If you have even gazed upon the thundering cascade of the mighty Niagara Falls, you’d likely find it hard to believe it might ever run out of water. But, unbelievably, in 1903, a severe drought caused that to happen. Considering that the water flows over the falls at a rate of 2 to 3 feet per second at its highest season, this is an astounding fact indeed.
The water comes from the Niagara River, a 36-mile long waterway that drains 264,000 square miles and is the connecting channel of two Great Lakes, Erie and Ontario. It is divided at the falls by an island. While figures vary depending on the source, the west channel, about 2200 feet wide, flows mostly in Canada and the east channel, at approximately 850 feet, travels into the USA. A third, much narrower falls exists which over the years have been known by different names, most recently Bridal Veil Falls.
In height, the falls range from 110 to 188 feet with the water travelling as fast as 68 miles per hour, and may be the fastest moving waterfalls in the world. It is the second largest falls on the planet, next only to Victoria Falls in Africa.
The story of the phenomenon of nature began 600 million years ago, where the Great Lakes would one day be formed. A huge shallow sea covered much of North America and beneath these waters were the rocks of the Canadian Shield. Over a period of 100 million years, rain, wind and the lapping of waves ground rocks into powder, collecting layer after layer in the rounded sea bottom, depositing soft sediments over top of the harder Pre-Cambrian rock.
Over time, the Appalachian Mountains formed and rivers intermingled, forming huge muddy deltas which sprawled over 600 kilometres in the areas of what is now Lake Ontario to Lake Huron. At this time in the earth’s history, Central North America lay much closer to the equator than it does today and the warm waters were home to tiny creatures who built reefs which the churning water broke up sending a rain of lime dust to the sea floor. Eventually the Niagara Escarpments evolved and after the last ice age thousands of years ago, the re-formed landscape was left with the Great Lakes and the wonderful Niagara Falls.
When European explorers discovered the region in the 1600s and 1700s, the Iroquois culture was flourishing in southern Ontario. Enjoying a diet of corn, bean and squash, the nuclear and extended families lived in small villages and longhouses, with a complex society based on kinship and inter-village alliances.
Today, the city of Niagara Falls and the beautiful region around it is a favourite tourist destination for 14 million people from all walks of life and from every corner of the world. Newlyweds, seniors, tour groups, casino lovers, and travellers descend on the city of Niagara Falls and the surrounding area, contributing a billion dollars to the local economy. As well, the water of the Niagara supplies a combined year-round USA and Canadian population of over a million people with drinking water, recreation such as boating, fishing and swimming, power generation and industrial cooling supply.
Through erosion, the falls has moved back seven miles in 12,500 years. Today, continuing erosion and the reduction of precipitation and ground water through climate change in the Great Lakes Basin have caused scientists to predict a gradual drying up of the area. If you haven’t already seen this wonder of nature, it would be wise to plan a vacation in the near future!
