Īvandes Rumba (Ivande Waterfall)

There are some 70 – 100 waterfalls in Latvia. Or, at least they proudly bear the name “waterfall”, while in mountainous countries, nearly all of them would be disregarded as… just nothing. Well, Latvia is a lowland country and people there meticulously search for the small but beautiful things, such as every small waterfall, cliff, stone, and so on.

Thus: meet Īvandes Rumba, one of the largest waterfalls in Latvia! Similar to some other waterfalls in the central part of Kurzeme, it is named “rumba”. Usually, in Latvia, the waterfall is called “ūdenskritums”.

This waterfall is some 2 m high and up to 11 m wide. The water of the Īvande River falls over it in a single plunge.

For the most part of the year falls are much smaller – the total width of 11 m is reached just a few weeks per year in the spring when snow is melting. Sometimes, in the late summer, the waterfall may become almost dry.

Īvandes Rumba has formed on the Middle Devonian dolostone of Pļaviņas Stage – a sturdy rock layer that forms the steps of several other local waterfalls as well.

According to the locals, the waterfall is gradually receding and changing – some 60 years ago it was some 15 m further below the stream (1.). This, though, contradicts with the written sources from the early 20th century that mention the large stone near the rim of falls: it is near the rim up to this day.

This stone – some 2 m tall glacial erratic has the number “1890” etched in it. These falls always have been well known – they are in the center of the Renda village with several centuries-old buildings and also archaeological monuments.

Waterfall is a protected natural monument since 1957.

There are two waterfalls on the Īvande River – just a few hundred meters above this waterfall is located Valdātu Rumba (Valdati Waterfall) – a somewhat smaller waterfall. But don’t be misled: between both waterfalls is one more fall which is an artificial dam from boulders.

Some 150 m below the falls, on the right bank of Īvande River is a small but beautiful waterfall formed by spring water, on this website it is called: Renda spring waterfall.

References

1. A. Grīnbergs. Latvijas ūdenskritumi un krāces. ISBN 978-9984-9986-6-4. 2011.