 The waterfall lies on the historic county boundary between the North Riding of Yorkshire on the south bank, and County Durham on the north bank (however, since the local government reforms of 1974, the south bank of the Tees in Teesdale has also been included within County Durham for administrative purposes).The whole of the River Tees plunges  over a precipice (cliff edge which is almost vertical) in two stages.After heavy rainfall the River Tees will also flow over the dry right hand side channel, creating two falls.