The disappearance of the islands: Environmental changes in the Magdalena River delta from historical cartography

Abstract

Until more than a century ago there were several islands formed by hydrographic and sedimentary processes resulting from the interaction of the Magdalena River delta and the Caribbean Sea in front of the municipality of Puerto Colombia and the city of Barranquilla. This article analyzes the transformation and subsequent disappearance of these islands using historical cartography and Geographic Information Systems to understand the historical events that transformed the landscape. The results show that the processes of expansion and progress of the maritime and fluvial port development, particularly the development of Bocas de Ceniza, accelerated environmental deterioration and the subsequent disappearance of these spaces.