High Force Waterfalls

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High Force Waterfalls High force waterfall is located on the river Tees and is in Middleton-in-Teesdale (County Durham). It forms the boundary between County Durham and the North Riding of Yorkshire. The total height of the waterfall is 29 metres or 70 feet. The reason why it is called high force waterfall is because it is the highest waterfall on the river Tees. Higher than low force waterfall, the word force is used because it is a Viking word that means waterfall when translated. The waterfall is a cascading waterfall meaning that it goes down in steps. The reason it is a cascading waterfall is because that the less resistant rock is built in steps and each time the step is carved in too much then the more resistant rock on top has not enough support and breaks causing a mini waterfall inside the actual waterfall and making a series of drops. The geology of the waterfall at Tees has a tough or resistant rock which is an igneous rock called whin sill. This rock supports the waterfall until enough less resistant rock is carved away then this falls into the river below and might cause hydraulic action. The softer or less resistant rock is limestone which is easily carved away by water extremely fast. This means that the High Force waterfall retreats back a lot faster than other waterfalls. This map shows the rock types of Durham. The red colour shows basalt or whin sill. This rock is a hard igneous rock. An igneous rock is a rock formed by the result of volcanic eruption, basalt is a form of igneous rock caused by lava cooling quickly. The only reason why the waterfall is here is because of this rock. Without this rock the waterfall would not have occurred because there would have only been a less resistant rock type meaning that a waterfall wouldn’t be able to hold itself from erosion. At the point of the waterfall, the red rock meets a green rock which is
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