Great Falls of the Potomac, oil on canvas, by George Beck, 1797
Scenic views are offered on both the Maryland side and the Virginia side. The Billy Goat Trail on Bear Island, accessible from Maryland, offers scenic views of the Great Falls, as do vantage points on Olmsted Island (also accessible from Maryland). There are overlook points on the Virginia side.
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2010)
The rocks of the falls date to the late Precambrian and are about 750 million years old.[2] The rocks are a resistant metamorphizedschist, gneisses, metagraywackes, and metaconglomerates.[2] The Falls formed the last time sea level dropped, during the Last Glacial Period about 35,000 years ago, causing the Potomac to downcut its valley.[2] The river cascades over a series of 20-foot (6.1 m) falls, dropping a total of 76 feet (23 m) in elevation over a distance of less than 1 mile (1.6 km).[3] As sea level rises again, the power of the falls will be reduced due to a shorter vertical drop and likewise downcutting will slow down. Should the ocean level ever exceed the height of the falls again, downcutting would reverse entirely with silt filling in the now-underwater falls.
The Potomac narrows significantly as it passes over the falls and through Mather Gorge. Heavy rain or snow in the watershed upstream causes white-water floods which entirely submerge the rocks and even threaten the adjacent park visitor center (built on stilts for this reason). A pillar at the Virginia overlook, well above the river, marks the level reached during the 1936 Northeastern United States Floods.
Great Falls of the Potomac River, between Virginia and Maryland in the United States. January 1, 2014
Canals
Remains of the feeder dam, for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, at Great Falls
Various attempts to build canals around Great Falls were undertaken. The remains of the Patowmack Canal on the Virginia side, were an early attempt to skirt the falls, using 5 locks. That canal was started by George Washington. Later the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was built on the Maryland side of the falls and ultimately connected the Potomac tidewater with Cumberland, Maryland. The Chesapeake and Ohio also used the Great Falls as a feeder (now abandoned) to supply water for its own use.
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Great Falls of the Potomac River.
^ abcd"Great Falls, Maryland, United States - World Waterfall Database". www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
^ abc"The Great Falls of the Potomac, Montgomery County". Maryland Geological Survey. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
^. NASA. July 29, 2004. Archived from the original on October 12, 2004. Retrieved August 17, 2010.
References
. NASA Earth Observatory. Archived from the original on 2004-10-12. Retrieved 2006-05-24.
External links
Great Falls Park Visitor Centers official site
(as of 2006)
Great Falls Park official site
Satellite imagery of Great Falls on Google Maps
Great Falls rages and roars in Potomac flood (photos and video) - Washington Post (17 May 2014)
Great Falls Timeline by NPS
Video showing the Falls from 2016
January 20, 2023
great, falls, potomac, river, great, falls, series, rapids, waterfalls, potomac, river, miles, upstream, from, washington, border, montgomery, county, maryland, fairfax, county, virginia, great, falls, park, managed, part, george, washington, memorial, parkway. Great Falls is a series of rapids and waterfalls on the Potomac River 14 miles 23 km upstream from Washington D C on the border of Montgomery County Maryland and Fairfax County Virginia Great Falls Park managed as part of George Washington Memorial Parkway is on the southern banks in Virginia and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park parkland is along the northern banks of the river in Maryland Both are operated by the National Park Service The Potomac and the falls themselves are legally entirely within Maryland with the state and county boundaries following the south bank of the river Great FallsView of the Great Falls from Virginia LocationMontgomery County Maryland and Fairfax County VirginiaCoordinates38 59 51 N 77 15 09 W 38 99750 N 77 25250 W 38 99750 77 25250 Coordinates 38 59 51 N 77 15 09 W 38 99750 N 77 25250 W 38 99750 77 25250TypeSteep Tiered CascadesElevation129 ft 39 m Total height47 ft 14 m 1 Average width350 ft 110 m 1 Run550 ft 170 m 1 WatercoursePotomac RiverAverageflow rate16 750 cu ft s 474 m3 s est 1 Great Falls in black and white 2003 The falls in about 1897 Great Falls of the Potomac oil on canvas by George Beck 1797 Scenic views are offered on both the Maryland side and the Virginia side The Billy Goat Trail on Bear Island accessible from Maryland offers scenic views of the Great Falls as do vantage points on Olmsted Island also accessible from Maryland There are overlook points on the Virginia side The Great Falls area is popular for outdoor activities such as kayaking whitewater rafting rock climbing and hiking Great Falls and Little Falls about 5 miles downstream are named in contradistinction to one another Contents 1 History 2 Gallery 3 Canals 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksHistory EditThis section needs expansion You can help by adding to it August 2010 The rocks of the falls date to the late Precambrian and are about 750 million years old 2 The rocks are a resistant metamorphized schist gneisses metagraywackes and metaconglomerates 2 The Falls formed the last time sea level dropped during the Last Glacial Period about 35 000 years ago causing the Potomac to downcut its valley 2 The river cascades over a series of 20 foot 6 1 m falls dropping a total of 76 feet 23 m in elevation over a distance of less than 1 mile 1 6 km 3 As sea level rises again the power of the falls will be reduced due to a shorter vertical drop and likewise downcutting will slow down Should the ocean level ever exceed the height of the falls again downcutting would reverse entirely with silt filling in the now underwater falls The Potomac narrows significantly as it passes over the falls and through Mather Gorge Heavy rain or snow in the watershed upstream causes white water floods which entirely submerge the rocks and even threaten the adjacent park visitor center built on stilts for this reason A pillar at the Virginia overlook well above the river marks the level reached during the 1936 Northeastern United States Floods Gallery Edit Southward view of the Potomac River from a footbridge on Olmsted Island July 2021 Great Falls panorama from Virginia Great Falls panorama from Maryland source source source source source source source source source source source source source source source source View of Great Falls from the Olmsted Island overlook source source source source source source source source source source source source source source Great Falls of the Potomac River between Virginia and Maryland in the United States January 1 2014Canals Edit Remains of the feeder dam for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal at Great Falls Various attempts to build canals around Great Falls were undertaken The remains of the Patowmack Canal on the Virginia side were an early attempt to skirt the falls using 5 locks That canal was started by George Washington Later the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was built on the Maryland side of the falls and ultimately connected the Potomac tidewater with Cumberland Maryland The Chesapeake and Ohio also used the Great Falls as a feeder now abandoned to supply water for its own use See also Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Great Falls of the Potomac River List of waterfalls by flow rate Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical ParkNotes Edit a b c d Great Falls Maryland United States World Waterfall Database www worldwaterfalldatabase com Retrieved 2020 01 17 a b c The Great Falls of the Potomac Montgomery County Maryland Geological Survey Retrieved June 19 2020 Great Falls of the Potomac Image of the Day NASA July 29 2004 Archived from the original on October 12 2004 Retrieved August 17 2010 References Edit Great Falls of the Potomac NASA Earth Observatory Archived from the original on 2004 10 12 Retrieved 2006 05 24 External links EditGreat Falls Park Visitor Centers official site Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center as of 2006 Great Falls Park official site Satellite imagery of Great Falls on Google Maps Great Falls rages and roars in Potomac flood photos and video Washington Post 17 May 2014 Great Falls Timeline by NPS Video showing the Falls from 2016 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Great Falls Potomac River amp oldid 1134668561, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
