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About 12,000 years ago, Niagara
Falls was 11 kilometres (7 miles)
downstream from its present
location. Until the early 1950s,
the Falls eroded at the average
rate of one metre (3 feet) per
year.
Since then, major water diversions
have spread out the flow more
evenly, slowing the rate of
erosion at the Falls. These
include the Sir Adam Beck #2
Generating Station (1954) on
the Canadian side of the border,
the Robert Moses Niagara Power
Plant (1961) on the American
side of the Niagara River, and
the International Control Works
(1954-1963).
Horseshoe Falls Fast
Facts
- The Canadian Falls is approximately
52 metres (170 ft) high.
- The crestline is estimated
to be 675 metres (2200 ft)
wide.
- The depth of the river
at the base of the falls is
actually higher than the falls
itself. The river's depth
is estimated at 56 metres
(184 ft).
- The flow of water over the
crestline of the falls is
estimated at more than 168,000
cubic metres.
- The Canadian Falls was first
described as "horseshoe"
shaped in 1721.
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