List of waterfalls by flow rate

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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, and the list 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

More information Waterfall, Image ...
Waterfall Image Flow rate Drop Width River Countries Coordinates Notes
m3/scu ft/s mft mft
Inga Falls 25,768910,000 (est.) 2169 9142,999 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 25,060885,000 620 7012,300 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 16,990600,000 516 1,3724,501 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 11,610410,000 2169 10,78335,377 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 3,540125,000 64210 5,60818,399 Caura
Venezuela		 6°19′01″N 64°30′33″W Largest extant waterfall in South America by average flow rate.[6]
Paulo Afonso Falls 2,832100,000 59194 1859 São Francisco Brazil 9°23′21″S 38°11′45″W Flow regulated by the Paulo Afonso Hydroelectric Complex.[7]
Niagara Falls 2,40785,000 51167 1,2043,950 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 1,81264,000 516 1,8296,001 Peace Canada 58°22′11″N 114°52′18″W [9]
Iguazú Falls 1,74661,700 64210 2,6828,799 Iguazú Argentina
Brazil		 25°41′43″S 54°26′12″W [10]
Limestone Falls 1,46451,700 2272 3351,099 Caniapiscau Canada 57°28′45″N 69°18′36″W Flow regulated by the KA-3 Dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir.[11]
Pyrite Falls 1,46451,700 826 5791,900 Caniapiscau Canada 57°26′00″N 69°14′32″W Flow regulated by the KA-3 Dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir.[12]
Victoria Falls 1,08838,400 105344 1,7075,600 Zambezi Zambia
Zimbabwe		 17°55′27″S 25°51′22″E Produces the largest sheet of falling water in the world.[13]
Virginia Falls 1,00035,000 90300 259850 South Nahanni Canada 61°36′27″N 125°44′20″W [14]
Ngonye Falls 96334,000 2582 ? ? Zambezi Zambia 16°39′08″S 23°34′17″E Also known as Sioma Falls.[15]
Shale Falls 93433,000 1859 6102,000 Caniapiscau Canada 56°44′39″N 69°01′04″W Flow regulated by the KA-3 Dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir.[16]
Shivanasamudra Falls 93433,000 98322 3051,001 Kaveri India 12°17′33″N 77°10′03″E This waterfall divides around Sivasamudram Island. One side is known as Gaganachukki and the other side is known as Barachukki.[17]
Willamette Falls 92832,800 1343 4571,499 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.[18]
Kongou Falls 90032,000 56184 3,20010,500 Ivindo Gabon 0°17′17″N 12°35′17″E [19]
Kootenai Falls 73125,800 930 258846 Kootenay United States 48°27′20″N 115°45′48″W [20]
Laksforsen [no] 70025,000 1756 ? ? Vefsna Norway 65°37′25″N 13°17′26″E [21]
Oatmeal Rapids 69724,600 ? ? ? ? Rupert River Canada 51°21′24″N 77°25′11″W Despite being nominally rapids, the falls are steep enough as to not meet the technical definition due to the final drop.[22]
Kaieteur Falls 66323,400 226741 113371 Potaro Guyana 5°10′30″N 59°28′50″W [23]
Rheinfall 59521,000 2479 122400 Rhine  Switzerland 47°40′40″N 8°36′56″E Largest waterfall in Europe by average flow rate.[24]
Sarp Falls 57720,400 2169 ? ? Glomma Norway 59°16′34″N 11°07′51″E Second-largest waterfall in Europe by average flow rate.[25]
Kalandula Falls 56620,000 105344 4111,348 Lucala Angola 9°04′26″S 16°00′03″E [26]
Chutes de Shawinigan [fr] 51318,100 50160 ? ? Saint-Maurice Canada 46.531360°N 72.761830°W / 46.531360; -72.761830 (Shawinigan Falls) Flow regulated by the Shawinigan 2 and Shawinigan 3 dams.[27]
Chaudière Falls 50018,000 35115 240790 Chaudière Canada 46°42′47″N 71°17′10″W Flow regulated by the Sartigan Dam.[28]
Great Falls 47416,700 (est.) ? ? 107351 Potomac United States 38°59′51″N 77°15′09″W Flow regulated by the Washington Aqueduct.[29]
Kazan Falls 45916,200 ? ? ? ? Kazan River Canada 63°42′50″N 95°50′41″W [30]
Granite Falls 45316,000 2169 ? ? Caniapiscau Canada 55°50′42″N 68°25′25″W Flow regulated by the KA-3 Dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir.[31]
Chutes de la Lobé [fr] 39014,000 ? ? ? ? Lobé River Cameroon 2°52′56″N 9°53′49″E [32]
Hidden Falls 42515,000 3098 ? ? Yarlung Tsangpo China 29°46′34″N 95°10′54″E [33]
Ulaan Tsutgalan Waterfall 38013,000 1033 2479 Orkhon River Mongolia 50°15′00″N 106°08′20″E The flow rate heavily altered by mining operations.[34]
Saint Anthony Falls 37013,000 1549 ? ? Mississippi River US 44°58′54″N 93°15′31″W Shape and flow rate severely altered by large hydroelectric developments.
Urriðafoss 36013,000 413 229751 Þjórsá Iceland 63°55′30″N 20°40′22″W [35]
Little Eaton Canyon Falls 31711,200 ? ? ? ? Caniapiscau Canada 55°31′46″N 68°17′40″W Flow regulated by the KA-3 Dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir.[36]
Lower Eaton Canyon Falls 31711,200 ? ? ? ? Caniapiscau Canada 55°33′46″N 68°11′50″W Flow regulated by the KA-3 Dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir.[37]
Nastapoca Falls 31711,200 35115 35115 Nastapoca Canada 56°54′54″N 76°31′46″W [38]
Tuktu Falls 31711,200 ? ? ? ? Caniapiscau Canada 55°32′36″N 68°14′44″W Flow regulated by the KA-3 Dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir.[39]
Twin Falls 31711,200 48157 61200 Nastapoca Canada 56°53′54″N 76°24′12″W [40]
Upper Eaton Canyon Falls 31711,200 ? ? ? ? Caniapiscau Canada 55°33′29″N 68°12′57″W Flow regulated by the KA-3 Dam of the Caniapiscau Reservoir.[41]
Augrabies Falls 31311,100 56184 2479 Orange South Africa 28°35′29″S 20°20′25″E [42]
Murchison Falls 30011,000 43141 1549 White Nile Uganda 2°16′43″N 31°41′09″E Flow regulated by the Karuma Hydroelectric Power Station.[43]
Dhuandhar Falls 29410,400 3098 ? ? Narmada River India 23°07′30″N 79°48′53″E [44]
Alexandra Falls 28210,000 32105 117384 Hay River Canada 60°30′02″N 116°16′46″W [45]
Louise Falls 28210,000 1549 183600 Hay River Canada 60°30′12″N 116°14′29″W [46]
Dettifoss 2699,500 51167 171561 Jökulsá á Fjöllum Iceland 65°48′53″N 16°23′04″W [47]
Hafragilsfoss 2699,500 2789 85279 Jökulsá á Fjöllum Iceland 65°49′56″N 16°23′57″W [48]
Réttarfoss 2699,500 ? ? ? ? Jökulsá á Fjöllum Iceland 65°52′47″N 16°26′09″W [49]
Selfoss 2699,500 1343 3871,270 Jökulsá á Fjöllum Iceland 65°48′18″N 16°23′12″W [50]
Kanawha Falls 2559,000 ? ? ? ? Kanawha River United States 38.138°N 81.213°W / 38.138; -81.213 (Sandstone Falls) [51]
Ristafallet [sv] 2508,800 1446 50160 Indalsälven Sweden 63.31256°N 13.350903°E / 63.31256; 13.350903 (Ristafallet) [52]
Sandstone Falls 2227,800 413 5491,801 New River United States 37°45′24″N 80°54′21″W [53]
Huka Falls 2207,800 1136 ? ? Waikato River New Zealand 38°38′55″S 176°05′24″E [54][55]
Félou Falls 2167,600 1343 ? ? Senegal River Mali 14°21′13″N 11°20′43″W Flow regulated by the Félou Hydroelectric Plant.[56]
Gouina Falls 2167,600 1652 5001,600 Senegal River Mali 14°00′54″N 11°06′09″W Flow regulated by the Gouina Hydroelectric Plant.[57]
Big Falls 2137,500 2789 183600 Missouri River United States 47°34′08″N 111°07′26″W Flow regulated by the Ryan Dam.[58][59]
Black Eagle Falls 2137,500 826 183600 Missouri River United States 47°31′11″N 111°15′44″W Flow regulated by the Black Eagle Dam.[60][59]
Crooked Falls 2137,500 620 4571,499 Missouri River United States 47°32′06″N 111°11′47″W Flow regulated by the Rainbow Dam.[61][59]
Rainbow Falls 2137,500 1343 3051,001 Missouri River United States 47°32′00″N 111°12′19″W Flow regulated by the Rainbow Dam.[62][59]
Rusumo Falls 2107,400 1549 40130 Kagera River Rwanda Tanzania 2°22′57″S 30°47′00″W [63]
Målselvfossen [no] 1966,900 2272 6002,000 Målselva Norway 69°02′09″N 18°39′16″E [64]
Storforsen 1876,600 35115 76249 Pite River Sweden 65°50′59″N 20°24′16″E [65]
Kabwelume Falls 1816,400 ? ? ? ? Kalungwishi River Zambia 9°31′29″S 29°21′05″E [66]
Lumangwe Falls 1816,400 ? ? ? ? Kalungwishi River Zambia 9°32′32″S 29°23′11″E [67]
Zongo Falls 1796,300 ? ? ? ? Inkisi River DRC 4.777431°S 14.905735°E / -4.777431; 14.905735 (Zongo Falls) Flow regulated by the Zongo II Hydroelectric Power Station.[68]
Rearguard Falls 1716,000 620 61200 Fraser River Canada 52°58′24″N 119°21′51″W [69]
Cohoes Falls 1615,700 2066 290950 Mohawk River United States 42°47′17″N 73°42′31″W Flow regulated by the School Street Hydroelectric Generating Facility.[70][71]
Epupa Falls 1605,700 37121 1,5004,900 Cunene River Angola Namibia 17°00′00″S 13°14′36″E Flow regulated by the Ruacana Hydroelectric Power Station.[72]
Ruacana Falls 1605,700 120390 7002,300 Cunene River Angola Namibia 17°23′38″S 14°13′04″E Flow regulated by the Ruacana Hydroelectric Power Station.[72]
Jog Falls 1535,400 253830 4721,549 Sharavati River India 14°13′45″N 74°48′45″E Flow regulated by the Linganamakki Dam.[73]
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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.

More information Waterfall, Image ...
Waterfall Image Flow rate Drop Width River Countries Coordinates Notes
m3/scu ft/s mft mft
Guaíra Falls 13,309470,000 40130 4,82815,840 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.[74]
Celilo Falls 5,366189,500 620.1 1,7685,801 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 remains intact.[75][76]
Kettle Falls 4,682165,300 ? ? ? ? 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 remains intact.[77]
Urubupunga Falls 2,74797,000 1343 2,0126,601 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 remains intact.[78]
Marimbondo Falls 1,50153,000 2479 2,0126,601 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.[79]
San Rafael Falls 40014,000 94308 2375 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 until it too collapsed. 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.[80][81][82]
La Chute Grande 40014,000 1962 ? ? Romaine Canada 50°23′14″N 63°15′06″W Destroyed by the construction of the Romaine-1 Generating Station at the top of the falls.[83]
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Prehistoric waterfalls

See also: Outburst flood
More information Waterfall, Flow rate ...
Waterfall Flow rate Drop Width River Countries
m3/scu ft/s mft mft
Gibraltar (Zanclean deluge hypothesis) 100,000,0003.5×109[84] Strait of Gibraltar Spain Spain
Morocco Morocco
Dry Falls 1,906,00067,300,000[85] 1204,200 4,828170,500 Columbia United States United States
Bosphorus (Black Sea deluge hypothesis) 480,00017,000,000[86] 80260 Bosphorus StraitTurkey Turkey
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References

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