View source for Della Falls

{{Short description|Waterfall in Strathcona Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada}}
{{Infobox waterfall
| name           = Della Falls
| image          = Della Falls 3.jpg
| image_size     = 200px
| caption        = Della Falls as viewed from Love Lake Trail
| map_image      = 
| map_size       = 
| coordinates    = {{coord|49.4544|N|125.5363|W|display=inline,title|format=dms}}
| location       = [[Strathcona Provincial Park]], [[British Columbia]]
| elevation      = 
| height         = {{convert|440|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=WWD/>
| height_longest = 
| number_drops   = 3
| width          = {{convert|107|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=WWD/>
| average_width  = {{convert|30|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=WWD/>
| run            = {{convert|411|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=WWD/>
| watercourse    = [[Somass River|Della Creek]]
| average_flow   = {{convert|1.5|m3/s|ft3/s|abbr=on}}<ref name=WWD/>
| world_rank     = 172nd <ref>{{Cite web|title=Tallest and Largest Waterfalls at the World Waterfall Database|url=https://www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com/tallest-waterfalls/total-height|access-date=2020-11-03|website=www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com|language=en}}</ref>
| type           = [[Waterfall#Types|Segmented horsetails]]
}}

'''Della Falls''' is a [[waterfall]] located within [[Strathcona Provincial Park]] on [[Vancouver Island]] in [[British Columbia]], [[Canada]]. With a total height of {{convert|440|m|ft|abbr=on}},<ref name=WWD>{{Cite web|title=Della Falls, British Columbia, Canada - World Waterfall Database|url=https://www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com/waterfall/Della-Falls-1890|access-date=2020-08-29|website=www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com|language=en}}</ref><ref name="AoCW"><!--Possibly from "Natural Resources Canada. Canada Centre for Remote Sensing. GeoAccess Division. 2001."-->{{cite web|url=http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/learningresources/facts/waterfalls.html|title=Waterfalls|publisher=The Atlas of Canada, Natural Resources Canada|accessdate=2006-03-30|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060420103433/http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/learningresources/facts/waterfalls.html|archivedate=2006-04-20}}</ref> it ranks as the [[List of waterfalls of Canada|16th tallest confirmed waterfall in Canada]] and the second tallest on Vancouver Island after [[Kiwi Falls]] in [[Schoen Lake Provincial Park]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Waterfalls in Canada - World Waterfall Database|url=https://www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com/country/Canada/tallest|access-date=2020-08-29|website=www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com|language=en}}</ref>

==Discovery==
In 1899, [[Prospecting|prospector]] and [[animal trapping|trapper]] [[Joe Drinkwater]] discovered* Della Falls and named them after his wife.<ref name = Akrigg>{{Citation | last =Akrigg | first =G.P.V. | last2 =Akrigg | first2 =Helen B. | title =British Columbia Place Names | place =Vancouver | publisher =UBC Press | year =1986 | edition =3rd, 1997 | isbn =0-7748-0636-2 | url-access =registration | url =https://archive.org/details/britishcolumbiap0000akri_w1q9 }}</ref>{{rp|61}}  Drinkwater also built a 16&nbsp;km (10&nbsp;mi) hiking trail to the falls via Drinkwater Creek. Evidence of his gold mining operation, including an aerial tramway he built, can still be seen near the falls.

*Discovered in the European context. The falls were known of by First Nations Peoples long before Drinkwater walked there.

==Access==
The only way to reach Della Falls, other than by helicopter, is by crossing the entire [[Great Central Lake]] by boat; the only road access to the lake is at the opposite side from Strathcona Park. After the 35&nbsp;km (21&nbsp;mi) crossing, there is a dock that marks the beginning of Strathcona Park, and a camping area which can be used as a [[base camp]] before trying the next 15&nbsp;km (9&nbsp;mi) ascent to the base of Della Falls. More campsites are available along the trail and near the base of the falls. The hike, part of which follows an old logging railway, takes about seven hours one way and is suitable for intermediate level hikers.{{Citation needed|date=February 2009}}

==See also==
*[[List of waterfalls]] 
*[[List of waterfalls of Canada]]
*[[List of waterfalls in British Columbia]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.britishcolumbia.com/ParksAndTrails/Trails/Central_Island/dellafallstrail.htm Trail Information] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040106205813/http://www.britishcolumbia.com/ParksAndTrails/Trails/Central_Island/dellafallstrail.htm |date=2004-01-06 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060420103433/http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/learningresources/facts/waterfalls.html Atlas of Canada's List of Tallest Waterfalls]
* {{Cite bcgnis|id=13779 |title=Della Falls}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Waterfalls of British Columbia]]
[[Category:Landforms of Vancouver Island]]
[[Category:Alberni Valley]]
[[Category:Cascade waterfalls]]
[[Category:Segmented waterfalls]]
[[Category:Clayoquot Land District]]


{{BritishColumbiaCoast-geo-stub}}