Story: Waterfalls

Formation of Maruia Falls (1st of 2)

Formation of Maruia Falls

Earthquakes have created some New Zealand waterfalls, often through the upthrust of rock along a fault. The Murchison earthquake of 1929 produced the Maruia Falls through a different process – a landslide in the Maruia Valley, shown by the dotted lines. This diverted the course of the Maruia River further west, forcing it to cut a new channel over an old river bank. Once the river had eroded the gravels, the bank became the Maruia Falls.

Using this item

GNS Science
Reference: CN46451/35
Photograph by Lloyd Homer

Permission of GNS Science must be obtained before any use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Jock Phillips, 'Waterfalls - Causes of waterfalls', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/11758/formation-of-maruia-falls (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by Jock Phillips, published 24 Sep 2007