What Is a Gorge in Geography?

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What Is a Gorge in Geography?

The Grand Canyon is one of the world's largest gorges.

Updated April 24, 2017

By Donna Eigen

A gorge is a deep channel formed by a river that has eroded the earth's crust over millions of years.
Some gorges are so large they are visible from space. One of the most famous is the Grand Canyon.

Characteristics

Gorges have steep banks where the river has cut through the earth. The Grand Canyon, which was
formed by the Colorado River, reaches 6,000 feet deep -- more than a mile -- and is 277 miles long and
15 miles at its widest point. Some gorges are dry and the rivers that once carved them long gone.

Famous Gorges

Gorges are found all over the world. The largest American gorges include the Grand Canyon, Gorges of
Finger Lakes, Columbia River Gorge, New River Gorge and Canyon Lake Gorge. China's gorges include the
Yangzi River’s Three Gorges, Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon and Kali Gandaki Gorge. The Victoria Falls
Gorge and Olduvai Gorge are located in Africa; the Gorge du Verdun is in Europe

Describe the formation of a gorge.

A gorge is formed as a result of a change in rock type at a waterfall. At the base of a waterwall the
pressure and hydraulic action of the falling water causes the softer rock which is underneath to erode
forming a plunge pool. Over time this continues to erode backwards, undercutting the harder rock which
is on the surface. Eventually the over hang is so great that the hard rock can no longer support its own
weight and therfore collapses. This process continues and is repeated over hunderds of years causing
the waterfall to cut back into the landscape, leaving a steep sided valley known as a gorge.
GORGE – A NARROW, STEEP SIDED VALLEY, SOMETIMES FORMED AS A WATERFALL RETREATS
UPSTREAM

What a gorgeous view (gorge) of a narrow, steep sided valley. Often with a waterfall at the end.

What a gorgeous view (gorge) of a narrow, steep-sided valley. Often with a waterfall at the end.

So, how are gorges formed?

It often forms where the river meets a bend or softer rock after flowing over an area of more resistant
material. We all know what a waterfall is, but how do they form:

Waterfalls typically form in the upper stages of a river. They occur when a band of hard rock overlies a
softer rock. Falling water and rock particles erode the soft rock below the waterfall, creating a plunge
pool.

The soft rock is undercut by erosional processes such as hydraulic action and abrasion, creating a plunge
pool where water and debris swirl around, eroding the rock and creating an overhang.

The hard rock overhang above the plunge pool collapses as its weight is no longer supported.

Erosion continues and the waterfall retreats upstream, leaving behind a gorge.

A narrow, steep sided valley, sometimes formed as a waterfall retreats upstream

Note: Gorges can also form when meltwater floods flow after numerous cold periods or "ice ages", or by
cavern collapse abrasion.
A gorge is a narrow valley with steep, rocky walls. Gorges are usually smaller than canyons, although
both words are used to describe deep, narrow valleys with a stream or river running along the bottom.

Apart from retreating waterfalls, gorges can also be formed by other natural actions, including the
movement and melting of glaciers, the collapse of caverns or caves, geologic uplift (the elevation of
earth's surface due to natural causes) and rivers and streams simply 'carving' through layers of rock over
millions of years.

Important geological discoveries have been made at gorges because they expose layers of rock that go
back millions of years. For instance, the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania has layers dating as far back as two
million years and is famous for the fossils and ancient tools found there.