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Freshwater Falls Info Packet

Waterfalls

A is a or other 's steep fall over a rocky ledge into a below. are also called cascades.

The process of , the wearing away of earth, plays an important part in the formation of waterfalls. Waterfalls themselves also contribute to erosion.

Often, waterfalls form as flow from soft rock to hard rock. This happens both laterally (as a flows across the earth) and vertically (as the stream drops in a waterfall). In both cases, the soft rock erodes, leaving a hard ledge over which the stream falls.

A is the imaginary line along which parallel plunge as they flow from uplands to lowlands. Many waterfalls in an area help geologists and hydrologists determine a region's fall line and underlying rock structure.

As a stream flows, it carries . The sediment can be microscopic silt, pebbles, or even boulders. Sediment can erode stream beds made of soft rock, such as sandstone or limestone. Eventually, the stream's cuts so deep into the that only a harder rock, such as granite, remains. Waterfalls develop as these granite formations form cliffs and ledges.

A stream's velocity increases as it nears a waterfall, increasing the amount of erosion taking place. The movement of water at the top of a waterfall can erode rocks to be very and smooth. Rushing water and sediment topple over the waterfall, eroding the plunge pool at the base. The crashing flow of the water may also create powerful whirlpools that erode the rock of the plunge pool beneath them.

The resulting erosion at the base of a waterfall can be very dramatic, and cause the waterfall to "recede." The area behind the waterfall is worn away, creating a hollow, cave-like structure called a "." Eventually, the rocky ledge (called the outcropping) may tumble down, sending boulders into the stream bed and plunge pool below. This causes the waterfall to "recede" many meters upstream. The waterfall erosion process starts again, breaking down the boulders of the former outcropping.

Erosion is just one process that can form waterfalls. A waterfall may form across a fault, or crack in the Earth’s surface. An , , , or may also disrupt stream beds and help create waterfalls.

Classifying Waterfalls There is not a standard way to classify waterfalls. Some scientists classify waterfalls based on the average volume of water in the waterfall. A Class 10 waterfall using this scale is Inga Falls, Democratic Republic of Congo, where the twists in a series of . The estimated volume of water discharged from Inga Falls is 25,768 cubic meters per second (910,000 cubic feet per second).

Another popular way of classifying waterfalls is by width. One of the widest waterfalls is Khone Phapheng Falls, Laos. At the Khone Phapheng Falls, the River flows through a succession of relatively shallow rapids. The width of the Khone Phapheng Falls is about 10,783 meters (35,376 feet).

Waterfalls are also classified by height. , the world’s tallest waterfall, plummets 979 meters (3,212 feet) into a remote in a rain forest in . The water, from the Gauja River, often does not reach the bottom. The fall is so long, and so steep, that air pressure is stronger often than the water pressure of the falls. The water is turned to mist before it reaches the small below.

Types of Waterfalls

One of the most popular, if least scientific, ways to classify waterfalls is by type. A waterfall's type is simply the way the descends. Most waterfalls fit more than one category.

• A block waterfall descends from a wide stream. , in the U.S. and Canada, is a block waterfall on the Niagara River. • A cascade is a waterfall that descends over a series of rock steps. Monkey Falls, in the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park in Tamil Nadu, India, is a gently sloping cascade. The waterfall is safe enough for children to play in the water. • A cataract is a powerful, even dangerous, waterfall. Among the widest and wildest of cataracts are the thundering waters of the Iguazu River on the border between Brazil and Argentina. • A chute is a waterfall in which the stream passage is very narrow, forcing water through at unusually high pressure. Three Chute Falls is named for the three "chutes" through which the Tenaya Creek falls in , California. • Fan waterfalls are named for their shape. Water spreads out horizontally as it descends. Virgin Falls is a striking fan waterfall on Tofino Creek, on Vancouver Island, , Canada. • Frozen waterfalls are just what they sound like. For at least part of the year, the waterfall freezes. Mountaineers often climb frozen waterfalls as a challenging test of their skill. The Fang is a single pillar of ice in Vail, Colorado that vertically plunges more than 30 meters (100 feet). • Horsetail waterfalls maintain contact with the hard rock that underlies them. Reichenbach Falls, a fall on the Reichenbach Stream in , is a horsetail waterfall where legendary detective Sherlock Holmes allegedly fell to his doom. • Multi-step waterfalls are a series of connected waterfalls, each with their own plunge pool. The breathtaking "falling " of Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia, are a series of multi-step waterfalls. • Plunge waterfalls, unlike horsetail falls, lose contact with the hard rock. The tallest waterfall in Japan, Hannoki Falls, is a plunge waterfall that stands 497 meters (1,640 feet). Hannoki Falls is seasonally fed by snowmelt from the Tateyama . • Punchbowl waterfalls are characterized by wide pools at their base. Wailua Falls is a punchbowl waterfall on the island of Kauai, . Although the plunge pool is tranquil and popular for swimming, the area around Wailua Falls itself is dangerous. • The water flowing over segmented waterfalls separate as distinct streams. Huge outcroppings of hard rock separate the streams of Nigretta Falls, a segmented waterfall in Victoria, Australia, before they meet in a large plunge pool. Cascade Tanks West African Lungfish – Protopterus annectens

Diet: Feeds on , mollusks, frogs and Habitat: Found in backwater areas of rivers and lakes in around the Congo. Did You Know? The West African Lungfish lives in areas with a dry season. To survive from one wet season to the next, it hibernates in a burrow surrounded by slime which acts as a cocoon.

Elephantnose – petersii

Diet: Feeds on worms and Habitat: Found in muddy bottom areas of the Niger and Congo River basins. Did you know? The long snout is actually an extension of its mouth. This part is covered with electroreceptors used for finding food and navigation.

Freshwater Pufferfish – Tetradon mbu

Diet: Feeds on small fish, mollusks, and Habitat: Found in both fresh and brackish waters in the Congo River basin Did you know? This pufferfish can grow up to 2 feet long! Like all pufferfish, they have the ability to puff themselves with water or air when threatened.

African Knifefish – Xenomystus nigri Diet: Feeds on worms, crustaceans, insects, and snails Habitat: Found in quiet waters with a lot of vegetation Did you know? The African Knifefish can produce a bark-like sound from their swim bladders.

Buffalohead – Steatocranus casuarius

Diet: Feeds of insects and other fish Habitat: Lives in areas of the Congo River Basin with strong water flow Did you know? Buffalohead move by hopping along the bottom rather than swimming because of their larger body size.

Reedfish – Erpetoichthys calabaricus

Diet: Feeds on worms, crustaceans, and insects, primarily at night Habitat: Found in slow flowing rivers and standing water Did you know? Moves like a snake over the bottom and is able to breathe air in times of low oxygen in the water.

Giraffe – Auchenoglanis occidentalis

Diet: Feeds on plankton, mollusks, seeds, and detritus Habitat: Found in lakes and rivers across a large area of Africa Did you know? Male Giraffe Catfish guard the nest of eggs and will even guard eggs of other .

Ornate Birchir – ornatipinnis Diet: Feeds on worms and larvae when young. Eats mostly small fish as an adult Habitat: Found in calm waters of swamps and rivers Did you know? The females will lay eggs in a cup formed by the male’s fin. He will then spread the eggs out on plants to grow and hatch.

Cuvier’s – Diet: Feeds on small fish, insects, crustaceans, and frogs Habitat: Found in muddy and inshore areas of the Congo River basin Did you know? Courtship starts with either the male or female jumping out of the water to impress the other.

Spotted Leaf Fish – Ctenopoma acutirostre

Diet: Feeds on crustaceans, worms, insects, and small fish Habitat: Found in the middle and lower areas of the Congo River basin Did you know? These fish are ambush predators. They stay very still in plants and dead trees until a prey item swims close enough for them to grab.

African Freshwater – Pantodon buchholzi

Diet: Feeds on crustaceans and fish, also on terrestrial insects, aquatic larvae and nymphs of insects Habitat: Found in calm waters such as swamps, creeks and backwater areas in West and Central Africa Did you know? These fish always hang out at the surface of the water and will jump out to look for insects to eat, or to get away from a predator.

Rainbow Krib – pulcher Diet: Feeds on worms, insects, and material Habitat: Found in heavily vegetated areas of both slow and fast moving water Did you know? Unlike other fish that attach their eggs to vegetation, Rainbow Kribs are cave brooders. They lay and guard their eggs in a protected area.

Cumberland Falls Small-mouth Bass – Micropterus dolomieu

Diet: Feeds on crayfish, aquatic and terrestrial insects, smaller fish, and have been documented at times to be cannibalistic Habitat: Found in southern Quebec, St. Lawrence-Great Lakes system, Hudson Bay and Mississippi River basins, south to northern Alabama and eastern Oklahoma Did you know? Because it is intolerant of pollution, a dense population presence of Small-mouth Bass is a good natural indicator of a healthy environment.

Black Crappie – Pomoxis nigromaculatus Diet: Feeds on insects, crustaceans, and small fish like shad and Habitat: Native range is presumed to have been from St. Lawrence, Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins, south and west along the Florida panhandle all the way to Texas Did you know? The actual native range for this species is unknown and is difficult to determine due to it being widely introduced throughout the United States.

Bluegill – Lepomis macrochirus

Diet: Feeds on snails, small crayfish, insects, worms and small minnows Habitat: North America: Great Lakes and Mississippi river basin; from Quebec to northern Mexico. Found frequently in lakes, , reservoirs and sluggish streams. Preferably live in deep weed beds Did you know? Their Latin name translates to large hand, probably referring to the body shape

Channel Catfish – Ictalurus punctatus Diet: Feed primarily on small fish, crustaceans, clams, snails, aquatic insects and small mammals Habitat: Rivers and streams and prefer clean, oxygenated water but also in ponds and reservoirs. Introduced throughout most of US. Did you know? Their Latin name translates to “spotted fish cat”

Hybrid Striped Bass – Morone chrysops x Morone saxatilis Diet: Feeds on smaller fish such as shad, bluegill, sunfish, minnows, and crappie Habitat: They are “stocked” by humans into a variety of lakes, ponds and reservoirs for fishing purposes Did you know? Hybrid Striped Bass are NOT found naturally in nature.

Yellow Perch – Perca flavescens

Diet: Feeds on insects, , small fish and fish eggs Habitat: Found in lakes and river basins from Nova Scotia to Georgia and west to Nebraska Did you know? Yellow Perch are predominantly a freshwater species, but, have adapted and can also be found in brackish water.

See-Through Tank Nicaragua Cichlid – Hypsophrys nicaraguaensis

Diet: Feeds on insects, snails, seeds, and leaves Habitat: Found in Central America in slow flowing lakes and rivers Did you know? Multiple females will lay their eggs in one in the sand, and then they will all help guard the communal nest.

Firemouth Cichlid – Thorichthys meeki

Diet: Feeds mostly on plant material, including algae and plant debris Habitat: Found in Central America in slow-moving waters and muddy bottoms of and rocky ponds. Did you know? Named after the bright orange-red color on the underside of their jaw.

Yellow Belly Cichlid – Trichromis salvini

Diet: Feeds on a mix of small fish, insects, algae, and water plants Habitat: Found in rivers, lakes, and freshwater lagoons in Central America Did you know? Many types of cichlids, including this one, have become invasive species in areas like South Florida after being released into the wild from private home .

Flier Cichlid – Archocentrus centrarchus

Diet: Feeds on detritus and insects Habitat: Found in Central America in shallow waters and pools with thick vegetation Did you know? Many Central American cichlids have the ability to live in brackish water due to living in areas where seawater can mix with their or water.

Almoloya Cichlid – Maskaheros regain

Diet: Feeds mostly on vegetation debris Habitat: Found in Central America in slow moving rivers and streams Did you know? There are more than 3,000 species of cichlids worldwide.

White Cichlid – Vieja argentea Diet: Feeds on a variety of plants and small insects Habitat: Found in Central America in slow moving rivers and streams Did you know? Most cichlids throughout the world are monogamous, pairing for life.

Blackbelt Cichlid – Vieja maculicauda

Diet: Feeds on a variety of plant material, seeds, and fruit Habitat: Found in Central America in muddy and sandy bottoms of lakes and rivers Fun Fact: This freshwater fish is one of the few cichlids that can live and breed in high salinity water.

Redhead Cichlid – Vieja melanura

Diet: Feeds on a variety of plants and small insects and mollusks Habitat: Found in Central America in slow moving water in lakes and rivers Fun Fact: As juveniles, cichlids like this one are drab in color. They gain the bright coloration as they mature.

Tailbar Cichlid – Vieja harwegi

Diet: Feeds on a variety of vegetation, insects, and small invertebrates Habitat: Found in Central America, in rocky, sandy, and muddy areas of rivers and lakes Fun Fact: Some species of cichilds are sexually dimorphic. This means you can tell them apart by how they look. With the Tailbar Cichlid, the male is more brightly colored.

Black Stripe Cichlid – Vieja fenestrate

Diet: Feeds on plants, insects, mollusks, and invertebrates Habitat: Found in Central America in slow to moderate flowing rivers and streams. Fun Fact: The males develop a hump on their head when they reach maturity.

Hellbender - Cryptobranchus alleganiensis Diet: Feeds primarily on crayfish and small fish. Habitat: Eastern US states, from southern to northern Georgia Fun Fact: Although their eyesight is relatively poor, they have light-sensitive cells all over their bodies. Those on their tails are especially finely tuned and may help them position safely under rocks without their tails poking out to give themselves away. Smell is possibly their most important sense when hunting.