Slovenija: slapovi - waterfalls

Podatki o Sloveniji / Facts about Slovenia

waterfalls - slapovi

Examples of waterfalls with the height over 100 m:

More interesting waterfalls:

• Waterfall is stream or river which flows on slope which has more than 45 degrees - 100% inclination.
• Fall must be equal or higher than 5 m (there are also exceptions);
• Distance between two stages of waterfall can be only 5 m (10 m)- 16 feet ( 32 feet), otherwise there are two waterfalls;

Worldwide waterfalls are divided in two basic groups by their height

• Low waterfalls - cascades
• Great waterfalls - cataracts (beside their height, the water flow is also very important)

Waterfalls (Slovenian terminology) are divided in six groups by their height:

• A. White waters
• B. "Waterfalls" with height from 1 m to 3 m ( 3 to 9 feet) are named "jumpers"
• C. "Waterfalls" with height from 3 to 5 m (9 to 16 feet) are named "Small plungers" or "little waterfalls"
• D. Low waterfalls : height from 5 to 15 m (16 to 48 feet)
• E. Medium height waterfalls : height from 15 to 30 m ( 48 - 96 feet)
• F. Height waterfalls : height more than 30 m ( 96 feet and more)

• D. Low waterfalls : height from 5 to 30 m (16 to 96 feet)
• E. Medium height waterfalls 30 to 79 m ( 96 to 295 feet)
• F. Hight waterfalls : height more than 80 m ( 295 feet and more). I have changed the limit from previous 90 m to 80 m because of the Gregorčič waterfall.

• Waterfalls of Globišča - total height of waterfalls is over 400 m, but the highest Waterfall Sapet has height only about 60 m. Somewhere else would be said that here is only one waterfall with height over 400 m.
• The same is with the Waterfalls of Fratarica . The highest waterfall -Veliki Drsnik is height 112 m, but total height of all waterfalls is almost 1 Km. (1000 m)
• Waterfalls of Kloma - total height over 700 m. The highest fall of Kloma has height o128 m.

II. Waterfalls are divided in two basic geologic groups

A. Constructive waterfalls (Waterfalls with growth),
Usually tufa waterfalls

B. Destructive waterfalls (Waterfalls which are lowering),
- Excavating waterfalls
Waterfalls because of hard crockery among soft one,
Tectonic waterfalls (where are tectonic break zones),
Hooked waterfalls (usually on the edges of valleys),
Barrage waterfalls (waterfalls which are falling from huge rocks)
- Withdrawing waterfalls
Waterfalls with withdraw (such waterfalls are slowly moving up to the steam)
World famous example are Niagara Falls or Waterfalls of Iguassu River.

III. Waterfalls and the shape

Some waterfalls could change their shape in a guite short period. Such a change usually isn't perceivable during a human life.
After many approaches to the waterfalls and with the help of the literature from round the world, I have put waterfalls in sixteen basic categories:
(Waterfall could have many shape charasteristic, which can be combined during its flow. Each waterfall could be in a few categories) ...

• Free falling waterfalls (plunge = waterfall with free-falling water, without coming into contact with the rock wall), examples: Parabola, Rinka
• Fans (waterfall, which are narrow on the top nad wide on the bottom), examples: Gorejca, Lomščiski slap,
• Waterfalls with the slide flow on the rock slope (slope must be more than 45 degrees), example: Predelski slap, Nemiljski šum ,
• Waterfalls in the steep channel, examples: Slap Igla, Zgornji desni slap Belega potoka, Slap Juliana,
• Waterfalls with one stage, example:The lower waterfall of Mlinarica, Zalski slap,
• Waterfalls with two or more stages falling from one to the eachother (distance between two strages may be less than 10 m otherwise there are two waterfalls, examples: Globišča, Jurežev slap
• Cascades, like waterfalls with more stages, but much lower - usualy tufa waterfalls, example: Waterfals of Krka river, Zgornji Tišenpoljski slap,
• Waterfalls with narrow jet of water, waterfalls with the narrow stream, example : Peričnik
• Waterfalls with the wide stream, example: Boka, Stegovniški slap,
• Waterfalls with one stream, example: Grmečica, Tominčev slap
• Waterfalls with two or more streams, examples: Slap Savica, Drugi Davški slap
• Segmented waterfalls - waterfalls like white waters but much more higher, examples: Nadiško šumelišče, Slapišče v Dolžanovi soteski
• Waterfalls hidden from the back of the fault (rock wall) (like waterfalls in the channel, but hidden from the back of the rock wall, very rare type of waterfall), examples: majority of Waterfalls of Šumnik, Waterfall Egg,
• Waterfalls which flow trought steep tunel or under natural bridge; examples: right stream of Savica, Veliki Možniški slap,
• Punchbowl waterfalls (falling water enters a pool), example: Poševni slap, Zaročenca,
• Horseshoe waterfalls (like waterfalls with the wide stream, but with the shape U), example: Iguassu River.

IV. Waterfalls by the drainage

• Waterfalls below the spring (waterfall which is also spring of the river or stream, usualy karst vent-holes, examples: Boka, Savica, Nadiško Šumelišče, and some not permanent waterfalls but also interesting : Hubelj spring near Ajdovščina, Govic

• Waterfalls below the glaciers (stream is getting water from the snow water or glacier), examples: Čedca, Slap v Hudičevem žlebu,
• River waterfalls, (there is a river basin), examples: Vintgarski šum, Tržiškobistriški slap,
• Stream waterfalls, (there is only one stream), examples: Pekelski slapovi, Korošaški slapovi.