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A plunge pool is a basin scoured out of a river channel directly beneath falling water, often at the base of a waterfall. These pools are formed by the immense erosive power of the falling water, which can be amplified by debris carried within the flow. In some instances, the depth of a plunge pool can be nearly as great as the height of the waterfall itself. The erosive action of the plunge pool contributes to the eventual collapse of the cliff face, causing the waterfall to retreat upstream over time.123

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