Important Waterfall in India: A waterfall is a body of water that flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops in the course of a stream or river. It also occurs where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. The process of erosion, the wearing away of earth, plays an important part in the formation of waterfalls.
It is a river or other body of water’s steep fall over a rocky ledge into a plunge pool below. Waterfalls are also called cascades. The process of erosion, the wearing away of earth, plays an important part in the formation of waterfalls. Waterfalls also contribute to erosion.
Other processes that form waterfalls include earthquake, landslide, glacier, or volcanoes which can disrupt the land of a stream bed creating cliffs, cracks, faults, etc.
The tallest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls in Venezuela where the waterfalls 979 m (3,212 ft).
Type of Waterfall
There are many types of waterfalls and it is possible for a waterfall to fit more than one category.
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Block (Sheet) waterfalls flow from a wide stream or river, Niagara Falls is a block waterfall.
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Cascade waterfalls flow over a series of rock steps, they are usually a safe type of waterfall. It is also one of the more beautiful and gentle types of falls. famous Monkey Falls located in the Indira Gandhi National Park is an example of this waterfall.
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Cataract waterfalls are large, powerful and often dangerous. wild cataract fall is the Iguazu River at the Brazil and Argentina border.
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Chute waterfalls flows a large amount of water through narrow vertical passages at high pressure. For example, Egan Chute on the York River in Canada.
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Fan waterfalls are like the name suggests, as the water descends it spreads out horizontally. Tinago Falls of Philippines is the example of this waterfall.
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The Frozen Waterfall is the result of winter freezing the water for the duration of the season. A good example of this type is the Fang Waterfall located in Vail.
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Horsetail waterfalls will maintain contact with the bedrock underneath them. The Reichenbach Falls, in Switzerland, is such a waterfall.
- Ledge (Classical, Curtain) waterfalls descend vertically over a cliff maintaining partial contact with the bedrock.
- Multi-step (Tiered or Staircase) waterfalls are a series of waterfalls falling one after the other each with their own plunge pool. The falling lakes of Plitvice Lakes National Park, in Croatia, are an example of multi-step waterfalls.
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Many waterfalls around the world are used to generate hydroelectric power.
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Plunge waterfalls are fast moving with horizontal thrust over the edge causing the water to completely lose contact with the bedrock, Japan’s Hannoki Falls is an example of this waterfall.
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The Punchbowl Waterfall has a wide catch pool at the bottom of the fall of its water. This type of waterfall is mostly tranquil and swimming below it is generally easy. Wailua Falls in Kauai is an example of this waterfall.
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Segmented waterfalls form separate flows of water as they descend. The Nigretta Falls in Victoria, Australia, have separate streams that join back up in the pool.
some important waterfalls in India are…
