Blue Nile Falls is the waterfall formed by the Blue Nile River near Tis Abay in Ethiopia.
Known locally as Tis Abay, meaning “smoking water” in Amharic, the falls are in Ethiopia’s Amhara Region. The Blue Nile drops over a basalt escarpment before continuing through a deep gorge. For centuries, the falls were one of the region’s major natural landmarks and an important stop on travel routes.
The waterfall’s flow has changed since hydroelectric and irrigation projects were developed upstream. During some periods, much of the river’s water is diverted, making the falls less powerful than they were historically. In the rainy season, however, the cascade can become broad and forceful again.
Blue Nile Falls is distinct from the Nile’s better-known cataracts in Egypt and Sudan. Those are rapids and rocky stretches farther downstream, whereas Tis Abay is a major vertical waterfall in Ethiopia.