List of waterfalls in Hamilton, Ontario
The city of Hamilton in Ontario, Canada is home to more than 100 waterfalls and cascades, most of which are on or near the Bruce Trail as it winds through the Niagara Escarpment. Ontario's internationally recognized Niagara Escarpment provides perfect geological conditions for waterfalls to occur, from Tobermory to Niagara Falls.
With its crest, Webster's Falls is the largest waterfall within the city. Tew's Falls is a ribbon waterfall, and is the tallest waterfall found in Hamilton. Both Webster's and Tew's Falls are located at the Spencer Gorge / Webster's Falls Conservation Area. Albion Falls was once seriously considered as a possible source of water for Hamilton. Rocks from the Albion Falls area were used in the construction of the Royal Botanical Gardens' Rock Garden.
There used to be more waterfalls in Hamilton than exist today. Many of the waterfalls in central Hamilton slowly vanished as population and construction on Hamilton Mountain increased. As well, in the early years, James Street extended south, but was interrupted by a bog at Hunter Street which eventually was drained out and graded. Many of Hamilton's main buildings and factories in the north end are built on reclaimed or infilled land, which harmed the drainage of Hamilton and the water ecology of Hamilton Harbour.
Many of the falls in west Hamilton are accessible from the Chedoke Radial Trail. It is built on what was once the route for the Brantford and Hamilton Electric Railway owned by the Cataract Power Light and Traction Company. The "Five Johns",, formed The Cataract Power Co. Ltd. introducing electric power to Hamilton in 1898. On August 25, 1898, power was sent twenty seven miles from DeCew Falls, St. Catharines, using water from the old Welland Canal. New industries, such as the forerunners of the Steel Co. of Canada and Canadian Westinghouse, were attracted here by the cheaper, more efficient power. One time this Company controlled hydro power from Brantford to St. Catharines, including the Hamilton Street Railway and the area's radial lines. Back then the city's nickname was "The Electric City."
There are four waterfall types and they are designated as follows:
- Ribbon – height is notably greater than its crest width; stream forms a thin ribbon of water.
- Classical – height and crest width are nearly equal.
- Curtain – height is notably smaller than its crest width.
- Cascade – vertical drop is broken into a series of steps causing water to cascade down incline.
The waterfall has to have a vertical drop of at least 3 metres or either as a vertical drop or a cascade, the crest width has to be at least 1 metre or wide, the waterfall must have some natural component and not be entirely man-made; If a waterfall is beside another waterfall but coming from two separate creeks or streams, then they could be considered as two separate waterfalls and the waterfall has to be located within the boundaries of the new City of Hamilton.
On January 1, 2001 the new city of Hamilton was formed from the amalgamation of the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth and its six municipalities: Hamilton, Ancaster, Dundas, Flamborough, Glanbrook, and Stoney Creek. Before amalgamation, Hamilton had a population of 331,121 divided into 100 neighbourhoods. The new amalgamated city had 490,268 people in over 200 neighbourhoods.
Waterfalls list
The Hamilton Conservation Authority maintains a web database of the city's waterfalls. The list below comes from that website, which contains 100 waterfalls.| Photo | Name | Height | Width | Coordinates |
| Albion Falls | ||||
| Ancaster Heights Falls | ||||
| Auchmar Falls | ||||
| Baby Albion Falls | ||||
| Baby Webster Falls | ||||
| Beckett Falls | ||||
| Billy Green Falls | ||||
| Billy Monkley Cascade | ||||
| Blue Falls | ||||
| Borer's Falls | ||||
| Broman Falls | ||||
| Buttermilk Falls | ||||
| Canterbury Falls | ||||
| Cave Falls | ||||
| Centennial Falls | ||||
| Chedoke Falls | ||||
| Clappison Falls | ||||
| Cliffview Falls | ||||
| Darnley Cascade | ||||
| Denlow Falls | ||||
| Devil's Punch Bowl Falls | ||||
| Dewitt Falls | ||||
| Duchess Falls | ||||
| Dundas Falls | ||||
| Dyment Falls | ||||
| East Glover's Falls | ||||
| East Greensville Falls | ||||
| East Iroquoia Falls | ||||
| East of Fifty Falls | ||||
| Felker's Falls | ||||
| Ferguson Falls | ||||
| Fifty Road Cascade | ||||
| Glover's Falls | ||||
| Grand Cascade | ||||
| Great Falls | ||||
| Grindstone Cascade | ||||
| Hannon Cascade | ||||
| Harvey Falls | ||||
| Heritage Falls | ||||
| Heritage Green Falls | ||||
| Hermitage Cascade | ||||
| Hidden Grindstone Falls | ||||
| Jones Road Falls | ||||
| Lewis Road East Falls | ||||
| Lewis Road West Falls | ||||
| Limeridge Falls | ||||
| Little Canterbury Falls | ||||
| Little Davis Falls | ||||
| Little Falls | ||||
| Lower Borer's Falls | ||||
| Lower Chedoke Falls | ||||
| Lower Cliffview Falls | ||||
| Lower Glendale Falls | ||||
| Lower Hopkins Cascade | ||||
| Lower Little Falls | ||||
| Lower Mill Falls | ||||
| Lower Mohawk Falls | ||||
| Lower Princess Falls | ||||
| Lower Punchbowl Falls | ||||
| Lower Sanitorium Cascade | ||||
| Lower Scenic Cascade | ||||
| Lower Sydenham Falls | ||||
| Lower Tew's Falls | ||||
| Lower Westcliffe Falls | ||||
| McNeilly Falls | ||||
| Middle Glendale Falls | ||||
| Mill Falls | ||||
| Mineral Springs Falls | ||||
| Mountain Spring Falls | ||||
| Mountview Falls | ||||
| Oak Knoll Falls | ||||
| Patterson East Cascade | ||||
| Patterson West Cascade | ||||
| Princess Falls | ||||
| Pritchard Falls | ||||
| Progreston Falls | ||||
| Promontory Falls | ||||
| Puddicombe Falls | ||||
| Rock Chapel Falls | ||||
| Romar Cascade | ||||
| Scenic Falls | ||||
| Sherman Falls | ||||
| Smith Cascade | ||||
| Snake Falls | ||||
| Steven's Falls | ||||
| Sugar Shack Falls | ||||
| Tew's Falls | ||||
| Tiffany Falls | ||||
| Upper Glendale Falls | ||||
| Upper Hopkins Cascade | ||||
| Upper Mohawk Cascade | ||||
| Upper Quarry Cascade | ||||
| Upper Sanatorium Falls | ||||
| Valley Falls | ||||
| Veevers Falls | ||||
| Walnut Grove Falls | ||||
| Washboard Falls | ||||
| Webster Falls | ||||
| Wesley Cascade | ||||
| West Iroquoia Falls | ||||
| West Moss Cascade | ||||
| West of Fifty Upper Cascade | ||||
| Westcliffe Falls |