Catoma Lake Falls EarthCache
Hidden : 11/20/2008
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:


The coordinates for this cache will carry you to a secluded little waterfall near Cullman. This falls is an overflow for Catoma Lake and the water flow over the falls will very depending on the time of year. The exposed rock that you see here is mainly sandstone and is part of the Cumberland Plateau. This section is the southernmost section of the Appalachian Plateaus province of the Appalachian Highlands Region. The Cumberland Plateau is divided into eight districts: Warrior Basin, Jackson County Mountains, Sand Mountain, Sequatchie Valley, Blount Mountain, Murphrees Valley, Wills Valley, and Lookout Mountain. When standing at the site, you will be in the Warrior Basin. The Warrior Basin district occupies most of the Cumberland Plateau in central and western Alabama. It stretches from just south of the Tennessee River in Morgan County to Tuscaloosa. Its northern boundary with the Jackson County Mountains is the first cliff face, or scarp, south of the Tennessee River. Farther to the west it is bounded by a scarp that forms the southern edge of Moulton Valley. Its eastern boundary is a low ridge, variously called Rock Mountain and Sand Mountain in Blount and Jefferson counties, respectively. (Sand Mountain forms the northwestern horizon when looking in that direction from downtown Birmingham.) The southwestern boundary with the East Gulf Coastal Plain occurs from about Vance, in Tuscaloosa County, to Hamilton, in Marion County. Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-size mineral or rock grains. Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any color, but the most common colors are tan, brown, yellow, red, gray and white. Since sandstone beds often form highly visible cliffs and other topographic features, certain colors of sandstone have been strongly identified with certain regions. Rock formations that are primarily sandstone usually allow percolation of water and are porous enough to store large quantities, making them valuable aquifers. Fine-grained aquifers, such as sandstones, are more apt to filter out pollutants from the surface than are rocks with cracks and crevices, such as limestone or other rocks fractured by seismic activity. The earth chaning power of water creates some wonderfull formations and the wall of sandstone in front of you is a great example of what water can do as it flows over a large outcroping of sandstone. Waterfalls can be classified in the following types. Block: Water descends from a relatively wide stream or river. Cascade: Water descends a series of rock steps. Cataract: A large waterfall. Fan: Water spreads horizontally as it descends while remaining in contact with bedrock. Horsetail: Descending water maintains some contact with bedrock. Plunge: Water descends vertically, losing contact with the bedrock surface. Punchbowl: Water descends in a constricted form, then spreads out in a wider pool. Segmented: Distinctly separate flows of water form as it descends. Tiered: Water drops in a series of distinct steps or falls. Multi-Step: A series of waterfalls one after another of roughly the same size each with its own sunken plunge pool. You will also get a great look at earth changing effects of water as it carves the sandstone ledges here at this site. Water has and continues to be such a changing force it the evolution of our great planet. Parking at this site is minimal, so park as near to the grey gate as you can. This site has a good dirt trail to view the falls from, but be careful if you bring children during a high volume of water flow. It could be dangerous. To log this earthcache you must post a picture of you with your GPS with the falls in the background and Email me the answers to the following questions... 1)Approximately how high are the falls? 2) Approximately how wide are the Falls? 3) Using the above types, Tell me What type of falls this is. 4)Give me your best guess in your own words as to how this waterfalls was formed. Any Logs without the required picture posted with your log or without the emailed answers will be deleted. Pictures without a face will be deleted. Sorry for the unconvince but we know that a picture with your face can be taken even if you are alone, a hand with a GPS does not prove you were there... Please do not post answers to your online log. You will find a sample photo of me at the falls to give you a idea of what I am expecting in the photo.



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