Waterfall

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Cascade, Cataract, Falls, Rapids

Category

Nature, Natural Attractions, Recreation, Tourism, Travel

Message / Function

For notice in general and to indicate the location of a waterfall

	Source	Description
	Kapitzki	Three wavy vertical lines, shape indicating landscape
	Kapitzki	Three wavy vertical lines, shape indicating landscape
	EJP	Three bold vertical lines with bent tips, one wavy horizontal line
	SIS	Three curved lines with partly jagged contours ending as wavy horizontal lines
	SSRS	Four curved lines with partly jagged contours, two ending as wavy horizontal lines
	SADC	Four curved lines with partly jagged contours, two ending as wavy horizontal lines
	freizeitkarte osm.de	Three bold vertical lines with bent ends merging at top, wavy horizontal line at bottom
	U.S. National Park Service	Five curved vertical lines, wavy horizontal line at bottom
	Peru 2016	Four tilted and kinked lines, ending at three wavy horizontal lines beneath
	Bolivia	Four curved lines with partly jagged contours, two wavy horizontal lines
	CNFC	Several steep curved lines, wavy horizontal line at bottom
	CNIS	Curved shapes left and right delimiting blank space indicating falling water, two wavy horizontal lines at bottom
	Iraq	Curved shapes left and right delimiting blank space indicating falling water, two wavy horizontal lines at bottom on the right
	Québec	Shape with several curves indicating hilly landscape, waterfall ending in rapids and finally a wavy horizontal line
	DER	Three tilted vertical lines ending in two wavy horizontal lines in front of curved shape indicating landscape
	Ecuador	Three tilted vertical lines ending in curved shape, two wavy horizontal lines, plants on left
	Chile	Two lines of triangular elements with curve at top, wavy horizontal line below
	SVI	Irregular shape indicating landscape, curved blue lines ending in circular arrangement indicating perspective view of waterfall
	Slovenia 2015	Three bold vertical lines with bent tips, human figure on horizontal line
	PC	Human figure above tilted broken canoe, edge with two curved lines, wavy horizontal line at bottom
	swisstopo	Arrow pointing in direction of water flow, line
	USGS	Three horizontal lines with increasing length

Note: Some of the examples shown above were mirrored horizontally to contrast differences.

Discussion

Graphic symbols for this referent show quite some variation concerning the image content, from rather abstract map symbols to quite detailed traffic sign symbols. While some renderings just show the water falling and the water below, others rely on additional shapes to indicate some kind of landscape.

In our research we discovered that there is only very limited test data available for the referent Waterfall:

Fiori (2008) examined a map symbol almost identical to the pictogram labeled as DER in the table above. 83.4 % of the responses in a Comprehension Test were classified as correct, indicating the pictogram used for traffic signs in Brazil is well comprehensible.

For the more abstract variants we expect insufficient comprehensibility, especially if not enough context information is available.

Recommendations

We advocate to conduct a study including a Comprehension Test comparing all the concepts above to determine the image content working best. Furthermore we suggest to develop other variants with a strong focus on keeping minimum detail large enough to ensure legibility, but still providing enough information even in applications with insufficient context.

Tests of pictograms of referent Waterfall

Fiori, S. R. (2008): Mapas para o turismo e a interatividade - proposta teórica e prática. Tese de Doutorado - Depto. de Geografia, FFLCH-USP.