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. ^{[1] [2]} The highest known subterranean waterfall is in the Vrtoglavica Cave in Slovenia, with at least 400 metres (1,300 ft). ^[3]

Notable examples

Name	Height	Location	Notes
Vrtoglavica Cave waterfall [3]	400 m (1,300 ft)	Plužna, Bovec	Highest subterranean waterfall
Gaping Gill waterfall	98 m (322 ft)	North Yorkshire, England	Located in the Yorkshire Dales
Grotte aux Fées waterfall	77 m (253 ft)	Saint-Maurice, Valais	The highest waterfall in a show cave
Silver Falls	64 m (210 ft)	Townsend, Tennessee	Located in the Tuckaleechee Caverns
Ruby Falls [4]	44 m (144 ft)	Chattanooga, Tennessee
Lacy Suicide Falls	42 m (138 ft)	Cass, West Virginia	Located in the Cass Cave

See also

• List of waterfalls
• List of caves
• Subterranean river
• Subglacial lake
• Underground lake

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. 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.

External links

Media related to Subterranean waterfalls at Wikimedia Commons