Niagara Falls

From BluSkyPedia

Niagara Falls is a huge waterfall or series of waterfalls that straddles the border between Canada and the United States near New York and Ontario. Their two major sections to Niagara Falls separated by goat Island. The majority of the falls lie on the Canadian side. Niagara Falls are known for their width more than for their depth. When the water is a high flow over 6,000,000 ft.³ of water goes over the falls every minute. It is the most powerful waterfall in North America.

Niagara Falls are a great tourist attraction but they also provide valuable hydroelectric power for the area. In 1759 a sawmill was the first to harness the power of the falls. In 1881 the first hydroelectric station was built. During the winter when electricity needs are higher, the amount of water flowing over the falls is lessened as more water is diverted to the hydroelectric power turbines.

1829 marked the beginning of daredevils finding different ways to go over the falls with a daredevil who jumped from a tower into the water below. In 1876 a tight rope walker across the Niagara Gorge as a stunt. In 1901 Annie Edson Taylor went over the falls in a barrel. In 1883 the first man to swim the English Channel drowned while trying to swim the river downstream from the falls. In 1960s a seven-year-old boy was swept over the falls wearing only a life vest and survived. In 1984 someone went over the falls in a barrel again and survived. Unfortunately the next year he died trying to re-create the event in a football stadium where his barrel was to drop from the rafters and land in a bucket of water on the floor.

Two other individuals have survived going over the falls without any type of location device or barrel. It's unclear if these were suicide attempts or not.

Frequently Asked Questions About Niagara Falls

Where is Niagara Falls located?

Niagara Falls is located on the border of the United States and Canada between New York and Ontario.

How tall is Niagara Falls?

At the highest point the falls are 182 feet. This is on the American Falls.

How long is Niagara Falls?

The Horseshoe Falls are 2,200 feet wide, the American Falls have a crest of about 1,100 wide.

Has Niagara Falls ever frozen completely?

The Falls occasionally freeze over and make an ice bridge across the entire width of the falls, but usually there is some water flowing under the ice. The only time the entire falls were known to completely stop was in 1848. An ice dam up stream blocked most of the water to where only a small trickle was going over the falls. People were able to walk out in the river bed and pickup items that had been dropped over the sides of boats or washed toward the falls from up stream. The American side of the Falls does freeze every once in a awhile, but the Horseshoe falls (the bigger of the two that gets 90% of the water) still flows.

How did Niagara Falls get its name?

An Indian tribe in the area had the name Ongniaahra which means "thunder of waters". The river was named after them. The first record of the name in its current form was on a map in 1683.