Subterranean waterfall

Ruby Falls is an underground waterfall within a cave in Tennessee, United States
Gaping Gill chamber with the waterfall in the background.

A subterranean waterfall, tierous waterfall, or underground waterfall is a waterfall located underground, usually in a cave or mine. They are a common feature in cave systems where there are vertical or near vertical geological structures for the weathering process to exploit, and sufficient gradient between the sink and the rising. The highest known subterranean waterfall is in the Vrtoglavica Cave in Slovenia, with at least 400 metres (1,300 ft).

Notable examples

NameHeightLocationNotes
Vrtoglavica Cave waterfall 400 m (1,300 ft) Plužna, Bovec Slovenia Highest subterranean waterfall
Gaping Gill waterfall 98 m (322 ft) North Yorkshire, England United Kingdom Located in the Yorkshire Dales
Grotte aux Fées waterfall 77 m (253 ft) Saint-Maurice, Valais Switzerland The highest waterfall in a show cave
Silver Falls 64 m (210 ft) Townsend, Tennessee United States Located in the Tuckaleechee Caverns
Ruby Falls 44 m (144 ft) Chattanooga, Tennessee United States
Lacy Suicide Falls 42 m (138 ft) Cass, West Virginia United States Located in the Cass Cave

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kevin Adams (1 June 2002). Waterfalls of Virginia and West Virginia: A Hiking and Photography Guide. Menasha Ridge Press. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-89732-414-4.
  2. ↑ Waltham, Tony; Murphy, Phil (2013). Waltham, Tony; Lowe, Dave (eds.). Caves and Karst of the Yorkshire Dales. Buxton: British Cave Research Association. p. 136. ISBN 978-0900265-46-4.
  3. 1 2 Pavils, Gatis (7 March 2013). "Vrtiglavica Cave and Waterfall". Wondermondo. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  4. ↑ "Tennessee's Spectacular Underground Waterfall". The Weather Channel. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2016.

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