NIAGARA FALLS, THE GREAT WONDER OF NATURE !

Niagara falls, one of the major tourist attractions of both US and Canada , is a dream spot of the people who are fond of natural wonders from all over the world. Magnificient and spectacular view of this great falls makes any one to propose to visit in person to have wonderful experiences with violent fall of water, with buzzing, roaring sound and water plume. This is nothing but the great work of nature which transfers water from one of the great lakes of US, Erie to the other great lake Ontario. Months from April to August are favorable time to visit this place to enjoy the natural beauty. Colorful lights provided in American part of the falls are bringing a spectacular view to the people visiting there in night time. There are number of nearby hotels at Niagara falls. From there one can enjoy the magnificient view of this great falls by peacefully sitting in his room with a cup of tea. People visiting there are wishing to spend some days by staying at nearby hotels to have and enjoy the different views of the falls at different times of the day. The sunshine on the falls decorates it with colors of rainbow and massive drop of water with water plume is having a great tendency to create a chill climate of nearby atmosphere of Niagara falls.

Getting near the Niagara falls of both American and Canadian counter parts by the ferry boat is creating a thrilling experience which could not be ever forgotten by one's life. People travelling in the ferry boat are provided with rain coats to have a nice enjoyment of the drenching by the water plume coming out this great falls. At the moment of getting near the falls, roaring sound, chillness by water plume and shaking of the ferry boat are bringing a terrible experience to the travelling people.

Location and Geography of the falls.

The massive Niagara falls is located on the Niagara river which separates Canadian province of Ontario and US part of Newyork and 17 miles north - north east of Buffalo, Newyork, 75 miles south - south west of Toronto, Ontario.

The great gift of nature, Niagara falls is composed of three parts such as American falls, Bridal veil falls and Horseshoe falls ( Canadian counter part ). Of which Horse shoe falls ( Canadian counter part ) and American falls comprise the major part of the falls. The other smaller part lies in the US area called as Bridal veil falls. The land mass lying between the Canadian Horse shoe falls and the American falls is known as Goat island. The other land mass lying between the two parts of American falls is called as Luna island.

American falls is slightly elevated to Canadian Horseshoe falls and major part of the water ( 90% ) is diverted, due to gravitational force of earth, to the Canadian counter part of Horseshoe falls. The American falls is 176 feet high and it's brink length is about 1,075 feet whereas the Canadian part is 167 feet high and has a crest length of about 2600 feet. Total water flow in Niagara falls is about 2 lacs cubic feet per second which means about 50,000 crores of litres of water per day.

Primary source of the Niagara falls

The main source of Niagara falls is the lake Erie, one of the great lakes of America and smallest of all by volume, which is fed by the river Detroit. The maximum length of this great lake is about 400 km and width is about 92 km and has average depth of 60 feet. In winter snow fall on the toal surface area of this huge lake, about 26,000 sq. km, reaches a few metre high and the same melts in summer to feed Niagara falls. The river Detroit deposited in the lake is the other source of Niagara falls.

Before 18,000 years the Erie lake was covered by the snow bed of 2 to 3 km thick and later this huge ice mass gently moved southwards leaving a huge mass of water to form this great lake. Though it is the smallest of all by the volume, the lake is so huge that if the total water of the lake were drained out through the Niagara falls, after stopping the inflow, with the same current flow rate, it would take more than 1,000 days to completely clear the water of the Erie lake.

The above picture shows two parts of American falls and the smaller part of the falls on the right side of the picture is called as Bridal veil falls.

Another magnificient view of the American part of Niagara falls.

Thrilling experience of gettig near the Canadian counterpart of the falls.

Falls plume of Canadian falls.

The aerial view of total Niagara falls.

The aerial view of Horseshoe falls.

Erosion by Niagara falls

Niagara falls has undergone dramatic change due to the natural forces of erosion. The natural bed rock composed of soft shale and lime stone is being easily eroded and could not stand with violent current of the water. Being higher than Canadian part ( Horseshoe falls ) erosion on the crest line of American falls is considerably decreased by the diversion of most part of the water to the counter part. Every year Niagara falls loses about one foot of it's total height. The predictors are saying that the same current erosion rate is so powerful to change this great falls as a fast flowing stream after many decades of years.

Historical efforts made on Niagara falls to harness the potential energy to produce hydro power

This is the natural gift of both countries to produce some power from Niagara falls. Availabilty of the nonstop flow of water except in some months of winter gives room to produce hydro electric power from Niagara falls.

Some part of the water is diverted to produce hydro power. In 1759, Daniel Jorcaine made his first effort to produce little bit of power, by building a canal, to run his saw mill. Later Augustus and Peter porter purchased this area and all of the American falls in 1805 from the Newyork state government and enlarged original canal to provide power for their girst mill and tannery. When Nikola Tesla invented the three phase system of alternating current power transmission, distant transfer of electricity became possible in 1883 in the name of Niagara falls power company. By 1896 the same company was developed by the construction of gaint underground conduits leading to the turbines to produce power of 75 mega watts per day.

Dare devil activities in Niagara falls

Obviously it is true that man has no power and right to fight and face against the super natural power things like Niagara falls as most of the darings met the failure. We have only right to enjoy this great things by viewing in a safer distance, sometimes we can also enjoy the thrilling experiences of getting closer to the falls. But daring the super falls like Niagara is almost equal to an attempt of suicide. The Government and people should not encourage those daring events as the value of our life is always more than the popularity achieved by those daring events.

Many people were plunged to death when they were daring the falls in a barrel. On October 24 th 1901 Annie Taylor was the first person to conquer the falls in a barrel. On July 25 th 1911 Boddy leach plunged over the falls in a steel barrel. Boddy broke both knee caps and his jaw during his daring event. On july 5 th 1930 A Greek waitor named Goerge L. Statakis suffocated to death after his barrel was trapped behind the falls for more than 14 hours. On July 3 rd 1984 a first canadian conquered the falls. On October 5 th 1985 a Canadian merchant John Super Dava made a successful trip in his barrel. On October 1 st 1995 Robert Overcraker rides a jetski over the brink of Horse shoe falls. In his daring his parachute failed to open and plunged to death.

Please click on the above links to get the pictures of Niagara falls in full resolution.