The summer of 1969 was the moment the truth was revealed about the underlying secrets of the Niagara Falls by a group of engineers who were on a mission to discover the unknown. The group learned the mystery of how to stop the flow, and though everyone was eager to solve the puzzle, they probably should have been more afraid than they were.
For these scientists the mindset of impossibility was far from their minds. They knew once their minds were on the task, they could quickly stem the flow of the waterfalls, and nothing would stop them. So, in 1969, the whole truth unfolded, read on to discover the shocking revelations these scientists discovered.
The Beauty of Nature
Niagara Falls is by far one of the most amazing spectacles of nature, and whether you have experienced it in person or through media, you will agree, their size is just so impressive! For years, the falls have been an excellent location for tourists who travel from all over the world. People have been detailing their excitement to have encountered this jaw-dropping sight through photos, blogs, and vlogs.
A Blow To The Economy
There are no words that can honestly describe the wonders of the falls, nor can it ever be ‘in its true form’ in a still photo. A personal visit is what it really takes to understand the hype, so everyone should try and go at least once in life. However, the joys and wonders experienced now are far from what the group of scientists experienced many decades ago. For them, an investigation was a must!
Supporting the Mission
The Niagara Falls offered so much and getting to fully understand the magic behind the flow was a heart-racing moment. The scientists made their plans to unearth the mystery known, and they quickly became the center of public attention. The mission was supported by many, as they were all eager to witness what was thought of as impossible.
Supporting The Mission
Nature’s works are not easy to tamper with, and this was the issue many people had with the plans of the scientists. But as summer came and the Falls’ water flow started to decrease, the confidence in the scientists grew once more. There was now a chance of completing the impossible.
Natural Forming of The Niagara
At one point, there was no Niagara Falls, until about 18,000 years ago to be more precise. Around then the Falls were created by ice sheets that came in from the North Pole, leaving behind a huge stretch of land, which is what we call North America today. Only when the colossal bits of ice started melting did the Falls come into being.
Natural Forming Of The Niagara
The Falls themselves didn’t start until the chunks of ice that remained started to melt and flow into the Niagara River. As the years passed, the water started eroding the cliffs of the river, and thus, the falls came into existence.
The Making of A World Beauty
Niagara Falls forms the border of two of the most popular countries in the world, Canada and the United States. To date, there have been millions of visitors to this natural border between the two countries, but we don’t know exactly when the continent first received visitors, maybe a thousand years ago, or could be even earlier.
The Making Of A World Beauty
We may assume that the locals were experiencing this wonderous beauty a long time before anyone else got there, and no record of the first tourist has been made nor of the first local sightings. But what we do know is that the area was home to many indigenous people long before the Falls were documented by anyone.
A European Visit
History has it that somewhere at the start of the seventeenth century, the first person in Europe to hear about the Falls was Samuel de Champlain, a French explorer.
A European Visit
However, he was not the first person to visit the Falls from that region. And it wasn’t until 1678, that the first person from Europe actually went to see the Falls for themselves. Father Louis Hennepin went to Niagara Falls, on a mission to discover New France, and they gave that name to this part of North America.
Naming the Discovery
About five years after Father Louis Hennepin came back from his visit, he decided to make known his thoughts and feelings about what he saw. His first article was titled ‘A New Discovery’ in which he first used the term ‘Niagara Falls’, meaning that this name was brought into being in 1683.
Naming The Discovery
The name originated from the word “Onguiaahra” an Iroquoian word, which means “the strait”. As many people read the article, they became interested, and Father Louis Hennepin became a beacon of fame in his country. The report led many people to go to the Falls from Europe to see for themselves this natural wonder Father Louis Hennepin had written about.
A New Center of Tourism
Though the Falls were made known to Europeans in the 1600s, it was only in the 1800s that Niagara Falls would become a booming center for tourism, as more and more people wanted to admire the incredible size and wonder of the Falls.
A New Center Of Tourism
As the visits grew gradually, many business owners saw the potential of profits from visits made to the Falls, so they started making huge investments in the lands lying around it. Niagara Falls, since then, has become a center of attraction for millions of tourists, especially newlywed couples on their honeymoons and adventure-seekers. However, things had changed drastically compared to those early visits when it wasn’t overpriced to go.
Industrial Growth
The Falls have garnered not only the attention of leisure seekers but also of the business world. Early on, many saw the potential of the Falls as a significant boost to their business at the time (and even now) as their factors and production mills could benefit from the hydro-power the waterfalls provided.
Industrial Growth
The idea became a reality when, at the end of the 19th century, the establishment of the first hydroelectric generating station was built close to the Falls. The results were hugely successful as they produced huge amounts of electricity which could be used.
Nikola Tesla’s Invention
Though the power station could generate electricity to many, there was still a drawback as it only went to as far as 300 feet, and no one knew yet how to get it to go further. Until a famous scientist, by the name of Nikola Tesla came along with an invention that would change everything.
Nikola Tesla Invention
He discovered a way to move electricity over long distances through alternating current, and the first test from the generating station saw power reaching as far as to Buffalo, New York, about 20 miles away. Tesla was lauded for his invention, and its application is still in effect to this day.
A Firm Source of Electricity
From the time of Nikola Tesla until today, the Niagara Falls is still producing a vast amount of electricity of over two million kilowatts of power, in the same way, that it did then.
A Firm Source Of Electricity
In reality, what better source of electricity could the world ask for than that created with the help of renewable resources? After all, times have changed, and the cities have become overpopulated and polluted and our environment overall is heading for a downfall. Renewable sources such as the sun, water, and wind are the only ways of providing a solution to the problems the destructive nature of man has caused on the environment.
A Treasure For Canada And The United States
The Niagara Falls lines the border of Canada and the United States and as such, belongs to both countries. It is a natural masterpiece that sees both countries boasting over 30 million visitors each year. The benefits derived from the admiration of the Falls are shared in good faith.
A Treasure For Canada And The United States
Ever heard the saying, “Water and fire are dangerous servants but fearful masters”? Well, the Niagara Falls is the perfect description as its deposition of over six cubic feet of water per minute, it could be a danger if it seeps outside its bounds. Just imagine, hundreds of cities could easily be destroyed with this much water pressure.
Low Water Pressure at Night
Interestingly there is actually less water flow during the nights. But how is this even possible, you might ask? Well, it is actually not something that happens naturally, but rather is influenced by the human factor.
Low Water Pressure At Night
Back in the 1950s, a treaty was signed that gave local companies the privilege of sourcing water for their various productions from the Falls. The treaty allowed them to take more water at night when fewer tourists were around to notice.
The Falls and Winter
What about in the winter? Are you wondering what happens to the Falls during the coldest periods of the year when the temperatures fall below zero degrees Celsius? Well, to quench your anxiety… a part of the Fall does indeed freeze, but still, the flow never stops entirely amidst the freezing temperatures.
The Falls And Winter
In addition to freezing, there are also other times when the Falls display another magnificent feat of beauty and astonishment. During the winter, and different seasons as well, water flowing along the Niagara Falls turns into clouds of vapor. As you watch water going over, it turns into a pillar of clouds as it vanishes into the unknown below. It really is something!
Three Separate Falls Making One
Niagara Falls seems like one massive fall, but the reality is that three falls form the spectacular beauty you go to visit.
Three Separate Falls Making One
Though Niagara Falls belong to both Canada and the United States, two of the significant Falls belong to the United States only; the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls. The remaining Fall, which is also the largest part, is known as the Horseshoe Falls, which actually signals the border between both countries.
New York’s Concerns About the Falls
For occasional visitors, the beauty never seems to fade as the Falls are still remarkable in their beauty.
New Yorks Concerns About The Falls
However, for those living close to the Falls in New York, they have a nagging concern as they see them often. But what is the problem? For them, they are losing their charm with every gallon of water that goes down the cliffs. The accumulation of stones lying at the base of the Falls is growing on a rapid basis, and New Yorkers believe this could be a significant problem in the years to come.
Contacting the International Joint Commission
The International Joint Commission is a group of authoritative bodies from both Canada and the United States. They are responsible for the care and protection of the shared waterfall, so as the concern grew for the residents of New York, they were contacted.
Contacting The International Joint Commission
The suggestion was made (mostly by Americans) for something to be done about the accumulated rocks before it gets worse. The authorities have been on it even with the aid of the U.S. Army Corps Engineers to develop a possible solution.
Operation “Stop the Fall”
The International Joint Commission is a group of authoritative bodies from both Canada and the United States. They are responsible for the care and protection of the shared waterfall, so as the concern grew for the residents of New York, they were contacted.
Operation Stop The Fall
The engineers and other team workers made plans, and in the summer of 1969, they unfolded the idea to “stop the falls” temporarily in a bid to remove the rocks at the bottom of the cataract. But was this plan a successful one? Let’s dig in to find out…
Building A Cofferdam
The engineers executed their plans to build a cofferdam that saw the Niagara Falls flowing through the mainland and Goat Island. The blockage consisted of over 27,000 tons of rocks and earth, which were transported to the site by over 1,200 trucks.
Building A Cofferdam
The structure’s total was about 600 feet (182.88 meters). But was this successful enough to stop the waters they wanted and avoid any flooding between the Bridal Veil and Horseshoe Falls in what is known as Goat Island?
A Successful Plan
The engineers did have a successful first try in managing to stop the flow of the water into the American Falls, which they redirected into the Horseshoe Falls. So, the cliffs of the Niagara Falls got rest from some million gallons of water that usually tumbles down them.
A Successful Plan
Bear in mind the Falls consist of three significant falls, but it is impossible to stop all three at the same time, so just the flow of the American Falls was stopped. But where would that enormous amount of water all go…?
Looming Worries For The Locals
As the mission went on, the locals had two major concerns that worried them. The thought of blocking a river’s natural path was terrifying and had them thinking of what disaster loomed should the waters decide to enter their lands.
Looming Worries For The Locals
Also, they thought about the lack of business that would occur as the number in tourist arrivals could fall when no water was available. But sure enough, some companies remained positive that many tourists would visit in the eagerness of wanting to see the bed of the falls and what lies beneath it.
A Blow to the Economy
As the worried locals would have it, there was indeed a significant drop in tourist arrivals that year. They were not as enthused about “waterless falls”, and by the end of the year, the percentage of visits compared to previous years was at an all-time low.
The Beauty Of Nature
However, there were still some benefits for those who visited as they got the opportunity to take home some exciting memories like rocks and coins found along the riverbed. This kind of daring treasure-hunting was an incredible rush!
Scare of The Skeletons
As the waters of the Falls receded, the thought of discovering anything gruesome like skeletons was far from the minds of engineers and visitors alike. However, as fate would have it, there were indeed bones lying along the bed of the falls.
Scare Of The Skeletons
Who did they belong to? No one was sure at the time. It was not clear whether they belonged to humans or large animals who had fallen into the river, but either way, it was better there were fewer tourists so as not to cause another blow to the tourism industry.
The Skeleton Remains Unravelled
The engineers who discovered the skeletons did the necessary test and research and found out they belonged to a man and a woman. It seems that the man met his death after he jumped into the rushing waters of the Fall, although dates were never reported.
The Skeleton Remains Unravelled
As for the woman, the speculated assumptions are that she noticed her lover had drowned, and she too decided to jump. If this was true, then it was an incredibly tragic but morbidly testament to true love.
More Death Evidence Loomed
As the waters receded even further, engineers started discovering more skeletons along the riverbed. Based on the number of bones found, they had the assumption that the Niagara Falls was the ideal location many people used to say their last farewell to the world.
More Death Evidence Loomed
However, as history would have it, many suicides still happen here, with authorities saying that more than 40 persons commit suicide at the location each year. Besides, they understand that once they fall into the raging waters, there is nothing that can be done to save them only if they are sure of a divine miracle from above!
Daring the Waterfalls
Over the years, not only suicidal people have lost their lives but also artists and visitors who wanted to create the stunt of a lifetime. Many ventured a little too close and ended up losing their lives after they slipped and fell in. Others dared to jump for a show but never lived to tell the tale of the experience.
Daring The Waterfalls
The flow of this water is way too fierce for humans to overcome! So, if you had plans to try your luck… snap out of it, and if you know anyone else who may plan to… Read these few lines to them. You cannot beat the Niagara Falls. Do Not Try.
The Painful Adventure Of Annie Edson Taylor
Annie Edson Taylor was a struggling teacher who loved the Niagara Falls as well as adventure, but more importantly, she needed money and was sponsored to do something a little crazy, if you ask us. The 63-year-old at the time-strapped herself in a wooden barrel after instructing onlookers to throw her in the river.
The Painful Adventure Of Annie Edson Taylor
She actually sent her cat in first, to see if it would survive, which it did. Lucky for her, she also survived, but she said it was a terrible experience that no one else should ever try it. People did however, some lived to tell the tale while others did not.
Karel Soucek & Jesse Sharp
Karel Soucek in 1984 decided to repeat the mission of Annie Edson Taylor, being a famous stuntman of his time. Fortunately for him, he survived his feat. However, he tried his luck a bit too hard, when years later, he tried a similar stunt in the Houston Astrodome in Texas but never lived to tell of his experience.
Karel Soucek And Jesse Sharp
Jesse Sharp was another daring adventure-seeker who took things to another level. He went into the raging waters in his canoe, and though many said he survived, no one ever saw him even to this day.
Thoughts of The Viewers
Those who were there during the receding of the waters came back to tell of the nerve-racking experience they had. They admitted they were excited to see what lay beneath the waters but were also scared the waters would break the dam and take revenge for the attempt to tame it.
Thoughts Of The Viewers
They also noted the fear the sight of the skeletons gave them against the powerful rage of the waters. Even the engineers who were on the task noted that they never expected it would result in being such a difficult one.
A Dangerous Mission
As engineers unveiled the truth about the rocks, they abandoned their first mission and went with another. The fact they discovered was that the stones were there as a form of support for the cliffs, and removing them could be detrimental to the location.
A Dangerous Mission
Well, that’s just how life is, you can never know the truth until you get a more in-depth look at the reality of things.
For a fact, they had put in some hard work into getting them where they were, but realizing what was happening, the only option was to abort the initial plans. Saving the cliff was a more viable thing to do.
The Idea Of A Permanent Dam
Seeing the first plans were not to be materialized, they came up with the idea of building a permanent dam. However, with much research and investigation, they later found out this too would be a case of danger to the American Falls, so they then dropped those plans.
The Idea Of A Permanent Dam
Thus, neither the rocks were removed nor a dam built as an alternative. So, was the operation a failed attempt at achieving the desired result? For the most part, yes, it was! Though they were able to discover what lay beneath the waterfalls, and the skeletons were found, they couldn’t do anything with the general falls.
A Six Month Journey
From the summer of 1969 to six months later, the “American side” of the Niagara Falls was without water. The engineers had this extended time as a bid to research and implement ways of stabilizing the waterfalls for the future generation of visitors and locals.
A Six Month Journey
Though many had the perception that a massive landslide would be imminent, it didn’t happen. The engineers had designed sensors that would help them in identifying if the ground was moving during the works on the cliff. However, with careful planning and execution of tasks, the worst did not happen as they also installed numerous cables, bolts, and anchors for support.
Re-emergence of Niagara Falls
In November of 1969, the most spectacular and jaw-dropping thing happened before the eyes of millions of onlookers from around the world. The temporary cofferdam that was created along Goat Island was destroyed by dynamite. This action saw a massive rush of water dashing along its original course and, once again, gave life to the American Falls.
Re Emergence Of Niagara Falls
Locals of the area were once again in a state of happiness as things were changing for the best. Tourists started revisiting the Falls, and before long, businesses were back on track. Though nothing changed with the works of the engineers, many agreed the waterfalls had a more stable and stronger flow.
Industry Tampering With Nature
The temporary works of the engineers did nothing much to the falls in terms of changing it, but the reality still exists that the industry had a part to play in altering nature.
Industry Tampering With Nature
The world was impacted positively by what was done even though nature had to get the brunt of the harshness. As it is, those industry players were all in it for themselves, and their push for more production almost changed the natural flow of the downstream. At various stages, they made some negative impact as we may call it.
A Call For Regulation
The conservation of the waterfalls was essential to nature’s protectors, while the industrials were more concerned about production.
A Call For Regulation
So, with much lobbying from relevant authorities, a regulating body was implemented to help condition the works of both conservatives and industrials in preventing harm to each other. The heavy pumping of the water from the falls led to a national debate based on the complaint made by many different nature experts.
A Proactive Argument
Based on research, it indicated that the cliffs of the falls were being eroded at an average of 4.5 feet each year. This was the argument presented by the industry players for the reasons to pull the water from the falls.
A Proactive Argument
They noted the less water was going down, the longer it would take for the cliffs to be destroyed, and it may seem like a viable option. Was the argument presented accepted by the heads of constitution and operation in Canada and the United States?
Leveled Agreement
Both the Canadian and American Business community did not want to hurt their various industries, so they made an agreement to side with the industry players on the reasoning behind the usage of the water.
Leveled Agreement
But was it ever the right decision? No one can say, but as reality would have it, the industry is booming from the agreement as well as the Falls is still glowing in all its beauty. The real results will only be actualized a few years from now.
Finding The Perfect Solution
Both Canada and the United States have been working well together in preserving and maintaining what nature gave them. As such, they have come up with a viable solution that would benefit both industries and satisfy the needs of all nature lovers.
Finding The Perfect Solution
They agreed that during the nights and winter season, most tourists stay away from the falls; thus, industrials could use up to 75% of the water from the falls for their production. However, during the spring, summer, and other fair weather, industrials can only use up to 50% of the water. The authorities also permitted to alter the lip of the Horseshoe Falls to the industrials, which in turn created a fantastic illusion of a powerful flow.
What About The Falls Today?
Niagara Falls is still in its prime of beauty to date, and millions of tourists visit every year. For now, there are no “evident changes” in the waterfalls, and the agreement made back in the early 19th century is still in effect to this day. No one knows, however, what will happen in the years to come.
What About The Falls Today
We never know if another group of engineers might want to stop the flow again to see the changes in the water bed for the last five decades. We can already predict what may lie on the river bed should they agree to repeat history, some coins, a few more rocks piled up and, of course, hundred more skeletal remains.
Future Plans
A report made by the Niagara Frontier State Park Commission in 2016, noted they might repeat this 1969 mission soon. For sure, we all anticipate this happening, and many people around the world may want to experience it, so a live stream on social media may be a great way to involve everyone!
Future Plans
What are your thoughts on plans to dry the waterfalls again? Do you believe other waterbeds could be dried to unearth what lies beneath them? Should nature be tampered with for the sake of experiments? Let us know your thoughts!