Ancient flows of columnar basalt create a dramatic setting for Toketee Falls along the upper Umpqua River in Oregon. The river enters a narrow gorge above the falls and plummets over a series of small drops before making this final 85-foot plunge into a huge blue pool at its base. The indigenous Chinook people in this region used the word Toketee, meaning "graceful", when referring to this waterfall. Today, a hydro-electric generating system diverts the majority of the Umpqua River's flow into a 12-foot diameter pipe just upstream from this waterfall. The most accepted definition for the word "Umpqua" is "thunder water"; a name which certainly would have applied to this waterfall in the days prior to the water diversion. This photograph was captured on 6x7 format film. All photos in these galleries may be ordered as fine art black & white framed prints or for stock photography usage.