This page is designed to help answer questions about the
database, and how to use it to the fullest of it's abilities.
First time visitors are encouraged to read the Browsing
and Searching sections to become familiar
with techniques for narrowing searches and displaying results.
The most commonly addressed issues are discussed here. If
you are unsure of how to use the database, please read this
page thoroughly before contacting us with a question.
Browsing
the Database
There are several methods for browsing
the database. First and foremost is the Browse
by Continent method presented on the home page (the
large black world map). Select any continent,
and you will be taken to a list of all waterfalls on
that continent which are in the database. To view
all the waterfalls in the database, click on the "Browse"
tab at the top of any page. The results tables
can be sorted by most categories in the database, some
sort options may only be available under certain conditions.
If a column isn't shown on the table at certain time,
then it may not be possible to sort by that column without
starting over. To sort the tables by a desired
category, click the "sort" link next to the
column header.
Searching the Database
Using either the Quick Search box on the
homepage, or the Search Tool, found under the Search
tab at the top of any page, one can query the database
for more specific results. Typing in the name
of the waterfall, the name of the stream
which the waterfall occurs along, the state
or province, or the country
the waterfall is located in, will yield results.
Currently there is no full text search support, but
a similar system will be implemented in the future.
Narrowing the Search
Results
Once you have begun browsing the database,
there is often an overwhelming amount of information
displayed. You can further narrow the returned
results by any of the following methods:
To show only waterfalls which begin with a specific
letter, click on any of the alphabetic links at the
top of the tables.
To show only waterfalls within a specific state
/ province or country, click on the linked name of
that state or country in the respective column (the
State / Province and Country columns may or may not
be displayed on every set of results).
You can further narrow any results not sorted by
height or width by clicking on a State / Province
or Country name, then selecting a letter to limit
the results to. This will then return only waterfalls
within the desired region, beginning with the selected
letter.
When browsing either the "World's Tallest Waterfalls"
or "World's Largest Waterfalls" lists, use
the text box at the top of each page to limit the
results by entering a cut off number for either the
height of the waterfall (for the Tallest list), or
the width or volume of the waterfall (for the Largest
list). The table will refresh, and only waterfalls
with a height / width / volume greater than the number
entered will be shown. This method also works
for expanding both lists beyond their natural constraints.
Worlds 'Tallest' and
'Widest' Lists
On top of every page, you will see tabs
for both the World's Tallest and World's Largest Waterfalls.
These lead to tables which display the current selection
of waterfalls which are among the world's leaders in
size. Currently, the World's Tallest page shows
all waterfalls in the database over 300 feet tall, and
the World's Largest page only shows waterfalls which
have an average stream volume of 5,000 cubic feet per
second, or more. These limits may change in the
future, however.
Using the Comparison
Spreadsheet
At the top of any page which displays
a table showing waterfalls in the database, there is
a link leading to the Comparison Spreadsheet.
The spreadsheet shows all applicable values (no pictures,
no external links, etc) for each waterfall queried.
This page operates exactly the same as the standard
database pages, with the only difference that it cannot
narrow the search. To use this page, browse the
database as you normally would, and when you are satisfied
with your results, click the Spreadsheet link, a new
window will open with the results displayed. To
sort the tables by any desired category, click the "sort"
link next to the column header, and the table will refresh,
with the column by which the table is sorted highlighted.
For example, the "World's Tallest Waterfalls"
page only shows the Name, Height, Tallest Single Drop,
State / Province and Country for each waterfall.
If one were to click on the Spreadsheet link from the
Tallest list, the list would be reproduced, but showing
all available data for easy comparison to other waterfalls.
A great tool for research.
Submitting a Waterfall
to the Database
We're always looking for new content to
add to the database. We really need your help
to make sure that this is the most comprehensive inventory
of the world's most significant waterfalls available.
We know we've only scratched the surface here, so please,
don't hesitate to suggest something that we might have
overlooked. Please look over the requirements
below before submitting anything first.
To be included in the database, a waterfall must:
Either be at least 300 feet (90 meters) tall,
or be situated on a watercourse with an average streamflow
of at least 5,000 cubic feet per second (140 cubic
meters per second).
Waterfalls less than 300 feet (90 meters) tall will
only be accepted if they are both a) over 32 feet
(10 meters) tall, and b) have an average streamflow
of at least 5,000 cubic feet per second (140 cubic
meters per second).
The waterfall must exist today. Dry waterfalls,
waterfalls submerged beneath lakes and behind dams,
or waterfalls which no longer exist because of a shift
in the path of the river will not be accepted.
The falls must have a gradient of over 300 feet
per mile.
If the falls do not have a gradient of 300 feet
per mile, but are under 1 mile in length, there must
be an obvious vertical drop, and we will determine,
on a case by case basis, whether each submission qualifies.
The waterfall must be identified by some sort of
name. It doesn't matter if it's unofficial,
or something you just made up. We will not accept
"Unnamed Waterfall" or the likes.
If you know of a waterfall which meets these criteria,
which you don't already see in the database, fill
out this form, and we'll do our best to hunt it
down.
Physical
Description
On each page displaying the detailed information
for each waterfall in the database, you will see various
statistics, regarding the waterfall in question, situated
below the Ratings Table and Pictures. All numerical
statistics are listed in both feet and meters (where
known or applicable). The following are covered
in this section:
Characteristic:
What
it means:
Total Height:
The total vertical drop of the waterfall.
Tallest Single Drop:
The vertical drop of the tallest
section of the waterfall. If only one drop
occurs, this figure will be the same as the Total
Height.
Total Number of Drops:
The total number of individual
drops which compromise the waterfall.
Waterfall Type:
The dominant form of the waterfall
(see Waterfall Classification).
Average Width:
The average width of the waterfall,
from bank to bank. This often is estimated.
Average Volume:
The average discharge of the waterfall,
if known.
Maximum Recorded Volume:
The maximum recorded discharge
of the waterfall, if known.
Watercourse:
The name of the stream or river the waterfall
occurs along.
Seasonality:
Shows whether the falls are seasonal
or perennial (if known).
Seasons of Best Flow:
Lists the best time of year to
visit the falls, in terms of maximum streamflow.
Waterfall Classifications
We've found that even though every waterfall
is totally unique in it's own way, there seem to be
10 general forms that a waterfall can assume. Most waterfalls
exhibit more than one form, however, only the most dominant
form will be noted. In cases of multi-tiered waterfalls,
the form of each tier will be listed. This system has
been adopted and enhanced from that in Greg Plumb's
book "A Waterfall Lover's Guide to the Pacific
Northwest".
Block
A waterfall in a Block form occurs over a
wide breadth 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.
Cascade
A waterfall of a Cascade 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.
Curtain
Curtain waterfalls occur along a wide breadth
of stream where the falls must be taller than
it is wide. A waterfall of this form often
becomes narrower in low discharge periods.
Fan
Waterfalls of a Fan form occur when the breadth
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.
Horsetail
Horsetail waterfalls are characterized by
the constant or semi-constant contact the
water maintains with the bedrock as it falls.
Horsetail waterfalls can be almost vertical, as
well as very gradual.
Plunge
The classic and overly cliched waterfall form,
where the water drops vertically, losing most,
or all contact with the rock face. This waterfall
form has also been referred to as a "Cataract"
and a "Vertical" form waterfall.
Punchbowl
Punchbowl waterfalls, coined from the famous
Punch Bowl Falls in Oregon, occur where the
stream is constricted to a narrow breadth and
is forcefully shot outward and downward into
a large pool.
Segmented
Segmented waterfalls occur where the stream
is broken into two or more channels before descending
over the cliff, causing multiple falls to
occur side by side.
Slide
Similar to a cascade, a Slide type waterfall
descends a smooth, gradual bedrock surface.
Slide waterfalls maintain constant contact with
the bedrock, and are often seen in areas where
granitic rocks are common.
Tiered
Tiered waterfalls 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. We typically require
tiers to be visible together and within a given
distance of each other.
Waterfall Ratings
On the top right hand side of each page
displaying the detailed information for a waterfall
in the database, you will see a table listing up to
four different ratings we apply to each waterfall.
We are trying to stay away from objectively analyzing
the waterfalls we list in the database, we feel that
no single rating system we are using can provide a fair
comparison between the world's waterfalls. Between
the four systems we have in place, however, all the
waterfalls can be compared and sized up to one another
in a manor that allows waterfalls of great height to
be compared to waterfalls of great volume. The
methods we use to rate the waterfalls work as follows.
Visual Magnitude
The Visual Magnitude Rating system was coined by Greg
Plumb, for use in his books "Waterfalls of Tennessee",
and "A Waterfall Lover's Guide to the Pacific Northwest".
This system uses a logarithmic scale of 10, based on
the waterfall's height, width, volume and slope.
Each increase of 10 in the rating number indicates a
doubling of the impressiveness of the waterfall.
For example, a waterfall with a rating of 90 is twice
as impressive as a rating of 80, and a rating of 100
is four times as impressive as a rating of 80.
Taller waterfalls, and waterfalls with a higher volume
will have a higher Visual Magnitude rating. Low
volume waterfalls, or waterfalls with a shallow slope,
on the other hand, have a lower rating, because they
don't have as much force. In this system, waterfalls
which aren't flowing have a magnitude of 0. However,
we compute this number based on the average volume of
the stream which the waterfall occurs along, and may
not reflect the magnitude of any given waterfall at
a certain time of the year. This system is best
for comparing waterfalls by height and volume (height
being the dominant factor).
Absolute Magnitude
The Absolute Magnitude Rating system uses the same
formula as the Visual Magnitude system does. The
one difference here, is that the Absolute Magnitude
is computed using the maximum recorded volume of a waterfall,
which often occurs during flood stage, as well as the
maximum width the waterfall may achieve at flood stage,
to compute the magnitude which the waterfall reaches
when its flow peaks out. Most of the world's waterfalls
won't approach their Absolute Magnitude very often,
but this figure allows us to illustrate how more seasonal
waterfalls might fluctuate in terms of significance.
Beisel Waterfall Rating (BWR)
The Beisel Waterfall Rating (BWR) System was coined
by Richard H. Beisel Jr. to be used in a forthcoming
book. This system uses a natural logarithm of
the average volume of water present in the waterfall
in question (in terms of cubic meters of water) to come
up with a rating on a 1-10 scale (though a handful exceed
10), then rounds it up to the nearest whole number,
to achieve the rating. For the sake of differentiation,
we are listing both the BWR, and the BWR Class that
each waterfall falls under.
The BWR is listed first, followed by the Class category
the waterfall is assigned to, within parenthesis.
This system rewards high-volume waterfalls, and waterfalls
with a shallower slope, over more vertical waterfalls
(because there is more square acreage to low-gradient
waterfalls, and hence more volume in the waterfall),
and is best used to compare waterfalls based on volume,
rather than height or size. Using this rating
solely to compare all waterfalls weighs unfairly on
waterfalls which are among the best in the world, but
don't have a river-sized volume.
Scenic Rating
This is a simple system we came up with to identify
waterfalls which, though impressive, might not be as
aesthetically pleasing, due to natural obstruction or
human development. Niagara Falls is a prime example
of such an instance; while the falls are undoubtedly
impressive, they are not nearly as scenic as they could
be, due to the massive urban area around the falls.
This system uses 5 categories to determine the rating
of each waterfall:
Height
- A waterfall will receive up to 30 points for it's
height, 3 points for every increment of height. Waterfalls
over 700 meters tall automatically receive the full
30 points.
Scenery
- A waterfall will receive up to 20 points for it's
surrounding scenery and setting. Waterfalls located
in developed areas, such as Niagara Falls, receive
a low score in this category, where as waterfalls
in scenic or geologically unique regions will receive
a higher score. This category is entirely subjective.
Grandeur
- A waterfall will receive up to 20 points for it's
grandeur. Points in this category are based mostly
off of the Visual Magnitude each waterfall receives,
but may receive a subjective override if we deem it
necessary.
Volume
- A waterfall will receive up to 20 points for it's
volume. Waterfalls on rivers with more than 75,000
cubic feet per second of volume will receive the full
20 points. We found it necessary to graduate the system
for assigning a value for a waterfall's volume, or
else significant waterfalls on smaller streams are
docked too heavily.
Width
- A waterfall will receive up to 10 points for it's
width. We found it necessary to graduate the system
for assigning a value for a waterfall's width, or
else too much influence is placed on the width of
a waterfall. Waterfalls over 2500 feet wide automatically
receive the full 10 points.
Currently, Angel Falls, the world's tallest waterfall,
receives the highest score (89 points), so in order
to apply this system at a fairer level, we adjust this
rating to a curve of 89 points. The points for
each category are shown individually underneath the
curve-adjusted Scenic Rating.
Maps and Location Information
Under this section, you will find information
detailing the location of each waterfall in the database.
Listed first are, in order, the Continent, Country,
State / Province (if known), Region (if known) and Locality
(if known) each waterfall occurs within.
Following this is a section for links to website where
maps showing the waterfall may be available. For
example, for waterfalls within the United States, we
will link to both Topozone (topographic maps) and Terraserver
USA (satellite photographs). Other countries may
not have these kind of systems available, but several
do, and we will do our best to link as close to the
location of the waterfall in question as we can.
Below these links, we will list detailed directions
on how to reach the waterfall in question, if known.
The directions will often assume a starting point of
either the nearest town, or the nearest major landmark,
such as an intersection of two major highways, or the
entrance to a park, etc.
Detailed Information
This section covers any detailed information
about the waterfall in question, such as origin of the
name, common misconceptions about the waterfall, information
debunking or disproving erroneous figures, as well as
descriptive information about the waterfall and it's
surroundings, and any other interesting factoids that
may be related to the waterfall in question. If
a waterfall is known by multiple names, we will explain
the origin and use of each name, if we can. If
the waterfall in question has multiple sections, or
is commonly known to be of a different size or makeup
than it actually is, we will describe that here as well.
There are still several waterfalls in the database
that do not have any information in this section.
We are working on putting at least a one-sentence description
online for each waterfall, but it may take some time.
Pictures and External
Links
For most of the waterfalls we have listed on this
website, we do not yet have pictures available on-site.
For the few that do, thumbnails can be found below the
name of the waterfall in question. Where we don't
have pictures available, we will attempt to find pictures
on the internet, and add links to those pictures in
this section. In most cases, we will link to the
page displaying the picture in question, but there are
a few cases where the picture may open directly.
We try to avoid this practice, because it essentially
bypasses various websites (webmasters - if we have undesirably
done this to your website, let us know, and we can either
remove the link, or if you would be willing to let us
use the picture we have linked, that would be much appreciated).
