Ripon Falls is a historical and geographical site located in Uganda, at the northern end of Lake Victoria. It holds significant importance as it was historically identified as the source of the Nile River by explorer John Hanning Speke in 1862.
The falls were named by the British explorer John Hanning Speke in 1862, after the then-President of the Royal Geographical Society, George Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon.
Located in the northern end of Lake Victoria, Ripon Falls are worth a visit while in Uganda. Ripon Falls Uganda was previously considered as the source of river Nile.
Historical Significance
Ripon Falls at the northern end of Lake Victoria in Uganda was formerly considered the source of the river Nile.
Alteration Due to Dams
The natural flow of Ripon Falls was significantly altered in the 1950s with the construction of the Owen Falls Dam (now Nalubaale Dam), a hydroelectric power project. It functioned as a natural outlet for Lake Victoria until in 1954, as the construction of Owen Falls Dam was structured, extending Lake Victoria and submerging Ripon Fall.
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Owen Falls Dam, also known as Nalubaale Dam by the locals, consists of a concrete gravity dam with a close-coupled intake powerhouse unit.
The Falls functioned as a natural outlet for Lake Victoria, until in 1954 the construction of Owen Falls Dam was completed, effectively extending Lake Victoria and submerging Ripon Falls.
Ecosystem
The region around Ripon Falls is home to diverse aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
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Visiting Ripon Falls
Here are some travel options to consider:
- Private Car: If you have access to a private car, the drive from Kampala to Jinja is about 80 km and typically takes around 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on traffic.
- Taxi/Matatu: Public minibusses, locally known as “taxis” or “matatus,” operate regularly between Kampala and Jinja. You can board these from the Old Taxi Park in Kampala.
- Hiring a private driver or car service for the trip is convenient, especially if you want a more comfortable and personalized experience.
- If you’re adventurous, you can take a motorcycle taxi (boda boda) for part of the journey.
Waterfall Characteristics
The information presented in this table is meant to help identify and clarify the physical aspects of the waterfall for comparative purposes. While we try to ensure this information is as accurate as possible, sometimes it will prove necessary to either estimate or flat out guess at certain characteristics where either enough information isn't readily available, is not known, or we were not able to confirm a given trait upon surveying.
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The Total Height listed for the waterfall represents the difference in elevation from the top of the uppermost drop, to the bottom of the lowermost drop of the waterfall, including all stretches of interstitial stream in between. Stream between two tiers of a waterfall is counted in its overall height regardless of whether or not that section of the stream would be legitimately considered a waterfall on its own right, were it to be isolated.
The Tallest Drop figure represents the height of the largest single drop within a multi-stepped waterfall.
The Number of Drops in a waterfall is a tally of the total number of distinct drops which make up the waterfall.
The Average Width of the waterfall represents the breadth of the waterfall from bank to bank under typical flow conditions, or if the waterfall has been Cataloged, under the conditions which it was most thoroughly surveyed. Often this number will be approximated because of a lack of approachability to many waterfalls. Maximum Width represents a hypothetical measurement of roughly how wide a waterfall could get during peak streamflow or flood conditions. For smaller waterfalls, this figure will generally not differ much from the Average Width measurement, but for broader waterfalls - especially those that feature a crest that isn't constricted - this figure can at times be consideraby larger.
The Pitch of a waterfall is an estimated - often very roughly - measure of the average slope or steepness of a waterfall. The Pitch figure only takes into account sections of stream which are actively falling. Pools or stretches of level stream in between two or more successive drops of the falls will not factor in this figure. As an example, a waterfall which features two truly free-falling leaps separated by several dozen yards of flat stream will have a Pitch of 90 degrees.
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The Run of a waterfall is a measurement representing the total linear distance on the ground between the top and bottom of a waterfall. This figure is not often easy to establish with a high degree of precision and as such will often be estimated.
The system of classification of waterfall forms we use is a heavily modified derivative of the classifications outlined by Greg Plumb in his "Waterfall Lover's Guide to the Pacific Northwest" books. While plumb uses eight distnct forms, we wanted further granularity and opted to break down the hierarchy twofold: first based on the overall pitch of the waterfall, and then based on what shape the fall takes as it makes its descent. There are five primary Categories of falls in this system: Plunge, Horsetail, Steep Cascades, Shallow Cascades, and Rapids. Additional deliniation is then applied depending on characteristics such as the breadth of the falls, whether it splits into two or more channels, whether it falls in multiple successive drops, etc.
The watershed which a waterfall occurs within, if it is specified, will be based on the ultimate distributary watercourse to the ocean. For example, Washington's Palouse Falls occurs along the Palouse River - which is a tributary to the Snake River, which is itself a tributary to the Columbia River, which ultimately enters the Pacific Ocean, so Palouse Falls would then fall within the Columbia River watershed.
The name of the watercourse which the waterfall occurs along.
The volume of water present in the stream at the location of the waterfall. This is often the most difficult figure to pin down because accurately measuring streamflow is not a simple process. We will rely on USGS data as much as possible, and attempt to take into account seasonal fluctuations in stream levels if possible.
If known, the primary source of the watercourse which produces the waterfall will be listed here. This is helpful in determining whether a waterfall may flow more consistently during certain periods of the year - streams which originate in Springs, Lakes, or Glaciers will often flow more consistently throughout the year than those fueled by simply Runoff. The source of the stream may also be either unknown or undetermined.
A rough estimation of how many months out of the year the stream which produces the waterfall will actually hold water. This figure will not take into account the winter months when the waterfall may freeze, because in such cases the waterfall will very often be inaccessible.
A general estimate of the best period of the year during which time the falls will be considered at optimal conditions, or flowing at their best.
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