The statement that BEST explains why the water from the waterfall plunges to great depths when it encounters the standing water and steep geological underwater features below is:
The water from the waterfall is less dense than the water below.
This is because water of different temperatures and salinities can have different densities, and denser water will sink below less dense water. In the case of the underwater waterfall, the differences in density help explain why the water plunges downwards.