Swiftcurrent Falls (British Columbia)
Encyclopedia
For the waterfall in Montana
with the same name, see Swiftcurrent Falls (Montana).
Swiftcurrent Falls is a major waterfall
located on Swiftcurrent Creek
near its source. The falls are one of the taller waterfalls in Canada
but have never been officially measured.
lakes that are located just below the toe of the Swiftcurrent Glacier. The falls plunge madly down a headwall
into the remote Swiftcurrent Creek Valley. Not a lot is known about the falls other than its great height & geology since it is so remote.
. Much of the rock in the mountains in the Mount Robson Provincial Park
area is limestone. Since Swiftcurrent Creek is such a large creek (even near its source) & limestone is very porous rock, the creek has carved large grooves & even tunnels (which the water of the falls flows in & out of) in the headwall. Most of the time, most of the water flowing over the falls isn’t even visible since most of it is underground. It is believed that in very high water that the falls flow above ground however, generally most of the year most portions of it are underground in the tunnels the falls have carved in the limestone.
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
with the same name, see Swiftcurrent Falls (Montana).
Swiftcurrent Falls is a major waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
located on Swiftcurrent Creek
Swiftcurrent Creek (British Columbia)
This article is on a creek in British Columbia. For an article on a creek of the same name in the US state of Montana, see Swiftcurrent Creek . Swiftcurrent Creek is a river in Mount Robson Provincial Park of British Columbia...
near its source. The falls are one of the taller waterfalls in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
but have never been officially measured.
Stature
Swiftcurrent Falls likely stands about 1706 feet high as the creek drops out of 2 small glacierGlacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
lakes that are located just below the toe of the Swiftcurrent Glacier. The falls plunge madly down a headwall
Headwall
In physical geography and geology the headwall of a glacial cirque is its highest cliff.In civil engineering, a headwall is a small retaining wall placed at the outlet of a stormwater pipe or culvert....
into the remote Swiftcurrent Creek Valley. Not a lot is known about the falls other than its great height & geology since it is so remote.
Geology
The rock the falls drop over is limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
. Much of the rock in the mountains in the Mount Robson Provincial Park
Mount Robson Provincial Park
Mount Robson Provincial Park is a large provincial park in the Canadian Rockies with an area of 2,249 km². The park is located entirely within British Columbia, bordering Jasper National Park in Alberta. The B.C. legislature created the park in 1913, the same year as the first ascent of Mount...
area is limestone. Since Swiftcurrent Creek is such a large creek (even near its source) & limestone is very porous rock, the creek has carved large grooves & even tunnels (which the water of the falls flows in & out of) in the headwall. Most of the time, most of the water flowing over the falls isn’t even visible since most of it is underground. It is believed that in very high water that the falls flow above ground however, generally most of the year most portions of it are underground in the tunnels the falls have carved in the limestone.