List of waterfalls by flow rate

This list of waterfalls by flow rate includes all waterfalls which are known to have an average flow rate or discharge of at least 150 cubic metres per second (5,300 cu ft/s). The waterfalls in this list are those for which there is verifiable information for, and should not be assumed to be a complete list of waterfalls which would otherwise qualify as globally significant based on this metric.

Largest extant waterfalls
Waterfall Image Flow rate (m3/s) Drop (m) Width (m) River Countries Coordinates Notes Ref
Inga Falls 25,768 (est.) 21 914 Congo  DRC 5°26′56″S 13°35′18″E The Inga falls, whose status as a true waterfall is controversial, are currently incorporated into the Inga I and Inga II hydroelectric facilities. The volume of the river diverted is approximately 30% of the average discharge. The Grand Inga Dam, potentially the world's largest by generating capacity, is also proposed to be built on the falls. [1]
Livingstone Falls 25,060 6 701 Congo  DRC
 Congo
 4°52′41″S 14°26′08″E A set of rapids that drops 6 metres (20 ft). Located at the southern end of the Republic of the Congo's border with the Congo River. [2]
Boyoma Falls 16,990 5 1,372 Lualaba, Congo  DRC 0°29′27″N 25°12′24″E A series of seven cataracts, also referred to as the Stanley Falls. The last and most significant of these cataracts, at Kisangani, is known as Wagenia.[3] The Boyoma Falls marks the transition to the Congo River from the Lualaba River. [4]
Khone Phapheng Falls 11,610 21 10,783 Mekong  Laos 13°57′18″N 105°54′10″E A series of falls and rapids that when measured end-to-end is over 10 kilometres in width, making it the world's widest waterfall. Largest waterfall in Asia by average flow rate. [5]
Pará Falls 3,540 ? 5,608 Caura
 Venezuela		 6°19′01″N 64°30′33″W Largest extant waterfall in South America by average flow rate. [6]
Paulo Afonso Falls 2,832 59 18 São Francisco  Brazil 9°23′21″S 38°11′45″W Flow regulated by the Paulo Afonso Hydroelectric Complex. [7]
Niagara Falls 2,407 51 1,204 Niagara  Canada
 United States		 43°04′48″N 79°04′16″W Largest extant waterfall in North America by average flow rate. Flow regulated by the Robert Moses Niagara and Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Generating Stations. [8]
Vermilion Falls 1,812 5 1,829 Peace  Canada 58°22′11″N 114°52′18″W [9]
Iguazú Falls 1,746 64 2,682 Iguazú  Argentina
 Brazil		 25°41′43″S 54°26′12″W [10]
Limestone Falls 1,464 22 335 Caniapiscau  Canada 57°28′45″N 69°18′36″W Flow regulated by the KA-3 Dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir. [11]
Pyrite Falls 1,464 8 579 Caniapiscau  Canada 57°26′00″N 69°14′32″W Flow regulated by the KA-3 Dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir. [12]
Victoria Falls 1,088 105 1,707 Zambezi  Zambia Zimbabwe 17°55′27″S 25°51′22″E Produces the largest sheet of falling water in the world. [13]
Virginia Falls 1,000 90 259 South Nahanni  Canada 61°36′27″N 125°44′20″W [14]
Shale Falls 934 18 610 Caniapiscau  Canada 56°44′39″N 69°01′04″W Flow regulated by the KA-3 Dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir. [15]
Shivanasamudra Falls 934 98 305 Cauvery  India 12°17′33″N 77°10′03″E This waterfall divides around Sivasamudram Island. One side is known as Gagana chukki and the other side is known as Bara chukki. [16]
Willamette Falls 928 13 457 Willamette  United States 45°21′05″N 122°37′09″W Prior to the development of the Oregon City area, it is thought the falls may have spanned as much as 762 metres across. Flow regulated by the T. W. Sullivan Hydroelectric Plant. [17]
Kongou Falls 900 56 3,200 Ivindo  Gabon 0°17′17″N 12°35′17″E [18]
Kootenai Falls 731 9 258 Kootenay  United States 48°27′20″N 115°45′48″W [19]
Kaieteur Falls 663 226 113 Potaro  Guyana 5°10′30″N 59°28′50″W [20]
Rheinfall 595 24 122 Rhein   Switzerland 47°40′40″N 8°36′56″E Largest waterfall in Europe by average flow rate. [21]
Kalandula Falls 566 105 411 Lucala  Angola 9°04′26″S 16°00′03″E [22]
Chaudière Falls 500 35 240 Chaudière  Canada 46°42′47″N 71°17′10″W Flow regulated by the Sartigan Dam. [23]
Great Falls 474 (est.) ? 107 Potomac  United States 38°59′51″N 77°15′09″W Flow regulated by the Washington Aqueduct. [24]
Granite Falls 453 21 ? Caniapiscau  Canada 55°50′42″N 68°25′25″W Flow regulated by the KA-3 Dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir. [25]
Hidden Falls 425 30 ? Yarlung Tsangpo  China 29°46′34″N 95°10′54″E [26]
Urriðafoss 360 4 229 Þjórsá  Iceland 63°55′30″N 20°40′22″W [27]
Little Eaton Canyon Falls 317 Caniapiscau  Canada 55°31′46″N 68°17′40″W Flow regulated by the KA-3 Dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir. [28]
Lower Eaton Canyon Falls 317 Caniapiscau  Canada 55°33′46″N 68°11′50″W Flow regulated by the KA-3 Dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir. [29]
Nastapoca Falls 317 35 35 Nastapoca  Canada 56°54′54″N 76°31′46″W [30]
Tuktu Falls 317 Caniapiscau  Canada 55°32′36″N 68°14′44″W Flow regulated by the KA-3 Dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir. [31]
Twin Falls 317 48 61 Nastapoca  Canada 56°53′54″N 76°24′12″W [32]
Upper Eaton Canyon Falls 317 Caniapiscau  Canada 55°33′29″N 68°12′57″W Flow regulated by the KA-3 Dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir. [33]
Augrabies Falls 313 56 24 Orange  South Africa 28°35′29″S 20°20′25″E [34]
Murchison Falls 300 43 15 White Nile  Uganda 2°16′43″N 31°41′09″E Flow regulated by the Karuma Hydroelectric Power Station. [35]
Alexandra Falls 282 32 117 Hay River  Canada 60°30′02″N 116°16′46″W [36]
Louise Falls 282 15 183 Hay River  Canada 60°30′12″N 116°14′29″W [37]
Dettifoss 269 51 171 Jökulsá á Fjöllum  Iceland 65°48′53″N 16°23′04″W [38]
Hafragilsfoss 269 27 85 Jökulsá á Fjöllum  Iceland 65°49′56″N 16°23′57″W [39]
Réttarfoss 269 ? ? Jökulsá á Fjöllum  Iceland 65°52′47″N 16°26′09″W [40]
Selfoss 269 13 387 Jökulsá á Fjöllum  Iceland 65°48′18″N 16°23′12″W [41]
Sandstone Falls 222 4 549 New River  United States 37°45′24″N 80°54′21″W [42]
Huka Falls 220 ? ? Waikato River  New Zealand 38°38′55″S 176°05′24″E [43][44]
Big Falls 213 27 183 Missouri River  United States 47°34′08″N 111°07′26″W Flow regulated by the Ryan Dam. [45][46]
Black Eagle Falls 213 8 183 Missouri River  United States 47°31′11″N 111°15′44″W Flow regulated by the Black Eagle Dam. [47][46]
Crooked Falls Image 213 6 457 Missouri River  United States 47°32′06″N 111°11′47″W Flow regulated by the Rainbow Dam. [48][46]
Rainbow Falls 213 13 305 Missouri River  United States 47°32′00″N 111°12′19″W Flow regulated by the Rainbow Dam. [49][46]
Storforsen 187 35 76 Pite River  Sweden 65°50′59″N 20°24′16″E [50]
Rearguard Falls 171 6 61 Fraser River  Canada 52°58′24″N 119°21′51″W [51]
Cohoes Falls 161 20 290 Mohawk River  United States 42°47′17″N 73°42′31″W Flow regulated by the School Street Hydroelectric Generating Facility.[52] [53]
Jog Falls 153 253 472 Sharavati River  India 14°13′45″N 74°48′45″E Flow regulated by the Linganamakki Dam. [54]

The first five waterfalls by power (Guaíra, Khone Phapheng, Iguazú, Niagara, and Victoria) are called the Great Five Waterfalls.[55][56]

Largest historic waterfalls

This list comprises the waterfalls which have ceased to exist due to the impoundment of their river(s) by a dam, or due to the diversion of the watercourse.

Waterfall Image Flow rate (m3/s) Drop (m) Width (m) River Countries Coordinates Notes Ref
Guaíra Falls 13,309 40 4,828 Paraná  Brazil
 Paraguay		 24°04′03″S 54°17′00″W Submerged beneath the Itaipu Reservoir following the completion of the Itaipu Dam in 1982. [57]
Celilo Falls 5,366 6.1 1,768 Columbia  United States 45°39′05″N 120°58′10″W Submerged beneath the Columbia River following the completion of The Dalles Dam in 1957. The rock formation responsible for the falls remain intact. [58][59]
Kettle Falls 4,682 ? ? Columbia  United States 48°37′52″N 118°07′08″W Submerged beneath Lake Roosevelt following the completion of the Grand Coulee Dam in 1940. The formation responsible for the falls remain intact. [60]
Urubupunga Falls 2,747 13 2,012 Paraná  Brazil 20°36′S 51°33′W Submerged beneath the Paraná River following completion of the Engineer Souza Dias Dam in 1982. The formation responsible for the falls remain intact. [61]
Marimbondo Falls 1,501 24 2,012 Rio Grande  Brazil 20°18′35″S 49°12′06″W The Marimbondo Dam was built atop the upper portion of the falls in 1971. The section further upstream was submerged beneath the Rio Grande, while the section below the dam was dewatered and are visible. [62]
San Rafael Falls 400 94 23 Coca  Ecuador 0°06′15″S 77°34′51″W On 2 February 2020, a large sinkhole formed just above the falls, diverting its flow beneath a large band of rock (the former brink of the falls) which survived the collapse and became a natural bridge. Although the river initially still fell over 100 m (330 ft) into the sinkhole, very rapid headward erosion has since left no significant waterfall at this location.[63][64] [65]

Prehistoric waterfalls
See also: Outburst flood
WaterfallMaximum daily flow rate (m3/s)Tallest single drop (m)Width (m)RiverCountries
Gibraltar (Zanclean deluge hypothesis)2×1013[66]Strait of Gibraltar Spain
Morocco
Dry Falls1,906,000[67]1204,828Columbia United States
Bosphorus (Black Sea deluge hypothesis)482,407[68]80Bosphorus Strait Turkey

See also

References
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  2. "Livingstone, Chutes de, Congo, Democratic Republic of the – World Waterfall Database". www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  3. Ndeo, Oscar; Hauffe, Torsten; Delicado, Diana; Busanga, Alidor; Albrecht, Christian (2017-05-02). "Mollusk communities of the central Congo River shaped by combined effects of barriers, environmental gradients, and species dispersal". Journal of Limnology. 76. doi:10.4081/jlimnol.2017.1585.
  4. "Wagenia, Chutes, Congo, Democratic Republic of the – World Waterfall Database". www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  5. "Khone, Chutes de, Laos – World Waterfall Database". www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  6. "Pará, Salto, Venezuela – World Waterfall Database". www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  7. "Paulo Afonso, Cachoeira de, Brazil – World Waterfall Database". www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  8. "Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada – World Waterfall Database". www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  9. "Vermilion Falls, Alberta, Canada – World Waterfall Database". www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  10. "Iguazú, Cataratas del, Argentina – World Waterfall Database". www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  11. "Calcaire, Chute du, Quebec, Canada - World Waterfall Database". www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
  12. "Pyrite, Chute de la, Quebec, Canada - World Waterfall Database". www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
  13. "Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe – World Waterfall Database". www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  14. "Virginia Falls, Northwest Territories, Canada – World Waterfall Database". www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
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