Pearl Shoal Waterfall

Pearl Shoal Waterfall Facts

Understandably, the highly descriptive term of Pearl Shoal Waterfall serves as the common name of a truly stunning work of nature. It’s therefore easily understood that the natural formation holds a special honor in the minds of many people.
This breathtaking natural marvel does have a few other english language general titles, though. These include the monikers Pearl Shoal Falls and Zhenzhupo Waterfall. The amazing feature also holds still other titles, of course, in other native tongues.
That’s because this creation of time and natural forces continues to be considered by many to be the most beautiful waterfall in its region. In fact, this fabulous creation of Nature formed in a region of the world already well known for its great beauty.
This likely comes as no surprise to those who learn of the details. That’s due to the fact that the stunning cascade lies within what now constitutes the confines of a protected area. That area now forms what has been designated as the Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve.
Thankfully, this provides it with a measure of protection. That occurs despite its being an extremely common destination for people visiting its region. Given the extreme beauty of this truly magnificent waterfall, its fame is fully understandable.
However, with the Pearl Shoal Waterfall added to its many other features, this fabulous corner of the world has become quite well-known. Due to its great natural beauty, the Reserve represents both a World Heritage Site and a World Biosphere Reserve.

Pearl Shoal Waterfall Physical Description

The staggering beauty of the Pearl Shoal Waterfall perfectly demonstrates one very specific and well-known principle. That’s the fact that beauty isn’t dependent upon physical size. That’s because of the fact that the wondrous cascade has a moderate height.

Nevertheless, Nature did bless the geological feature with other amazing vital statistics. These include boasting a very respectable total width. This breathtaking wonder of Nature possesses an upper level with an average width measuring about 550 ft (163 m).

That particular dimension, however, frequently changes within a small range. This variability naturally occurs due to the simple fact that rainfall amounts in the region vary. Its drop also merits a certain amount of respect, since it measures around 130 ft 940 m).

None of these are why Pearl Shoal Waterfall earns its fame. In fact, that originates with the action that happens as it descends. The water of the site flows over a series of uniquely placed outcroppings. This action creates an incredible interlocking pattern of flows.

The water flowing over the wonder appears crystal clear and turquoise in color, which contrasts beautifully with the greenery and the surrounding landscape. A number of terraced pools also appear at the bottom of the waterfall, accentuating its great beauty.

Pearl Shoal Waterfall Location, Formation, and Ecology

It’s not surprising at all that the magnificent Pearl Shoal Waterfall formed in a region of the earth already renowned for numerous beautiful natural sites. That statement holds true due to the fact that this tantalizing flow of water formed on the continent of Asia.

Even more precisely, though, this waterfall resides in what now constitutes the region now known as the Sichuan Province. That area further lies within China. This magnificent marvel of geology also helps play a role of relative importance within its region.

The formation of this remarkable creation of time and natural processes spans a great deal of that time. It also combined numerous forces. Most of those, however, involved various forma and amounts of limestone and the unique hydrological conditions of the region.

The valley’s located in a region with significant geological activity, characterized by the presence of limestone. That’s a sedimentary rock that dissolves in slightly acidic water, leading to the formation of various karst features such as terraces and waterfalls.

It formed by the deposition of a porous rock. As water flowed over the bedrock, it picked up dissolved calcium carbonate. When this reached the surface and encountered changes in temperature, pressure, or chemical composition, it precipitated out calcium carbonate.

Over time, the deposits of this rock, called tufa, accumulated in layers. This created the terraces and cascades. These terraces give the attention-grabbing Pearl Shoal Waterfall its visually distinctive appearance of multiple streams flowing over a wide area.

The formation and shape of the fall also continued to be influenced by the hydrological conditions in Jiuzhaigou Valley, including the volume and flow rate of water, seasonal variations, and the inexorable erosion of the water over the limestone bedrock.

The stunning product of these forces also represents only a small portion of the equally incredible and expansive Yangtze River system. As a result, the stunning site forms a part of a natural system that has a truly vital impact on the region that it flows through.

The water flowing over the feature remains extremely rich in minerals, such as calcium carbonate, which gets deposited in quantity. This mineral build up is so strong that allows plants and even small trees to actually grow within the middle area of the falls themselves.