Definition of a waterfall.

A waterfall is a place where water flows over a vertical drop in the course of a stream or river. 

Waterfalls

Synonyms for waterfall.

Other words for watefall include:    cascade, shower, torrent, white water, chute, falls, rapids, 

Types of waterfall.

• Ledge waterfall: Water descends vertically over a vertical cliff, maintaining partial contact with the bedrock

• Horsetail: Descending water maintains good contact with bedrock most of the time.

  • Slide: Water glides down maintaining continuous contact.

  • Ribbon: Water descends over a long narrow strip.

Staircase Waterfalls

• Cascade: Water descends a series of rock steps.

• Tiered/Multi-step/Staircase: A series of waterfalls one after another of roughly the same size each with its own sunken plunge pool.

• Cataract: A large, powerful waterfall.

• Segmented: Distinctly separate flows of water form as it descends.

• Frozen: Any waterfall which has some element of ice or snow.

• Moulin: A moulin is a waterfall in a glacier

How are waterfalls formed - video

A video demonstrating how waterfalls are formed. 

Rare footage of waterfalls on Uluru in Australia after heavy rains. 

Angel Falls,

Venezuala. 

Tallest waterfalls in the World

       Name               Height          Location             Country

1    Angel Falls,                979 m,       Canaima Nat. Park,    Venezuela

2   Tugela Falls,              948 m,         KwaZulu-Natal,       South Africa

3   Tres Hermanas Falls,  914 m,    Otishi Nat. Park,            Peru

4   Olo'upena Falls,      900 m,                   Hawaii,            United States

5   Yumbilla Falls,          869 m,               Amazonas,                  Peru

6   Vinnufossen,             860 m,      Møre og Romsdal,        Norway

7    Balåifossen,              850 m,              Hordaland,              Norway

8   Pu'uka'oku Falls,      840 m,                  Hawaii,           United States

9   James Bruce Falls,   840 m,     British Columbia,          Canada

10  Browne Falls,            836 m,           South Island,       New Zealand

Biggest waterfalls in the World

                         Mean annual     Tallest       Widest

       Name             flow rate [1]     drop         point         River                 Country

1   Boyoma Falls             17,000,                   5m,          1,372m,         Lualaba,          D.R. of the Congo

2    Guaíra Falls [2],          13,300,                 40m,                                  Parana,         Paraguay and Brazil

3  Khone Phapheng Falls,  11,610,          21m,                                  Mekong,                         Laos

4     Celilo Falls [2],             5415,                     7m,           3,219m,     Columbia,              United States

5   Niagara Falls,              2407,                     51m,          1,203m,        Niagara,           Canada and USA

6    Iguazú Falls,               1746,                     82m,          2,700m,       Iguazú,        Argentina and Brazil

7    Victoria Falls,             1088,                   108m,         1,708m,     Zambezi,   Zimbabwe and Zambia

 

[1]  mean flow rate measured in cubic metres per second

[2] Now submerged when dam built

Case study - Iguazú Falls

Iguazú Falls

Location                           Argentina: Misiones Province.

                                               Brazil: Paraná State.

Coordinates                    25°41′12″S      54°26′41″W

Waterfall Type              Cataract

Total height                   60–82 metres 

Number of drops         275

Longest drop                82 metres 

Total width                    2.7 kilometres 

Water course                 Iguazu River

Average flow rate      1,756 m3/s 

Case study - Niagara falls

Niagara Falls

Location                           Canada:  Ontario,

                                                United States:  New York

Coordinates                    43.0799°N   79.0747°W

Waterfall Type               Cataract

Total height                     51 metres  (167 ft)

Number of drops           3

Longest drop                  30 metres (98 ft)

Total width                      2,160 metres  (7,086 ft)

Water course                   Niagara River

Average flow rate       2,400 m3/s  (85,000 cu ft/s)

Waterfall pictures

Frozen waterfall - any waterfall with 

an element of ice or snow in it.

Frozen waterfall from behind

Cascade 

waterfall.

Water descends a series of rock steps

Plunge waterfall. Where the water loses contact with the rock.