Niagara Falls Facts
20% of the earth's fresh water(the Great Lakes) flows over Niagara falls.
More water flows over Niagara Falls than any other in the world.
The Niagara River isn't a river at all, it's a strait connecting Lake Erie with Lake Ontario.
The American "brink" is 1060 feet in length and 176 feet high. 150,000 gallons of water tumble over it's edge each second.
The Horseshoe Falls is 2600 feet across its brink and 167 feet high. 600,000 gallons of water fall from it's brink each second.
The "Bridal Veil" portion of the American Falls is so named due to it's appearance and the reputation of Niagara Falls as the "Honeymoon Capital".
The deepest portion of the Niagara River is directly below the Falls... 170 feet... as deep as the Falls are high.
About 12,000 years ago, Niagara Falls was 7 miles down-stream from it's present location. This erosion is what carved out the Niagara Gorge, a 7 mile canyon. Erosion continues today, and is estimated at 1 foot every 10 years.
The water depth of the lower rapids is 45-60 feet, with currents of up to 30 mph.
In 1901, Mrs. Annie Edson Taylor, a 63 year old schoolteacher from Bay City Michigan, was the first person to go over the Falls in a barrel and survive.
In 1960, seven year old Roger Woodward was swept over the Horseshoe Falls, with only a life jacket. He survived and was rescued by the crew of one of the Maid of the Mist boats.