Dean M. Chriss
Photography
Blackwater Falls, West Virginia

Blackwater Falls, West Virginia

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The tea-colored waters that give the Blackwater River its name tumble sixty three feet over Blackwater Falls. The water here is colored by tannic acid from fallen hemlock and red spruce needles. Tannic acid is the same ingredient that gives tea its color. Only a hint of this color is seen in the falling water because it is extremely aerated, making it appear mostly white. The falls are undoubtedly the most famous in West Virginia.