Waterfalls of South Carolina 03

Isaqueena Falls

Isaqueena Falls, located near
Walhalla, South Carolina, is a waterfall
in the Oconee District of the Sumter National Forest.
The falls are named after a Cherokee girl who allegedly
leaped from the top of the falls with her lover, an
Oconee brave, in an attempt to hide him from the
rest of her tribe, which was at war with the Oconee.
Isaqueena allegedly then hid him in the recessed
area just below the top of the falls. It is very close
to Stumphouse Tunnel, another notable local landmark.
Today a small park provides access to both places.[1

Waterfalls of South Carolina 02

The Great Falls of the Catawba River

The Great Falls of the Catawba River mark

the point at which the river encounters a series of

rapids while coursing across the Piedmont Plateau on

the border of Lancaster County, South Carolina,

and Chester County, South Carolina, near

the town of Great Falls. Prior to the creation

of the Fishing Creek Reservoir and other

artificial lakes by Duke Power, the falls were

a major landmark on the river. The rapids could

be heard from long distances away, while a major

pre-Columbian trading path ran near the left bank.

Historically the Great Falls of the Catawba were

approximately 4 miles long, with a total elevation

drop of 121 feet. (The word "falls" was an 18th

century appellation, when any river rapids and

vertical waterfalls alike were both referred to as falls.)

The creation of the dams at Great Falls, South Carolina

has resulted in the top 2 miles of it being completely

dry (dewatered) except during times of very high flow.

The bottom portion of historical Great Falls is drowned

by Cedar Creek dam, another hydroelectric project.

As of 2006, interest groups have formed in the Carolinas

to restore the Great Falls by altering the dam and

restoring flow to the dewatered stretch of Great Falls

as part of a major restoration project of the Catawba River.

As of 2007, a new licensing arrangement has been agreed

to by Duke Energy and several interested parties.

Below the Great Falls, the river flows into Lake Wateree

where it becomes the Wateree River.

Waterfalls of South Carolina 01

Bull Sluice

Bull Sluice is a prominent rapid on

the Chattooga River on the Georgia and

South Carolina border in the United States

which was featured in the film Deliverance. Its

convenient location off of the US76 bridge makes it a

popular destination for whitewater rafters and kayakers.

The short hike to the rapid also makes it attractive to

spectators.

Bull Sluice is a benchmark Class IV+ rapid as rated

by American Whitewater during normal flow of 1.8 to

2.4 feet.^[1] It becomes easier at lower water and

significantly more difficult at higher water. Bull

Sluice is the largest and final named rapid of

Section 3 of the Chattooga River. Since it is one

of the more accessible rapids on the river, many

boaters who run the narrower and more

dangerous Section 4 will first run Bull Sluice

before continuing downstream, making the

rapid the de facto start of the final section of

the river.

A small cave exists under the main flow of

the water. Swimmers will often enter the

cave during warmer weather to watch

boaters run the rapid above them.

Waterfalls of South Carolina 01

Blackwater Falls State Park

Blackwater Falls State Park is located in
the Allegheny Mountains of Tucker County, West Virginia,
USA. The centerpiece of the Park is Blackwater Falls, a
62-foot (19 m) cascade where the Blackwater River leaves
its leisurely course in Canaan Valley and enters
rugged Blackwater Canyon. It is among the most
photographed venues in the state and appears on
calendars, stationery, advertisements of all kinds and,
most famously, on jigsaw puzzles. The River is named
for its tannic acid-darkened water.

Valley Falls State Park

Valley Falls State Park is a 1,145 acre (4.63 km²) day use facility

sited along both banks of the Tygart Valley River. The park is

located about 7 miles (11 km) south of exit 137 of I-79,

near Fairmont, West Virginia.

The park's main feature is a half-mile long set of

waterfalls that separate Marion and Taylor County, West Virginia.

The park and river provide a popular

and risky kayaking run.^[2]

Although the falls are an inviting spot,

swimming is not allowed. ^[3] However, it is

not uncommon on a hot summer day to see

numerous sunbathers relaxing on the large

flat rocks that cover the

area near the river.^{[citation needed]}

In the 19th century a small community

thrived along the river at the

current state park's location.

The ruins of a sawmill and a gristmill are

still visible along the river.^[3]

Waterfalls of Canada

This is a list of waterfalls in

Canada. Alfred Creek Falls in British Columbia

is recorded as one of the tallest in Canada at

a height of 700 meters (2,297 ft) and a class-3 horsetail

waterfall.^[1] Deserted River Falls also in British

Columbia is thought to be the largest of North America

at 670 meters (2,198 ft). Della Falls in

British Columbia supplied

by Drinkwater Creek^[2] Takkakaw Falls used

to have the distinction of being the tallest

Canadian waterfall at 373 meters (1,224 ft)

and is considered to be the 23rd world

tallest.^[3] Hunlen Falls, 365 meters (1,198 ft)

is listed as the world's 25th tallest waterfall

at Highest waterfalls of the world, waterfalls

with the height above 300 m. According to Waterfalls

of the world, Della Falls is the 19th tallest

waterfall in the world.^[4] James Bruce Falls,

840 meters (2,756 ft), is the 8th tallest

waterfall of the world and Alfred Creek Falls,

700 meters (2,297 ft) is the 29th tallest in

the world according to the World Waterfall

Database: World's Tallest Waterfalls^[5] Niagara Falls

in Ontario, a segmented block waterfall, is

the 10th largest waterfall in the

world. Virginia Falls, Northwest Territories,

supplied by the South Nahanni River, is the

14th world's largest waterfall and

the Grand Falls on the Hamilton River is

listed as the 15th largest on the World

Waterfall Database: World's Largest

Waterfalls.^[6] According to the website,

Top 10 Awe Inspiring Waterfalls, Niagara

Falls is ranked 2nd.^[7] is considered

to be the 16th-tallest waterfall

in the world at 440 meters

(1,444 ft) and is the

tallest measured waterfall

in Canada.

Waterfall ice climbing is a sport

undertaken by climbing enthusiasts aware

of avalanche risks.^[8][6] To several waterfalls

which are not near a highway, hiking trails

lead into the site of the waterfall. Some

waterfalls have bridges and cable cars to

provide additional scenic views of the waterfall

such as at Montmorency Falls^[9]. Photography

of waterfalls records the panorama of scenic

cascading waterfalls. Some waterfalls are

conducive to swimming, or kayaking

sports.

There are three waterfalls in Canada which

appear to reverse. They

are Wager Bay, Nunavut; Barrier Inlet,

Nunavut; and Reversing Falls at the mouth

of the Saint John River, New Brunswick.

During low tide the watersource falls over

a rocky ledge as a waterfall. During high

tide, the seawater raises above the height

of the rocky ledge, and the seawater rushes

into the river valley against the low tide

river flow.^[10]