Potomac River Fall Line - Potomac, MD - Places of Geologic Significance on Waymarking.com

The plaque says, "Where you are standing, the Potomac River was wide, flat, and slow-moving about two million years ago. Then came the Ice Age. Sea level fell as much as 300 feet, forcing the Potomac to carve a deeper channel to reach the ocean. Because of the difficulty in cutting through bedrock, the Potomac created waterfalls and rapids. The most dramatic drop occurs here at Great Falls.

The Potomac River drops some 60 feet at Great Falls. In a series of rapids, it falls an additional 85 feet to tidewater at Washington, D.C. ten miles downstream.

Along major east coast rivers is an area called the fall line. it occurs where flat rivers suddenly drop from the resistant bedrock of the Piedmont to the soft sediment of the Coastal Plain while flowing to the Atlantic Ocean. Washington, D.C., like other east coast cities, was settled along the fall line - the point of difficulty for continued upstream travel and commerce."

Waymark is confirmed to be publicly accessible: yes Access fee (In local currency): .00 Requires a high clearance vehicle to visit.: no Requires 4x4 vehicle to visit.: no Public Transport available: yes Parking Coordinates: Not Listed Website reference: Not listed

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