Niagara Falls Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Have the Falls ever stopped flowing?   (Back to the list of questions).

Yes, 3 times in recorded history. Image what went through Niagara Falls residents' minds when the continuous roar they had grown accustomed to for years all of a sudden went silent in the middle of the night of March 29, 1848. A cold spell caused a massive buildup of ice across the east end of Lake Erie near the Niagara River, and strong winds packed ice at the inlet of the river, choking its flow and bringing the Falls to a mere trickle.

Niagara Falls residents were awoken by this unusual silence and many of them, unaware of the cause, began to proclaim the "beginning of the end." Mills stopped working, the Maid of the Mist lay lilted on the rocks, and the sounds of various onlookers proclaiming answers filled the air.  People explored the river bed, finding coins and artifacts from the War of 1812 amongst the floundering fish. Within hours the booming tourist industry began to take advantage of the situation. Some exhibitions and side shows quickly moved their act to the river bed and the Maid of the Mist crew began blasting hazardous boulders to make their ventures easier.

No one knew the cause, and they continued to suspect the worst. People packed every church, praying for a return of the water and a sparing of their souls. It wasn't until until the night of March 31st that a loud roar signaled the return of the flow to the Falls.

With erosion taking its toll on the edges of the Horseshoe Falls, it was decided to reinforce those sections before damage is done to tourist attractions or lives are lost. In 1953 a control damn is constructed to divert more water over the American Falls, which change the appearance of the Horseshoe Falls enough to warrant corrective action. Horseshoe Falls was not to be turned off completely, rather sections would run dry periodically as construction progressed. With the international control dam helping to alleviate some of the flow over the Horseshoe falls, a series of coffer dams cleared the way for workers to remove rock from the edges of the Falls, creating a more level crest line for a more consistent flow across the width. Additional work was performed to reinforce the Table Rock, while the Terrapin Point viewing platform was extended out over the river, reducing the width of the falls by about 300 ft.

The American Falls ran nearly dry for months in 1969 when the US Army Corps of Engineers built a coffer dam at the southern end of Goat Island to divert the water to the Horseshoe Falls. On June 12, 1969, the American Falls slowed to a trickle and engineers began studying it. Their purpose was to assess the condition of the falls, make repairs to unstable sections, and collect data to recommend a course of action to improve or maintain its beauty- possibly by removing the boulder pile at its base. The "de-watered falls" became a popular sight, with tourist numbers breaking all-time records. NY State Parks even opened a new attraction- allowing visitors to walk on the dry river bed above the falls.

Over the course of  5 months, concrete was used to fill cracks in the bedrock and large steel bolts were used to reinforce trouble areas at the crest.  On November 27th, 1969 the coffer dam was dismantled and the American Falls was flooded once again. After reviewing the data, the Army Corps of Engineers concluded a year later that although removing the boulders below the falls was a possibility (at the cost of $10 million) it was recommended to leave them be.

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How much of the water is being diverted for power generation?  (Back to the list of questions).

The simple answer is: most of it. At any given moment the water diverted from upstream the falls, to run the various power plants, is anywhere from 60 to 75%. That's an average of 1,200,000 gallons (4,542,500 liters) of water a second with only 600,000 gal/sec (2,271,250 liters/sec) left to run over the Horseshoe Falls and a mere 150,000 gal/sec (567,811 liters/sec) for the American Falls. Although it may seem as though the Falls are being deprived of its natural flow, the water that remains to cover the falls is still an impressive sight. Many waterfall enthusiasts agree that reduced flow makes for waterfalls with more "character."

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Why is the water that shade of blue/green?  (Back to the list of questions).

The water of the Niagara Rivers seems to change color with the weather. Warm winter days and early spring seasons bring torrents of melt water- stirring up sediment and turning the falls a murky grayish-brown. On sunny summer days the bright sun seems to make the Niagara glow a bight aquamarine, with clearer skies resulting in brighter colors.

The reason for the almost fluorescent shade is due to a few factors. The oxygen and mineral rich waters of the Niagara create an excellent environment for the growth of algae (both multi-cellular and single-celled diatoms). A healthy soup of these natural plant cells help give the river its distinct color. When sunlight hits it at the right angle and intensity, the diatom's bodies act like prisms, and reflect back a sparking aquamarine.

Minerals also contribute to the color. Dissolved limestone, shale and sandstone form salts that tint the river, while clean and well-oxygenated water helps this effect show through.

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