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Classification of Waterfalls - Types of Waterfalls
The waterfalls of the world can be classified based on the geometrical formation and various sizes and shapes. In common they are classified in to
- Block
- Cascade
- Cateract
- Fan
- Horsetail
- Plunge
- Punchbowl
- Segmented
- Tiered
- Multi-step
BLOCK : Block is a type of waterfall it ocurs over a wide breath of the stream. The waterfall must be wider than it is tall. A waterfall with this form does not have to be a solid sheet of water across it's entire width.
Wiki Term : Water descends from a relatively wide stream or river.
Cascade: In this type of waterfall form descends over, gradually sloping rocks, a series of small steps in quick succession, or a rugged sloping surface of some kind. Cascades can be both gradual and steep.
Wiki Term : Water descends a series of rock steps.
Cataract: Cataract is a very powerful or high waterfall usually occuring on a river
Wiki Term : A large, powerful waterfall.
Fan: Waterfall of a Fan form occur when the breath of the water in the waterfall increases during it's decent, causing the base of the falls to appear much wider than the top of the falls. ( A narrow waterfall spreads out like a fan at the bottom.
Wiki Term : Water spreads horizontally as it descends while remaining in contact with bedrock.
Horsetail: Horsetail waterfall are characterized by the constant or semi-constant contact the water keeps with the bedrock as it falls. Horsetail waterfalls can be almost vertical, as well as very gradual.
Wiki Term : Descending water maintains some contact with bedrock.
Plunge: (Clinched Waterfall) : In this type of waterfall the water drops vertically, losing most, or all contact with the rock face.
Wiki Term : Water descends vertically, losing contact with the bedrock surface.
Punchbowl: The term coined from the famous Punch Bowl falls in Oregon, it occurs where the stream is constricted to a narrow breadth and is forcefully shot outward and downward into a large pool.
Wiki Term : Water descends in a constricted form and then spreads out in a wider pool.
Segmented: In this type of waterfall formed by the descending watercourse splitting up into two or more parallel segments or threads.
Wiki Term : Distinctly separate flows of water form as it descends.
Tiered: Tiered waterfall are characterized by multiple distinct drops in relatively close succession to one another. Whether or not a waterfall with two visible drops counts as a tiered waterfall is up to the beholder.
Wiki Term : Water drops in a series of distinct steps or falls.
Multi-step:
Wiki Term : A series of waterfalls one after another of roughly the same size each with its own sunken plunge pool.