"The Unprecedented Event of Draining Niagara Falls in 1969: A Surprising Revelation Unearthed by Scientists" suntitle

Niagara Falls, a breathtaking natural wonder, is not just a stunning sight to behold. In 1969, the American side of the waterfall remained dry for six months, allowing researchers to study its rock face and investigate erosion. This process occurs when natural forces such as water and wind wear away Earthen materials, such as glacial ice becoming muddy. The three waterfalls that cross the international border between Canada and the United States together form the Magnificent Niagara Falls.

To shut down these astonishing falls, a 600-foot Dam was built across the Niagara River, diverting 68,000 gallons of water every second to allow the remaining flow to travel over the Horseshoe Falls. Over 27,000 tons of rock were used to construct the Dam, and over a thousand trucks carried the rock back in the hot summer of 1969. On June 12th, the American Falls stopped after their Continuous Flow for more than 12,000 years, so the Horseshoe Falls took the extra flow and absorbed it for research.

Locals were still worried about the possibility of controlling such amounts of water, fearing that the water might take a different route and cause a catastrophic flood. Tourists continued coming to the falls, and a temporary walkway was built only 20 feet away from the edge of the now-dry Falls. Researchers stumbled upon millions of coins people had thrown in the water over decades, which they removed. However, in the past couple of decades, more tourists have been visiting the falls, and researchers discovered millions of coins, cameras, drones, cell phones, and other items careless visitors could accidentally drop in the waterfalls.

The idea of removing all the water and turning Niagara Falls into a desert proved to be possible, but it may need to be done again in 2020. The media reported that two pedestrian bridges in Niagara Falls needed to be replaced or repaired, and experts discuss whether to divert the water once again.

Niagara Falls is known for being one of the tallest waterfalls in the world, but they are not the only ones. There are nearly 500 other waterfalls across the globe that are taller than Niagara, such as Angel Falls in Venezuela. What makes Niagara Falls so special among other waterfalls is the amount of water that flows over them. The Niagara River appeared after the last ice age, along with the Great Lakes Basin. The ice sheets covered the area of Southern Ontario, creating the Basin of the Great Lakes and releasing enormous amounts of water into the basins.

The Niagara River's amazingly green color tells us how powerful the water is in terms of erosion. Every minute, Niagara Falls spews over 60 tons of dissolved minerals, dissolved salt, and finely ground rock, making the color magnificent. Over a million people in the United States and Canada use the waters of Niagara River for various purposes, including fishing, drinking water, recreational activities, swimming, boating, bird watching, and producing hydroelectric power.

In 1848, Niagara Falls stopped for up to 40 hours, but it was already popular among tourists and a useful source of energy for local people. Nikola Tesla, who made the necessary changes, discovered that electricity could travel long distances if an alternating current was used, and several Niagara Falls power plants provide over 2 million kilowatts of power today.

Niagara Falls is not one single fall – it’s actually three. These are Horsehoe Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and American Falls. Horseshoe Falls is the largest of the three falls and it also spans the border between New York and Ontario, Canada.

Niagara Falls is fed by the waters of the Great Lakes and is estimated to be about 12,000 years old. Five of the Great Lakes supply the waters to the Falls – Huron, St. Clair, Superior, Michigan, and Erie. After the water flows down the waterfalls, it is fed into the 6th Great Lake – Lake Ontario.