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==Types== {{See also|List of waterfalls by type}} {| class="wikitable" |+ !Type !Image !Notes |- |Ledge waterfall |[[File:American_Falls_Niagara_Falls_USA_from_Skylon_Tower_on_2002-05-28.png|frameless|100x100px]] |Water descends vertically over a vertical cliff, maintaining partial contact with the bedrock.<ref name="worldwat">{{cite web|date=11 September 2015|title=Worldwaterfalls.com|url=https://www.world-of-waterfalls.com/featured-articles-waterfalls-101-what-types-of-waterfalls-are-there.html|access-date=10 November 2016|archive-date=20 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220204803/http://www.world-of-waterfalls.com/featured-articles-waterfalls-101-what-types-of-waterfalls-are-there.html|url-status=live}}</ref> May be several types: *'''Block/Sheet''': Water descends from a relatively wide stream or river.<ref name="howstuff" /> * '''Classical''': Fall height is nearly equal to stream width, forming a square shape.<ref name="howstuff" /> * '''Curtain''': Fall height is greater than the width of the falling water stream.<ref name="howstuff" /> |- |Plunge |[[File:BrandywineFalls_1200W.jpg|frameless|100x100px]] |Fast-moving water falls vertically, completely losing contact with the bedrock surface.<ref name=":3" /> |- |Punchbowl |[[File:Punch_Bowl_Falls.jpg|frameless|100x100px]] |Water is constricted as it falls and then spreads into a wider pool.<ref name="howstuff" /> |- |Horsetail |[[File:Jog_Falls_05092016.jpg|frameless|103x103px]] |Falling water mostly maintains contact with bedrock.<ref name=":3" /> Several types: * '''Chute''': A large quantity of water forced through a narrow, vertical passage.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Kids|first1=Lonely Planet|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wrU7DwAAQBAJ&dq=%22chute+waterfall%22&pg=PT240|title=The Big Earth Book|last2=Brake|first2=Mark|date=2017-11-01|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=978-1-78701-083-3|language=en}}</ref> * '''Fan''': Water spreads horizontally as it falls while remaining in contact with bedrock.<ref name=":3" /> |- |Cascade |[[File:Numa_Falls_Upstream.jpg|frameless|149x149px]] |Water descends a series of rock steps.<ref name="howstuff" /> |- |Tiered/Multi-step/Staircase |[[File:Upper_ebor_falls_small.jpg|frameless|143x143px]] |A series of waterfalls one after another of roughly the same size each with its own sunken plunge pool.<ref name=":3" /> |- |Cataract |[[File:VictoriaFalls2018d.jpg|frameless|133x133px]] |A large, powerful waterfall.<ref name=":3" /> |- |Segmented |[[File:Magod_Falls_Karnataka.JPG|frameless|100x100px]] |Distinct flows of water form as it descends.<ref name=":3" /> |- |[[Moulin (geomorphology)|Moulin]] |[[File:Moulin_on_Snowbird_Glacier,_below_the_Snowbird_Glacier_Hut._Talkeetna_Mountains,_Alaska.JPG|frameless|100x100px]] |A waterfall in a glacier.<ref>{{cite book |last=Fairbridge|first=Rhodes W.|chapter=Glacial moulin, mill or pothole|date=1997|title=Geomorphology|series=Encyclopedia of Earth Science|pages=456β457|location=Berlin |publisher=Springer|language=en|doi=10.1007/3-540-31060-6_155|isbn=978-3-540-31060-0}}</ref> |} [[File:An ephemeral waterfall.jpg|thumb|An example of an ephemeral waterfall. This one, when flowing, feeds into the [[Chagrin River]].]] Some waterfalls are also distinct in that they do not flow continuously. '''Ephemeral''' waterfalls only flow after a rain or a significant snowmelt.<ref>[https://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np-image.maca39887.html https://www.terragalleria.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110171433/https://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np-image.maca39887.html |date=10 November 2017 }} Ephemeral waterfall seen from inside cave. Mammoth Cave National Park.</ref><ref>[https://www.kidsdiscover.com/quick-reads/horsetail-falls-one-yosemites-ephemeral-waterfalls/ https://www.kidsdiscover.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718185216/https://www.kidsdiscover.com/quick-reads/horsetail-falls-one-yosemites-ephemeral-waterfalls/ |date=18 July 2019 }} About Horsetail Falls, One of Yosemite's Ephemeral Waterfalls.</ref><ref>[https://www.wncwaterfalls.info/waterfall/94/Bird_Rock_Falls https://www.wncwaterfalls] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110171332/https://www.wncwaterfalls.info/waterfall/94/Bird_Rock_Falls |date=10 November 2017 }} Bird Rock Falls.</ref> Waterfalls can also be found [[Subterranean waterfall|underground]]<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Hern|first1=Sunny|last2=Ahern|first2=Ez|date=2020-10-28|title=Underground waterfall: How to see this secret spectacle in Upstate NY|url=https://www.newyorkupstate.com/things-to-do/2020/10/underground-waterfall-how-to-see-this-secret-spectacle-in-upstate-ny.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-28|website=newyorkupstate|language=en|archive-date=28 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828160925/https://www.newyorkupstate.com/things-to-do/2020/10/underground-waterfall-how-to-see-this-secret-spectacle-in-upstate-ny.html}}</ref> and in oceans.<ref name=":5" />
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