Granada

Fissure vent(s) in Nicaragua

Key Facts

Elevation

250 m (820 ft)

Type

Fissure vent(s)

Location

11.900°, -85.979°

Region

Central America Volcanic Arc

Rock Type

Basalt / Picro-Basalt

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone

Location

Loading map...

Overview

The Granada lineament, also known as the La Joya alignment, is an arcuate fissure extending from about 2 km SE of the Apoyo caldera rim around to N of the city of Granada. Small cinder cones are present about 8 km NNW from the Mombacho summit, and the N-S oriented La Joya maar explosion crater chain stretches over 1 km just SW of Granada city. This feature is structurally distinct from the Apoyo caldera and is analogous to the Nejapa-Miraflores alignment north of Masaya volcano.

The lineament, characterized by the eruption of basaltic lavas and tephras compositionally similar to mid-ocean ridge basalts, originated about 12,000 years ago, and the latest eruptions may have occurred as recently as about 2,000 years ago.

Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

Risk Level

Population at RiskModerate

Infrastructure RiskModerate

Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary

Basalt / Picro-Basalt

Silica Content

Low (45-52% SiO₂)

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone

Formed by oceanic plate subduction, typically producing explosive eruptions due to water-rich magmas.

Age & Formation

Epoch

Holocene

Evidence

Evidence Credible

Eruption Statistics & Analysis

Metric	Value	Global Ranking	Significance
Total Recorded Eruptions	Unknown	Low	Moderately active volcano
Maximum VEI	VEI Unknown	Minor	Local impact potential
Recent Activity	Unknown	Historical	Historically active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program

International eruption database

Current Status

Normal

No recent activity. Routine monitoring continues.

Nearby Volcanoes in Middle America-Caribbean Volcanic Regions

Regional Volcanic Activity

The Middle America-Caribbean Volcanic Regions contains multiple active volcanic systems. Cross-regional magma interactions and tectonic stresses can influence eruption patterns across the entire arc. Monitor regional seismic activity and volcanic alerts.

Quick Info

•Smithsonian ID: 344101
•Evidence: Evidence Credible
•Epoch: Holocene

About the Photo

A quarry exposes bedded oxidized scoria layers in a cinder cone of the fissure-fed Granada alignment. The cone was constructed along a semi-arcuate, N-S-trending fracture located between the city of Granada and the northern flanks of Mombacho volcano, east of the rim of Apoyo caldera. The lineament is also known as the La Joya alignment, after the explosion craters located SW of Granada. The alignment originated about 12,000 years ago, and its latest eruptions may have occurred as recently as about 2000 years ago.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1998 (Smithsonian Institution).