The Explanation Behind the Draining of Niagara Falls in 1969

The story of how Niagara Falls drained

Today we know Niagara Falls as one of the most magnificent natural wonders and a favorite tourist destination. But how many people know more about its history?

Since the formation of Niagara Falls and the Niagara River more than 12,000 years ago, the water has continued to erode the riverbed and undermine rock formations. At a rate of 85,000 cubic feet per second, the waterfalls burst forth with great force.

Video of American Falls drained

Niagara Falls includes Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. The first and largest – Horseshoe Falls is located on the Canadian side, and the other two are on the American side, separated by Luna Island.

Scientists started to wonder in 1965 whether future rockfalls and erosion wouldn’t completely destroy the waterfall.

November 13, 1966 – It was necessary for workers to remove debris from the Upper American Channel above the American Falls, so the first artificial dewatering of the American Falls was carried out to make this possible. In order to clear the canal of tree trunks and other kinds of debris, forty (40) members of the staff of the Niagara Frontier State Park Commission donned hip boots and waded out into the water. In 1959, a 10-ton pontoon float that had become stuck in the rapids approximately 600 feet (183 meters) above the Falls was extracted with the assistance of a bulldozer.
The water was redirected by opening the gates of the International Water Control Dam located a short distance upriver. Additionally, the amount of water that was redirected to the hydroelectric power stations located further downstream was increased to its maximum potential. This action brought the flow down from its normal level of 60,000 gallons per second, which is equivalent to 8,000 cubic feet of water per second, to a more manageable level of 15,000 gallons per second (2,000 cubic feet of water per second).

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) funded this project as part of a $90,000 study to see what could be done to stop the Falls’ erosion. For six hours, the flow of water was reduced. While employees were clearing the debris, Corps officials conducted on-site inspections and took aerial photographs of the river bed.

This question piqued the interest of authorities and scientists, and in the summer of 1969, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) was tasked with dewatering part of the waterfall – the American Falls (including the Bridal Veil).

The goal is for geologists to be able to explore the bottom and identify the risks of potential destruction, as well as to attempt to repair any existing damage.

More than 1,200 trucks brought over 28 000 tons of rocks and soil in June 1969 to build a temporary cofferdam to divert water from American Falls to Horseshoe Falls.

In fact, only 10% of the total flow of Niagara Falls passes through the American Falls, making it easier to divert the water.

The drained Niagara Falls attracts the attention of many tourists. Some just want to take pictures of the dried rocks, others are interested in the stories about the corpses found in the riverbed, some prefer to stand on Goat Island and from there they can see the dried American Falls from one side and the falling water from Horseshoe Falls from the other side.

Even though there is still some running water and the rocks are slippery, there are also enthusiasts who come to walk along the dry riverbed. In order to slow down the deterioration of the rocks and prevent them from cracking, researchers also leave water pipes in place.

Upon opening, a walkway was on August 1st, 1969. It was designed specifically for tourists who want to walk on the dry riverbed, and it is safe. In spite of the fact that there is more water flowing through American Falls this summer than Horseshoe Falls, it actually draws more tourists.

Geologists continue their investigation while making vertical maps of the condition of the rocks. The objective is to determine whether and how long the water will destroy them while also researching ways to stop erosion in the future.

This project costs 1.5 million dollars.

Once geologists have completed the study, the question of releasing water into American Falls remains. Although many expect this to happen quickly and spectacularly, the return to normal flow is very gradual.

On November 25th the flow of Niagara is totally restored.

Water is once more cascading over the American Falls. The first scoops of dirt and rock were taken out of the 600 foot (182.8 m) long cofferdam that had been in place since June 12 at 10:05 this morning. 10:43 a.m. The dam let the first trickle of water through, but it took until midday before the water started to sink again.

Around 2,650 people gathered in various locations to observe the construction of the dam through cameras and newsreels. As the crews work around the clock to reestablish the flow of water, normal flow is anticipated by tomorrow morning.

About 30 feet (9 meters) from the shore of Goat Island, a breach of the Cofferdam started. It was originally intended to start at the center, but Colonel Hansen said that after finding a weak spot in the dam this morning, the decision was made to start the project close to the island.

A brief ceremony was held to signal the start of things getting back to normal. The next generation was represented by 11-year-old Lockport, New York, resident David Kennis who pulled a horn cord. The drag-line operator was instructed to begin work by the horn’s blast. At 11:05 a.m., the first burst of murky water burst through the dam. It wasn’t until noon that the river bed began to noticeably change as the water slowly started to fill the cracks and holes.

Due to the fact that the stream will need to be repaired for some time, visitors won’t be able to access Luna Island, which is situated in the middle of the main waterfall and the Bridal Veil. It is believed that the land there is too unstable, and as a result, there is a possibility of a very serious accident happening there.

There is a chance that the waters of Niagara Falls will be drained once more in the not-too-distant future because of maintenance work that needs to be done on two bridges, both of which have sections that are submerged in water and need to be reconstructed. Once more, this is going to pique the interest of a significant number of tourists.