Situated on the northern flank of the Furnas Volcanic Complex, the geomorpholy of Lombra da Maia is marked by its drainage basin that runs parallel to its lateral frontiers. As a result of the presence of easily erodable pumice covering the basaltic substratum, the valleys are profoundly carved forcing most settlements along a north-south orientation. Most of these valleys exceed 100 meters altitude, the rivers transporting most of the soils to the coast where they formed the Praia da Viola (a beach zone sited by early settlers for several mills).