Kakabeka Falls
Kakabeka Falls (/ˌkækəˈbɛkə/) is a waterfall on the Kaministiquia River, located beside the village of Kakabeka Falls in the municipality of Oliver Paipoonge, Ontario, 30 km (19 mi) west of the city of Thunder Bay.
| Kakabeka Falls | |
|---|---|
Kakabeka Falls | |
| Location | Oliver Paipoonge, Ontario, Canada |
| Coordinates | 48°24′10″N 89°37′32″W |
| Type | Plunge |
| Total height | 40 m (130 ft) |
| Number of drops | Two |
| Watercourse | Kaministiquia River |
| Average flow rate | 50 m3/s (1766 cu ft/s) |
The falls have a drop of 40 m (130 ft), cascading into a gorge carved out of the Precambrian Shield by meltwater following the last glacial maximum. Because of its size and ease of access, it has been consequently nicknamed "the Niagara of the North".
The rock face of the falls and the escarpments along the gorge are composed primarily of unstable shale, and are eroding. These rocks host sensitive flora, and contain some of the oldest fossils in existence, some 1.6 billion years of age. Due to the fragile rock, going into the gorge below the falls is prohibited.
The name "Kakabeka" comes from the Ojibwe word gakaabikaa "waterfall over a cliff" ([ˈɡəkaːˈbɪkaː][help]).