Waterfalls explained
The eight types of waterfall
Waterfalls are classified by how the water meets the rock on the way down. Learn the eight shapes and you'll start seeing them everywhere.
The same river can make very different waterfalls. Whether the water leaves the rock and falls free, clings to it and spreads, or steps down in stages depends on the rock it crosses and how much water there is. Many falls combine types — a tiered fall with a plunge at the top, a block that splits into segments in the dry season — so these are descriptions, not boxes.
Every waterfall in our index is tagged with its dominant type. Pick one below to see what makes it, how to recognise it, and where to go to see the best examples. For why the rock is shaped that way in the first place, see how waterfalls form.
Pick a type
192 in our index
Plunge
Water leaves the rock entirely and falls free through the air.
88 in our index
Tiered
A series of distinct drops, one below the other.
37 in our index
Block
A wide sheet of water falling from a broad river.
34 in our index
Segmented
The flow splits into separate strands as it falls.
728 in our index
Cascade
Water tumbles down a series of rock steps rather than falling free.
18 in our index
Horsetail
Water stays in contact with the rock as it falls.
7 in our index
Fan
The flow widens noticeably as it descends while staying on the rock.
38 in our index
Cataract
A large, powerful waterfall or series of rapids on a big river.