains and springs in Andalusia. The book will be published soon.” Meanwhile, the researchers are also creating an open inventory of around 300 springs in Andalusia, “around 40 in each province”.
Paying tribute to Andalusian natural resources
The researcher pointed out that the idea behind this project is “to pay tribute to and emphasize the real value of these fountains and springs, which are a real natural treasure”. Castillo Martín is convinced that this project “will make people appreciate these resources, and as a consequence, facilitate conservation. Exploitation of groundwater, property speculation and pollution makes this task difficult, even for our most important fountains”.
50 researchers are working on the writing of the different texts for the catalogue. Castillo Martín points out: “Our objective was to take a multidisciplinary approach, studying not only geological, environmental, ecological or preservational aspects, but also historical, cultural and financial factors”. By doing so, UGR scientists aim to show “the real value of these water resources, the important role they played in the first human communities and past civilizations, and the dangers they are currently facing”. Castillo Martín believes that the endless wearing out that they are suffering is due to “the intense exploitation of our aquifers”.
Different perspectives
The UGR catalogue contains historical, cultural and ethnographical information about the Andalusian springs. It approaches these natural resources from a point of view of history, religion, tradition and celebrations. In addition, the researchers also conducted a study on karst springs, thermal and medicinal waters, spa towns and urban fountains among others.
Antonio Castillo Martín (Granada, 1958) is a Doctor in Geological Sciences, and a scientist at the Institute for Scientific Research. He is currently working at the UGR Water Institute. He is specialized in hydrogeology, and has conducted several studies on Andalusian aquifers, especially those located in Sierra Nevada and on the plains of Granada. His guide ‘Manantiales’, which covers 250 springs in Granada, was published in 2002.
Reference:Professor Antonio Castillo Martín. Water Institute. University of Granada. Telephone numbers: +34 958 242 822 / +34 958 248 016 / +34 616 951 487 Email address: acastill@ugr.es
