<p>In river morphology, a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plunge_pool" rel="nofollow noreferrer">plunge pool</a> is a (small) lake formed at the bottom of a waterfall.</p>
<p>In German, there exists the word <a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gumpe" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>Gumpe</em></a>, apparently from Bavarian.  From the German language Wikipedia, a <em>Gumpe</em> is a <em>überwiegend beckenartige Strudeltopfe, die von Sturzbächen in den felsigen Untergrund eines Bachbetts erodiert werden</em>, which may be translated as <em>predominantly basin-like [swirl pot] eroded by torrents into the rocky bedrock of a streambed</em> (I'm not sure how to translate <em>Strudeltopf</em>).  The sources cited by Wikipedia are from 1887 and 1935.</p>
<p>The description of <em>Gumpe</em> seems quite similar to the description of a <em>plunge pool</em>, but the German language Wikipedia article on <em>Gumpe</em> has only one interlanguage link, to a Bavarian entry.  The English language Wikipedia article on <em>plunge pool</em> has no interlanguage link to German.</p>
<p>Is a <em>Gumpe</em> the same as a <em>plunge pool</em> or is there a difference?  Is a <em>Gumpe</em> a specific type of <em>plunge pool</em>, or something quite different?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-15T23:16:44.850Z
Interestingly, Google Translate, for what it is worth, does not translate *Gumpe* into English, but its translation of plunge pool in English is *Tauchbecken* in German. I'm not aware of different types of plunge pools
Fred
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-16T07:54:21.520Z
@Fred *Tauchbecken* seems to be used for swimming pools one can plunge in, not for small lakes formed at the bottom of a waterfall...
gerrit
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-17T07:44:46.527Z
It seems to be a special form of [Giant's kettles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant%27s_kettle).
Erik
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-17T07:51:08.827Z
@Erik Are you sure?  My colleague uses *Gumpe* for stream pools on Corsica, which I don't think are glacial.  But it's possible he's using it wrongly.
gerrit
<rivers>
Is a Gumpe the same as a plunge pool or stream pool?
gerrit
# Is a Gumpe the same as a plunge pool or stream pool?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-06-15)

In river morphology, a [plunge pool](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plunge_pool) is a (small) lake formed at the bottom of a waterfall.

In German, there exists the word [*Gumpe*](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gumpe), apparently from Bavarian. From the German language Wikipedia, a *Gumpe* is a *überwiegend beckenartige Strudeltopfe, die von Sturzbächen in den felsigen Untergrund eines Bachbetts erodiert werden*, which may be translated as *predominantly basin-like [swirl pot] eroded by torrents into the rocky bedrock of a streambed* (I'm not sure how to translate *Strudeltopf*). The sources cited by Wikipedia are from 1887 and 1935.

The description of *Gumpe* seems quite similar to the description of a *plunge pool*, but the German language Wikipedia article on *Gumpe* has only one interlanguage link, to a Bavarian entry. The English language Wikipedia article on *plunge pool* has no interlanguage link to German.

Is a *Gumpe* the same as a *plunge pool* or is there a difference? Is a *Gumpe* a specific type of *plunge pool*, or something quite different?

**Tags:** rivers

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Interestingly, Google Translate, for what it is worth, does not translate *Gumpe* into English, but its translation of plunge pool in English is *Tauchbecken* in German. I'm not aware of different types of plunge pools  
> **username_0**: @username_1 *Tauchbecken* seems to be used for swimming pools one can plunge in, not for small lakes formed at the bottom of a waterfall...  
> **username_2**: It seems to be a special form of [Giant's kettles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant%27s_kettle).  
> **username_0**: @username_2 Are you sure?  My colleague uses *Gumpe* for stream pools on Corsica, which I don't think are glacial.  But it's possible he's using it wrongly.  

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